My Kit - Spaun Customs

[Disco Stu]

Hey all, here is my Spaun Custom kit in black sparkle wrap.

Specs:

9x12 Tom
13x15 Tom
18x20 Kick
5.5x14 Legend Snare

14" Zildjian New Beat Hi-Hats
17" Zildjian A Custom Crash
18" Zildjian A Custom Crash
21" Sabian AA Dry Ride

Tama Iron Cobra Pedal
DW 5000 Hi-Hat Stand
DW 9100 Throne
Gibraltar Stands
Aquarian Heads

Video demo added 7/12/09:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkoKXbNm8w4

Below are new photos as of 5/12/09:

[harryconway]

Awesome kit. First time I ever saw a Spaun kit at the NAMM show I was blown away with the finish, sound and their friendly people workin' the booth. Sweet.

[burnthehero]

Those drums are AWESOME! I think this is the first Spaun kit I've seen on this site so far. I'd love to hear what they sound like.

[Disco Stu]

Hey, thanks guys. Yeah, I haven't recorded these yet. I don't have any mics that would do them justice.

[katman]

I love your drums - so simple and clean and elegant. Very nice cymbal set-up too.

Does your shallow 12" tom sound significantly different from, say, a 12x9 tom? It probably makes it easy to position low and flat, specially on top of a 20" kick. I've been toying with the idea of building a custom kit myself and, apart from the 7" deep mounted tom, your sizes are identical to what I have in mind. Even the cymbals are pretty close to what I want. I think a 15" floor tom is a good size to combine with a 12" tom. Finally, does your 20" kick sound big and boomy, or does it deliver a tight punch? What heads do you use?

Once again, great looking drums. I'd be very proud of them.

[pete_on_drums]

hey
swee kit!
im getting 2 like spaun now!
unusual drum sizes, did u choose them yourself?
also
nice choice in cymbals

[Wegadrummer]

wow, that is one fine kit.. i really like the cymbal setup.. How are the sound?

[Drummer Karl]

yeah, looks good, very classical, very shiny...lol
Was this drumset expencive?? I`ve heard just a few things about this producer...and what kind of wood is it?

Karl

[Mike Firth]

yeah, looks good, very classical, very shiny...lol
Was this drumset expencive?? I`ve heard just a few things about this producer...and what kind of wood is it?

Karl

I am sure it is 6ply-10ply maple, Spaun drums are SO nice.

Sick set dude, I am currently looking to invest into a DW Exotic, C&C Custom or a Spaun set.

I was playing a Spaun with vented everything, SO LOUD!

[DavidH]

I love your kit...I dig Spaun kits...if I could afford it, I would run out and purchase me one or two. :-)

I have a buddy that has a drum shop in Dallas, TX. He is a Spaun distributor. I love to go hang out at his shop and play the new Spaun kits he gets in. He had this awesome Honey Comb wrap Spaun kit that was sweet. I think he is pushing a black sparkle wrap similar to your finish at the moment. The drum sizes are a little different though.

~peace~

/DH

[Disco Stu]

Wow, lots of questions. Ok, I will try to answer all of them.

Does your shallow 12" tom sound significantly different from, say, a 12x9 tom?
Update: I've actually swapped out the 7x12 tom for a 9x12 tom. The 7x12 just didn't have the full body sound I wanted. I'm liking the 9 inch depth much better.

I think a 15" floor tom is a good size to combine with a 12" tom
Yes, I think they compliment each other well. The 15 isn't such a big jump in size from the 12, and it has a bit more low end than say a 14" tom. I've discovered that most shops don't stock many 15" heads though, if any. I ordered mine online.

Finally, does your 20" kick sound big and boomy, or does it deliver a tight punch?
It produces a nice punch, yet the 18" depth gives it some body. The best part is it sounds perfect without any interior muffling. I do use an Aquarian Super Kick I head which uses a dampening ring, and I occasionally use an Evans EQ pad for certain situations. I loved the sound of this kick from the moment I played it.

