Birch Man

J

jbrocks

New Member
#1
#1

​

I've made no secret I'm a drummer and drums are my other great passion in life. They also add paltry sums to my income. Mainly though I've been lucky to accumulate some fine instruments over the years. In my "Drum Machined" post a few months ago I showcased my Trick Drums, a modern state of the art kit machined entirely from a block of aircraft grade aluminum.

​
Here I take you in the opposite direction with drums and materials and drum making techniques with roots in 19th Century New England.

​
 
J

jbrocks

New Member
#2
#2






​
I first read about Eames Drums in a glowering article in Modern Drummer magazine way back in the 70s. Each shell hand made using select plies of 100% North American Birch to Old World Standards of Craftsmanship by Joe Mac in Saugus MA. Available in Finetone, Naturaltone and Mastertone. I commissioned this 12ply Mastertone drum set, with a matching 32 ply Mastertouch snare drum in 1983. Joe still makes drums today. Eames Drum Company - Home

My Trick Drums have toured a thousand live shows in three states in the last ten years. These Eames Drums haven't seen a dozen live dates since '83. Rarely out of my studio, rarely outta their cases.
 
Last edited:
J

jbrocks

New Member
#3
#3

​
My unfinished birch shells arrived pre drilled for the Pearl hardware I chose. I used limited edition Super Gripper hinged lugs offered by Pearl Drum Co from 1980-82, designed for ease of quick head changes. Aside from that, I liked their appearance. I first stained them with an ebony stain and stripped that off, adding a cherry stain on top of that. The final clear coat was done by my buddy Joe Chila of JC's Custom Drums in Rochester Hills Michigan.










​
 
buckeye

buckeye

Well-Known Member
#5
#5
Always wanted to be a drummer. Can't keep my hands and feet seperate. And couldn't carry a tune in a bucket.
Sure are pretty.
 
J

jbrocks

New Member
#7
#7
buckeye said:
Always wanted to be a drummer. Can't keep my hands and feet seperate. And couldn't carry a tune in a bucket.
Sure are pretty.
Click to expand...
Buckeye, all you gotta play is BOOM-CHUCK. That's it. BOOM. CHUCK. They get mad at you if you play any more than that!:laugh:

​
 
JohnnyTillotson

JohnnyTillotson

#10
#10
jbrocks said:






​
I first read about Eames Drums in a glowering article in Modern Drummer magazine way back in the 70s. Each shell hand made using select plies of 100% North American Birch to Old World Standards of Craftsmanship by Joe Mac in Saugus MA. Available in Finetone, Naturaltone and Mastertone. I commissioned this 12ply Mastertone drum set, with a matching 32 ply Mastertouch snare drum in 1983. Joe still makes drums today. Eames Drum Company - Home

My Trick Drums have toured a thousand live shows in three states in the last ten years. These Eames Drums haven't seen a dozen live dates since '83. Rarely out of my studio, rarely outta their cases.
Click to expand...
Really nice!!! And the sound?
 
steven Durham

steven Durham

#12
#12
Hi John : I went to my first public school for the 9th grade and had beginning Band and I chose to play the Trumpet but remember all the guys who went with the drums they could practice just about anywhere as long as they had the sticks. I watched a How it's made show yesterday about how they made professional Steel Drums and it took hundreds of hours to make. Have you ever played the Steel Drums ? Their sound is intriguing. I like your set and the color is striking.
Steve
 
J

jbrocks

New Member
#14
#14
I gotta little MP3 I'll post later so you can hear these drums. They do sound extraordinary. Birch in drums will typically enhance low end tone and sustainan, these certainly do that. Compared to my Trick drums which are "brighter" (which I translated means "they cut through" the density of electric instruments and amps) these are more thundery and full. They're too nice to take to bars, but they look pretty good for 32 years old.



​
 
J

jbrocks

New Member
#18
#18
steven Durham said:
Great sound and when it comes to the drums the work that comes to mind for me is Syncopation
Steve
Click to expand...
Steve, yes that was definitely syncopated. I started playing so long ago (53 years!) in the beginning I was into Gene Krupa, Jack Sperling (Pete Fountain) Buddy Rich, whatever my parents were playing on the record player. When the Beatles first came out in '64, I thought Ringo was retarded for holding the sticks "wrong". Needless to say, I LOVE Ringo today and I hold my sticks matched grip like him.

Here's a guy I been working with since 1979. We work remotely, he emails me a demo, I record the drums to it, export the track files and he does his magic with it. This is NOT his magic, he'll re-record some parts after he gets the drums in. But this is how I hear it.
Good Side Demo
 
J

jbrocks

New Member
#19
#19
This is the Allace Heartly Project. I've played with Allace (pronounced like Wallace) for a good part of the last ten years touring casinos in CA, NV and AZ. Very strong voice, this is his solo project. A one man band but no drum machine for Allace! He says I spoiled him and if he must perform with backing tracks, they will be MY backing tracks. So I recorded the drums for about 55 tunes, mainly Bad Company, Eagles, plus a smathering of rock, blues n country.

Here's a sample of those tracks:
Allace Heartley Project
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top