building a cocktail kit

palacki808 · Post by **palacki808** » Tue Jan 27, 2004 3:42 pm

I have only had my peace "manhattan" kit for a couple weeks now. That's more than enough time for me to say that cocktail drums are too much fun. So much fun in fact I am considering building a cocktail kit soon. Seems kinda silly after I just bought one not long ago, but what I found is very interesting.

With some digging I found www.amdrumparts.com, its a custom drum place that can be very cheap. If you buy a shell and hardware for it from this website, they will do the bearing edges and the drilling free. You then finish the shells yourself and assemble the drums. After adding the basic components I found that I could put together a cocktail drum and tom (similar dimensions to a club jordan) for around $500. I could buy one of those 10" snares with a mounting bracket already attached for around $100. No bad at all considering the shells would be maple like the cocktails made at phattie drums.

Of course this will take decent amount of time and a hell of a lot of elbow grease.

Roarbot · Post by **Roarbot** » Tue Jan 27, 2004 7:43 pm

i bought a peace manhattan kit and was pretty happy with it and all, but wanted an "actual" cocktail kit.. so i just unwrapped the two shells, stuck 'em together and re-wrapped them in a great glass-glitter green. wrapped the little tom too. then i bought a yamaha side snare for it. i should take some pictures of it.

kylebronsdon · Post by **kylebronsdon** » Wed Jan 28, 2004 8:20 am

I just ordered a 24x14 shell from aitwood.com (which they carry standard in 6 and 8 ply!), parts and wrap from drummaker.com, for just about $300. AIT only does (rather pricey) bearing edges, but they outsource so you might be able to get it drilled, too. Drumrap.com has a ton of excellent builder threads. I haven't heard anything bad about amdrumparts, and people use them, but I tried ordering parts and wrap from them from their website and didn't get any reply -- drummaker is shipped next day! AIT has taken a few extra days because the edges guy was backed up.

palacki808 · Post by **palacki808** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 10:26 am

That's pretty interesting that you simply combined the two shells together. Did you use anything else besides glue? Any type of reinforing rings at the seam? (sorry to be so nebby) Did the single lugs fit the holes on the snare or did you have to drill new holes?

-Joe

Post by **jmettam** » Sat Feb 07, 2004 9:09 am

Hey Roarbot,

cool rebuild! Do you have any before and after pictures? That would be great to put on the site.

This is exactly how some companies and individuals make their cocktail drums. Purchase two 12x14 shells and glue them together. I believe the companies all used reinforcing rings but I know of at least one person who used a chrome strip of auto trim on the outside to cover the seam and reinforce the joint.

Also, how much did it cost to get a shell mounted snare from Yamaha? Did it take long to get?

Thanks,

John

Roarbot · Post by **Roarbot** » Mon Feb 09, 2004 8:05 pm

i really should get with the times and go buy a digital camera.

anyway.

i bought what i think is called the yamaha "sopranino" snare. 10", maple. i found it on the musicians friend website. it even comes with the same mount that the club jordan snare has. the YESS system or something? i bought a similar gibraltar mount to replace the virtually useless one on the included peace 10" tom. two cowbell L-bars, and i'm in business.

oh! i think the snare was $99. or $109. right around there. sounds great.

cocktaildrum.com