What heads do you use?
Aquarians, mostly. I like the Superkick I on the bass drum. Single ply coated on the tom batters and clears on the resos. On the snare, however, I often use a Remo Ambassador coated head. It just seems to sound the best on that drum.

unusual drum sizes, did u choose them yourself?
No, I bought these used, except for the snare, which I bought new. The sizes were not exactly what I was looking for, but I figured it was pretty close. As it turns out, I am quite happy with the sounds these sizes produce.

How are the sound?
Sublime.

Was this drumset expencive?
For me, not that expensive. I bought the Spauns used for $1100. The Legend snare was about $400 new back in the mid 90's. So the drums alone cost me about $1500.

what kind of wood is it?
This kit is maple. Spaun does make drums from other materials though.


Thanks everybody for your interest and enthusiasm in my kit.

[tmc]

Hey all, here is my Spaun Custom kit in black sparkle wrap.

8< snip snip snip >8

Hi Disco Stu.

Oh ya, Baby!... Oh ya!

Beautifully elegant drums. You must really enjoy playing them.

-Michael

[cdawg_2010]

nice kit!! Spawn drums are nice. how do you like that sabian ride?

[russcat]

You got a good deal.Beautiful kit man!!!!

[ns3476]

Nice kit, even though i havent heard of the name but it looks like a good brand.

[Disco Stu]

Beautifully elegant drums. You must really enjoy playing them.
Thanks! I sure do.

how do you like that sabian ride?
I like it. I've had it for maybe 15 years now. It's bright and has good stick definition. However, lately I've been thinking about getting a ride with a more traditional sound.

You got a good deal.Beautiful kit man!!!!
Yeah, I know. I searched for a long time before I found this one. It was worth it for the price and because I really like the kit.

Nice kit, even though i havent heard of the name but it looks like a good brand.
Yeah, Spaun makes some nice stuff, and it seems like they've made a push to grow the company in recent years. You may be hearing more about them soon.

[Class A Drummer]

Hey how do spaun sets sound? ive never heard of em b4.

[DoubleBassUrFace]

amazing, i really wish i had the money to buy a custom kit.
mine, from conaway would only be 1795 minus the snare.
the snare would be like, 800 bucks.

[Disco Stu]

Hey how do spaun sets sound? ive never heard of em b4.
I can only speak for my kit, and I think it sounds fantastic. On the maple kits, they do use Keller shells like many other companies do. But Spaun's main design feature is a double 45 degree bearing edge, described here:

http://www.spaundrums.com/components_bearings.htm

If you want to hear some Spauns, you can go to the IndoorStorm.com website, and click on the Spauns displayed there. They have sound files for most of the kits on the site.

[DoubleBassUrFace]

gotta see more pics!

give us some sound files! maybe a video even! i realllly wanna hear it.!

thx

[AE Gauthier]

Awsome kit man. How does that AA dry ride sound? I was thinking about buying it and would like to hear what you think of it.

[Disco Stu]

gotta see more pics!

give us some sound files! maybe a video even! i realllly wanna hear it.!

thx
Check back tomorrow. I will try to post a couple more pics then. Is there anything you want to see specifically?

I haven't recorded this kit yet. I could possibly videotape some playing, but I doubt the mic on a consumer video camera would do the kit justice soundwise. So, I can't promise anything on that front.

How does that AA dry ride sound? I was thinking about buying it and would like to hear what you think of it.
I've had that ride for upwards of 15 years now. It's a very nice ride...bright with good stick definition. Very versatile too. Sounds good with many types of music.

[DoubleBassUrFace]

sneak in some more angels

[relyc]

I dig your kit. I've been interested in
the 7x12 rack tom for some time.
Thanks for talking about it a little.

cheers.

[PEDESTRIAN]

Oh My GOD!! I want a Spaun kit so bad!! I have a dry ride and i agree it's a very versitile cymbal!

[chris--byrne]

Just looking at the title of this thread I knew the kit was gonna be amazing.... I wasn't wrong !

[Drummer Karl]

Thanks guys. As promised, here are a couple more shots. One showing some close-up detail and one showing that finish sparkle.

In the first new pic you can see the chrome rims veeery well...wow.
My teacher said that those chrome rims (tom mount systems) are very expencive, if you compare with other tom mount systems like pearls...is that right?? and are they more difficult to produce?

Karl

[davodi74]

I love the kit. I also like the cymbals; I almost bought the 17" A Custom a few days ago.

