Core: South Korea’s First Drum Company
- By Andy Doerschuk
- Published January 9, 2013
In an era when major South Korean consumer goods companies such as Hyundai, Kia, Samsung, and LG – along with top Korean-based musical instrument manufacturers such as Young Chang and others – are staking their claims as world leaders in quality and innovation, internationally-respected Korean drum artist and businessman BongJo Lee has launched Core Drums, Korea’s first, full-line drum company.
And Lee hasn’t just dipped his toe into the water. After spending five years on research and development, Lee has launched Core with a grand total of eight different series of drums, including the Apex series pictured above, which incorporate a choice of clear or colored acrylic shells with laser-etched graphics and Core’s exclusive Xyzzy LED internal lighting and control module to create a limitless variety of tonal and visual effects.
And get this – the custom-shop-quality Bedazzle line is available in more than 10,000 different high-gloss lacquer finish, hardware, drum size, and kit configuration combinations. Apparently, 9,999 just wouldn’t do.
Be sure to check back in a couple weeks for a report on this exciting new drum brand filmed directly from the NAMM Show exhibit hall.
Lighten The Load With SKB’s Universal Conga Case
- By Andy Doerschuk
- Published December 12, 2012
Tired of hauling your congas around in soft bags with handles? I hear you; it’s no fun loading into a club holding a heavy conga in each hand. But don’t worry – SKB has come to the rescue with the new rolling Universal Conga Case.
Roto-molded of Linear Low Density Polyethylene with molded-in exterior bumpers and inverted bumpers to hold the conga in place in transit, the Universal stores the conga with the head down to lower the center of gravity, making the product more balanced when being rolled on its four lockable casters. The interior features foam padding in the base and lid to cradle the conga and provide maximum gear protection, while two metal sure-grip handles with 90 degree stops provide for easy lifting.
The Universal Conga Case is backed by SKB’s Million Mile Lifetime Guaranty and will be available at your local music store in February, 2013. The estimated street price is $229.99 – just about the cheapest insurance policy you can buy for such precious cargo.
DW Introduces A Concrete Snare Drum
- By Andy Doerschuk
- Published December 10, 2012
We’ve all heard of rock snare drums, but this is ridiculous!
In it’s decades-long quest for new drum sounds, Drum Workshop has experimented with a staggering array of drum shell materials, from exotic wood types and ply configurations to metals of all sorts to hybrids that marry all of the above.
And now, new for 2013, comes what is perhaps DW’s wildest shell material yet – concrete. That’s right, concrete (although, to be precise, we’re told by an unnamed inside source that the material is closer to soapstone).
The company promises that the new 14" x 5.5" and 14" x 6.5" Collector’s Series Concrete snare drums deliver a sound that is completely different than either wood or metal – dry, focused, with lots of extra volume. The 5.5mm raw stone shell is cut with 45-degree bearing edges, and contrasts nicely with DW’s matte satin chrome hardware.
The Custom Shop drum also includes standard features such as: MAGTM throw-off system with 3PTM (3-position) butt-plate, True ToneTM snare wires, True PitchTM stainless steel tension rods, 3.0mm steel True HoopsTM, and DW Heads by Remo.
Retail prices for both sizes are $1,230.99.
Exodus Cymbals Poised To Take On The U.S.
- By Andy Doerschuk
- Published November 20, 2012
Combine the ever-expanding availability of handmade Turkish cymbals with online social media’s guerilla marketing tactics, and you wind up with a new breed of cymbal smiths who largely fly under the radar.
That’s the marketing model startup Exodus Cymbals used to develop a strong foothold among Latin American drummers. Now the company has its sights on the U.S. market, and plans to take its message above ground by exhibiting at the upcoming NAMM show in January and reaching out to traditional drumming media (like us!).
But the Exodus story isn’t just about marketing and branding. They’ve worked to develop a truly unique sound by fashioning their entire catalog from the rather unorthodox alloy of Bronze 25 (which otherwise means 25 percent tin/75 percent copper). This differs from the typical Turkish formulation of B20 bronze, which features 20 percent tin.
We’ll be sure to report on the company’s various lines as the information become available.
New Roland V-Drum Folds In Half!
- By Andy Doerchuk
- Published November 1, 2012
Straight off of the PASIC exhibit hall and into your brain – Roland today unveiled the latest incarnation of the company’s revered V-Drum system, and it’s completely unlike anything we’ve ever seen.
We’ll get to all the groovy specs in a minute – the thing that really sets TD-4KP V-Drums Portable apart from other compact electronic drum sets is its unique stand, which folds up into a surprisingly small size for transport and storage. To put the kit back into playing position, the user simply unfolds the stand and pads and proceeds to jam.
Otherwise, the system includes a kick pad, snare pad, three tom pads, three cymbal pads (crash, ride, and hi-hat), and an FD-8 Hi-Hat Controller pedal. The 7.5" snare and tom pads feature a cushioned rubber surface that provides a sensitive, accurate response and natural playing feel.
The included TD-4 Percussion Sound Module delivers a wide range of expressive drum and percussion sounds that can be easily edited, allowing players to quickly customize their kits. Ambience effects optimized for drums are included for lively, dynamic performances. The Coach and Quick Rec/Quick Play functions are ideal for effective practice, providing drummers with valuable feedback for rapid improvement.
Its small footprint makes it ideal for many different environments, including bedrooms, apartments, lesson studios, rehearsal spaces – anyplace where space is at a premium.
