Dale Selch’s JM Smith Kit In A Yummy Rootbeer Finish

By Chris Williams Published June 17, 2010

Here’s one for all you custom drum fans out there. This high-gloss kit is one of Dale Selch’s newest acquisitions. As far as we’re concerned, it was definitely a great investment. Dale gives us the details himself of his prized acquisition.

I’m mostly a smooth jazz player, but I also play some alt. country and Southern style rock. The kit I use for all my styles is my custom set built by JM Smith Drum Co. of West Richland, Washington. It is constructed of Keller maple shells wrapped in a curly maple veneer. They used all DW lugs and hardware, and the finish is a classic DW-style Rootbeer fade. It's finished in eight coats of nitrocellulose clear lacquer, with two hand-rubbed final coats. It's really deep, clear, and beautiful.

Here is the configuration:

Drums:

• 22" x 18" Bass Drum
• 12" x 8" Tom
• 16" x 16" Floor Tom
• 13" x 5" Snare

Heads

• Remo heads, Emperor Tops with Black med. resonant bottoms.
• Powerstroke 3 Bass Batter

Cymbals

• 14" Sabian El Sabor Crash
• 16" Zildjian K Medium Dark Crash
• 20" Zildjian Medium Ride
• 6" Zildjian Thin Splash
• 14" New Beat Hi-Hats
• 2" Zildjian Bell

The pedals are vintage Ghost model (’70s gray) and rebuilt ’60s Speed King

All the hardware is Tama and Gibralter. Sticks are Pro-Mark hickory 5A