[Disco Stu]

My teacher said that those chrome rims (tom mount systems) are very expencive, if you compare with other tom mount systems like pearls...is that right?? and are they more difficult to produce?
I don't know actually. But I think they look good, and the drum sounds good, so they must be doing something right.

I love the kit. I also like the cymbals; I almost bought the 17" A Custom a few days ago.
I really dig the A Custom crashes. First time I played one in a music store, I was hooked.

[Mediocrefunkybeat]

Not personally a fan of the RIMS mounting system (just a personal thing) but I think it looks great. Spaun make a really good product.

Are you using the slave of a 5002 pedal? That's an older model if I'm not mistaken, how is the footboard hinge holding up?

[Disco Stu]

Are you using the slave of a 5002 pedal? That's an older model if I'm not mistaken, how is the footboard hinge holding up?
That's exactly what it is. After testing a number of pedals at a local music shop, this DW slave pedal actually felt best to me. I also liked that fact that it gives me a little more toe room at the front of the footboard. They did give me a discount on it since it's wasn't the "proper" single pedal. I think it's about 8 years old. The footboard hinge, and the rest of the pedal, is still working just fine.

[Update 5/12/09: New pedal added: Tama Iron Cobra]

[DoubleBassUrFace]

dude, what do you use for bass drum dampening?

[Disco Stu]

dude, what do you use for bass drum dampening?
Usually just the Aquarian Super Kick head which has a built in dampening ring. I occasionally use and Evan EQ Pad for certain situations like recording. But I like the sound better without the pad.

[somedrummer]

I dont think I can say anything that hasnt been said before. That is, simply, a beautiful, classic, wonderful looking set of drums.

[DoubleBassUrFace]

i have an emad in mine, and w/o any dampening at all, i get a nasty feel when i kick, and it rings.
idk what to do, im trying to get the loudest punchiest sound out of the 20x16 i can w/ the least dampening possible

any advice?

[Disco Stu]

I dont think I can say anything that hasnt been said before. That is, simply, a beautiful, classic, wonderful looking set of drums.
It may have been said before, but it's still nice to hear. Thanks!

[Disco Stu]

i have an emad in mine, and w/o any dampening at all, i get a nasty feel when i kick, and it rings.
idk what to do, im trying to get the loudest punchiest sound out of the 20x16 i can w/ the least dampening possible

any advice?
I couldn't offer any advice better than Prof Sound's drum tuning bible. The section covering the kick drum is found here:

http://home.earthlink.net/~prof.sound/id6.html

[timebandit]

nice kit dude...are they black sparkle or what? are they wraped?

[TopCat]

They sound awesome. Thats a damn good recording for a camera.

[figure_02]

Just saw this now, beautiful!
But tell me, did you polish those cymbals and that chrome for two hours before the pics were taken? And are you a professional photograph? Cause thats the best pictures I've seen on this forum....

[Drummer Karl]

just listened to your playing recently and I love this drum sound!! Espeacially this snare drum sound is beautiful, as beautiful as the kit.

very nice playing by the way...

Karl

[Disco Stu]

Hey, thanks for the comments!

They sound awesome. Thats a damn good recording for a camera.
Thanks! Well, it is a pretty good video camera, so it has better audio capabilites than most.

Just saw this now, beautiful!
But tell me, did you polish those cymbals and that chrome for two hours before the pics were taken? And are you a professional photograph? Cause thats the best pictures I've seen on this forum....
Thanks! No, I have not polished the chrome. However, I did polish the cymbals about a year ago. I am not a pro photographer per se, but I do work in video production, so I do have some camera skills. Glad you like the photos.

just listened to your playing recently and I love this drum sound!! Espeacially this snare drum sound is beautiful, as beautiful as the kit. very nice playing by the way...
Thank you. Yes, I really like the Legend snare. Unfortunately, the Legend drum company is no more. Too bad, because they really made great drums. And thanks for the compliment on my playing. It's kind of intimidating posting my playing when there are so many good drummers posting their stuff here.

[2d-chris]

nice serup dude, i like a kit that isnt really cluttered.

