Thanks for the ideas!

jim kooser · Post by **jim kooser** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 11:02 pm

Just finished building the main drum for my new cocktail kit, thought I'd post a picture since the inspiration to build a cocktail set, helpful instructions and tips, and the examples I followed all came from this site. I used a 14 x 24 Keller 8 ply maple shell, hardware from Lee Custom Drums (a very responsive supplier!) and my local drum hut, to build the drum. The finish is a red mahogany aniline dye under gloss lacquer. This drum is a floor tom/bass, top head is an Evans G1 Clear, bottom is an Evans Hydraulic, I?m using a Pulse pedal I had laying around for now. Next up, a snare and side tom.

I?m building the kit to add to the rig I currently play. I?m the percussionist for Willoughby Run, an acoustic rock band in Cleveland. Our original line up was two guitars (both acoustic), a cello, vocalist and me. Given the acoustic nature of the band, I put together a rig with a conga and tumbador, a large djembe, 20 inch ride cymbal, hi-hat and a cajon (I?ve been building my own cajons for a few years now). For songs that are more funk or rock based, I turn the cajon sideways, my left hand plays the ?snare? side; the left side head of the cajon has no snares so I literally use it as a ?kick? drum, smacking the head with the heel of my right foot. I also play a bodhran, several doumbeks, chimes shakers and a bunch of other toys. Our sound has evolved, we?ve dropped the cello, added bass and blues harp, so I need a bit more of a ?drum kit? sound. We generally play small venues, and I don?t want to give up the cajon and congas, so the cocktail set seemed to be the right way to go.

The Cocktail Lounge has been a great help on this project, Thanks!

robertm · Post by **robertm** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 9:54 am

Hi Jim.

Cool looking cocktail drum. The color combination of the red mahogany and - I'm guessing - brass hardware? - looks good. Do you have snares inside (looks like a knob similar to some of the snare fans people here have made). I'm building a drum also and this makes me think I could do something with color. Welcome to cocktail drumland. Many great folks here.

jim kooser · Post by **jim kooser** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 4:02 pm

Robert:

Thanks man. Crappy photo, sorry! The hardware is brass. The chrome knob is a muffler control, I'm gonna build or refinish a small snare, no snare fans on my drum.

robertm · Post by **robertm** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 7:35 pm

I think you just helped me decide on a separate snare. A lot of people on here use separate small snares. I've heard sets using both the snare fans and separate snare drums and the separate ones sound a lot better defined to me. Thanks.

jim kooser · Post by **jim kooser** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:55 pm

I just bought a used 8.5 x 10 inch Pearl snare, sweet little drum! I'm gonna try the rig out at a gig tomorrow night, I'll let you know how it goes.

jim kooser · Post by **jim kooser** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 12:01 pm

Played the new rig on Saturday night. The large drum/popcorn snare combination worked quite well, lot's more kick than the bass played was used to hearing, and I was able to do more complicated fills than with the old cajon set up.

multiperc · Post by **multiperc** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 10:14 am

Hey Jim

I'm interested how you're incorporating the cajon.

I've effectively included a djembe in my standup cocktail kit. It's propped up to the left of the cocktail kit at a slight angle using a small snare stand. I can play it standing, either as a part of the kit, or apart from the kit sitting on a stool. (John Mettam offered some helpful suggestions toward this solution - thanks again, John).

Do tell about how the cajon fits into your rig.

jim kooser · Post by **jim kooser** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 12:50 pm

I play several cajons, all of which I've built. The one I use with my current set up for Willoughby Run (my band) is a large cajon that's 24 inches tall, and 14 inches by 14 inches square at the top. I'd intended to build a large cocktail drum 22 inches tall, so sitting on a 24 inch "throne" should have just worked. I had so many hassles with the shell supplier, that when I finally received something close to what I ordered (24 inches deep by 14 inches diameter), I said to heck with it and built the bloody drum. It?s a little taller than I wanted, but workable. I use the 24 inch cajon as a throne. I have the large cocktail drum in front of me, offset a little bit to the right. My snare is on a stand in front center, a high hat just to the left. I sit on the cajon, and have a conga and tumba off to my right. I put an 18 inch ride cymbal just to the right of the large cocktail drum. I'm tall enough (6 foot 2 inches) that I'm able to play even the tall main drum while sitting down, though fill runs from the snare to the big drum are a bit challenging because of the elevation differences. I still use the cajon on some tunes, I play with hands or brushes on the ?snare face?, the side with wires running behind the wooden head. Now, with the cocktail drum, I?m able to supplement the cajon sound now with some bass kicks from the large drum. I did a four hour gig last Saturday night, stuffed into a corner sitting on the cajon, and didn't feel any more cramped or fatigued than usual! Our band is kind of known locally for unusual percussion instrumentation (the only other Cleveland drummer I know of playing such a diverse rig is Jamie Haddad, and I am MOST DEFINITELY NOT in his league) and the cocktail drum attracted lots of attention! I?ll get a photo of the whole set-up posted this weekend.

cocktaildrum.com