[BarryBuchanan]

woo thts 1 nice kit ya got there :) and ive neva seen a free floating tfloor top b4!! ive seen the mouted ones but not one wid a free floating system :d i hav tht on my snare ::D lrsh kit :) check mine out .... its on the your gear page..suming like "pearl blx, double bass kit..."

[Exident]

nice kit!!! it looks really elegant. i like that and the picture on the lift side on top is really great. but what i like most is how you configuratet the toms. looks really comfortable to play. not bad !!!

[Disco Stu]

Cool, thanks for the comments.

ive neva seen a free floating tfloor top b4!! ive seen the mouted ones but not one wid a free floating system
That's a RIMS Dynamount. More info on them can be found here:

http://www.gaugerpercussion.com/dynamount.html

[tentpole]

Your drums look really clean.Doesn't look like you beat them to death.I like your cymbals.

[jollymosher]

Wow. holy jesus. i bet the floor tom sounds really really good. because of the mount. i like the finish.. i bet it was like 3k total.

[Drummerboy3940]

Beautiful drums. I would love to hear them in person.

[Bonzo91]

Wow thats a sweet kit how much did you it get for?

[Disco Stu]

Wow thats a sweet kit how much did you it get for?
I bought the 3 Spauns used for $1100. The Legend snare was about $400. About $700 for the cymbals, and another $500 or so for the hardware.

[bilkay]

Beautiful kit! I love the 7X12 tom.

[Melvin]

That's a very nice kit. I really like the simplicity it has but it looks so sophisticated at the same time!!! Nice dude really nice!!

[Deathmetalconga]

Top-quality drums in a classy, professional-looking setup.

It's a bit too conservative for my tastes, though.

www.terrasonus.com

[Disco Stu]

Top-quality drums in a classy, professional-looking setup.

It's a bit too conservative for my tastes, though.

www.terrasonus.com
Thanks, DMC. Yeah, I'm not surprised it's too conservative for you. I've checked out your amazing kit, and conservative is probably the last word I'd use to describe it.

[Mendozart]

Disco Stu,
How do you like the rims mount for the floor tom? Is it solid feeling? I actually just ordered some legs and mounts for my 14x16 DW tom today, but if I get some positive responses I might go with the dynamount set-up. I love having legs on the floor tom,but once I drill, there's no turning back.

[Disco Stu]

Disco Stu,
How do you like the rims mount for the floor tom? Is it solid feeling? I actually just ordered some legs and mounts for my 14x16 DW tom today, but if I get some positive responses I might go with the dynamount set-up. I love having legs on the floor tom,but once I drill, there's no turning back.
Hey Mendozart,

Like you, I prefer to use legs on the floor toms. I do like the dynamount system. I've found it is plenty stable for me, although not as stable as legs mounted to the shell. Nevertheless, I'm sure it is more stable than a hanging mount, and I have never felt any need to attach the legs to the shell. I understand your reservations about drilling your shell. I'm glad I didn't drill mine since a suitable alternative is available. Still, legs have been mounted to many floor toms (and still are) so, all in all, probably not too big a deal really. And it is definitely cleaner looking. I guess the only real concern is how it would affect the sound/resonance. I'm really not sure. One advantage of the dynamount is if you decide it isn't working for you, it's easy enough to remove it and you haven't made any permanent alterations to your drum. Then you would probably feel better about drilling your shell knowing you've already tried the alternatives. And the dynamount would also probably be easy to resell on eBay, especially for a 16" tom. One other thing to be aware of if you stick with the dynamount is the ring generally stays attached to the lugs. This makes the diameter of the overall drum a bit larger which can make it difficult to fit in some custom bags or cases. In my case, I am putting my 15" tom with the dynamount in a 16" drum bag.

[Mendozart]

Thanks, Disco Stu. I think you answered all my questions. One thing I did find by searching, is you really don't lose much resonace at all by installing mounts and legs. I'll probably just mount the legs on the shell. I did order the DW ones, so it will look factory. I have an 18" floor tom that I think I will use the dynamount on because I'm going to use this as a bass drum also, it will look better with no mounts on it.

[Disco Stu]

Thanks, Disco Stu. I think you answered all my questions. One thing I did find by searching, is you really don't lose much resonace at all by installing mounts and legs. I'll probably just mount the legs on the shell. I did order the DW ones, so it will look factory. I have an 18" floor tom that I think I will use the dynamount on because I'm going to use this as a bass drum also, it will look better with no mounts on it.
I wouldn't be surprised if that's the case. My guess is the drum will still sound great with the legs mounted to it, but I don't know that for sure....so, I didn't want to make that claim and then have you notice a big difference. And like I said, the tom will look "cleaner" that way (and "factory" as you said). Visually and practically, I think attaching the legs is the right call. I just wasn't sure about sonically.

[Jusstickinaround]

Marvelous! That second video was cool, how'd you do that? Great looking and sounding drums.

[Disco Stu]

Marvelous! That second video was cool, how'd you do that? Great looking and sounding drums.
Thanks a lot. While videotaping the four different parts, I kept time by listening to the same song with headphones (I don't have a click track) and played some simple rhythms. Then I imported the video elements into Final Cut Pro, laid down the four tracks together, and used the video effects to separate them into quarters. I wasn't sure if it was all going to come together or if it would be a jumbled mess, but it worked out ok in the end.

[Disco Stu]

Update: I ust added new and improved pictures. See original post. I've just about got my set the way I want it now, except I would like to add a metal snare. I'm considering getting a Supraphonic. I know I can't go wrong with that. On the other hand, since they are so popular, I guess I will end up with a "standard" snare sound. Was also considering a Yamaha Jimmy Chamberlin snare. Any other suggestions?

[zephead19]

Sweet Kit! How do you like your two A Custom crashes? I bet that set sounds as beautiful as it looks

[Disco Stu]

I've had the A Customs for about 15 years now, and I still dig them, especially the 17".

[zephead19]

I've had the A Customs for about 15 years now, and I still dig them, especially the 17".

Sweet I have been looking at A Custom Crashes and I just am looking for opinions on those exact two sizes. Do they go well together?

[Disco Stu]

Sweet I have been looking at A Custom Crashes and I just am looking for opinions on those exact two sizes. Do they go well together?
They do actually. In general, they have a similar sound, which makes them match up nicely. But the 18" definitely has a lower pitch than the 17". Although there is only 1 inch of difference in diameter between the two, the bell on the 18" is significantly bigger (as you can see in the photo). I think this feature further distinguishes it from the 17" soundwise. They work well for me, but it's probably mostly a matter of preference. I would guess some people would prefer more of a difference between two crashes.

[zephead19]

They do actually. In general, they have a similar sound, which makes them match up nicely. But the 18" definitely has a lower pitch than the 17". Although there is only 1 inch of difference in diameter between the two, the bell on the 18" is significantly bigger (as you can see in the photo). I think this feature further distinguishes it from the 17" soundwise. They work well for me, but it's probably mostly a matter of preference. I would guess some people would prefer more of a difference between two crashes.

Thanks for the info I am really liking the A Custom Crashes (those exact sizes too) Thanks again that really helps

[keep it simple]

A great looking Spaun maple custom. And yes, it sounds as good as it looks. I've used a 6 piece Spaun maple custom in natural finish for the last 2 years. I've been lucky enough to have played a lot of really good kits in my time and nothing comes close to the Spaun in my opinion. Those ultra thin shells & tiny lugs let the maple really sing. Well done on the price too! They'd cost a lot more than you paid, here in the UK. No surprises there then! You guys in the US get great prices. We pay in £ what you pay in $. Go & fall in love with your kit. You'll never sell it. Great drum porn pics!

[Disco Stu]

Thanks man! Your Spaun kit is really sweet too. Yeah, we do get great prices here in the US, especially when buying used gear, as I did with the Spauns.

[Disco Stu]

I updated the demo video today. Just a short 40 seconds, but gives a decent idea of the sound:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkoKXbNm8w4

[keep it simple]

Just listened to your kit sound video. You can really hear the clean tone of those shells. I've experimented with different head configurations and it's amazing how those shells respond. I use Evans Emad2 for the kick batter, Evans EC1's for the toms & Evans Genera HD dry for the snare. Reso's are all stock Spaun / Evans. I've got a little recorder here I use to send practice tracks to the band with. I've added a little recording to the "my faithful Spaun" thread for you to listen to.