I built my own drumset

[morristyson]

Kicks - 10-ply Keller Maple, 20x24, heavy-duty spurs, Aquarian coated SK2 batter, and custom batters.

Toms - 6-ply Keller maple, square size (10, 12, 14, 16), all RIMS mounted from DW double tom mounts, Aquarian coated studio-x on all batters and classic clears for all resos.

Snare - 10-ply Keller maple, 8x14, Trick throw-off, coated studio-x and evans hazy 200.

Finish - Black dye with dead flat lacquer topcoat for a flat black look. I hit the chrome lugs and rims with a scouring pad to give them a brushed-steel look. The graphics are cheap auto decals that I just stuck on.

It was a lot of fun to build. I got to pay close attention to every small detail, from the finish all the way down to the Stainless Steel M4x.7 10mm hexcap screws to mount the lugs. Overall, it's not a masterpiece, but it sure sounds good.
mo

[Class A Drummer]

Looks great. Good job, how much did it cost to build?

[Exportdrummer]

Yeah that looks really nice, does it sound good, i like the bass heads how much were those

[MagnZ]

Beatiful:) and I love you cymbals too.;)

[crumbdrums]

Excellent job! Those toms are great. Bet it was a blast to build. Keep up the good work.

[AronMapex]

awsome job :) i like the cymbals too

[SLEEPY BRiGHT EYEZ]

I really like those decals! Cool idea.

[h3r3tic]

Now that´s a beautiful thing hum?
GOOD JOB! ;)

[hawk9290]

great job on the set, looks awesome- those bass heads are sweet too

[maddrummr]

DUDE thats sweet. How long did that take you? I want those resonant bass heads TELL ME WHERE YOU GOT THEM!!! thats all i can look at lol.

[mind_drummer]

I love it dude, you've done such good work, it look great.

BRAVO !!! clap clap clap

BTW, nice head choice ;-)

[katman]

I saw your drums on the ghostnote site, I think. Great job - I reckon they look great. Nice to have EXACTLY the drums you want.

How do you find the coated Studio-X heads? I have the clears on my toms and I really like them, but sometimes I think they sound and feel a little plastic. The coated ones might take care of that. Are yours quite muted, or do they sustain well?

[Deathmetalconga]

Good job! Must be satisfying to put your own set together like that. It looks professional and businesslike. I like how you suspend all your toms and use Gauger mounts.

My drum porn: http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18719
www.terrasonus.com

[boomboomda]

Great job I like the flat finish.

[gr82bagn]

Outstanding work, looks like you put a lot of effort into those drums, enjoy I bet they sound fantastic.

[morristyson]

Thanks everyone. Here are some answers to questions:

- The kit cost me about 1200 total, including hardware and heads. I also had to start over on some things after I made a few rookie mistakes. I learned more from the mistakes than anything else. I definitely think it was cost effective.

- I got the kick resos from Vintage Logos. They were 200 bucks. They are 2-ply heads; so if 2-ply resos are not to your liking, don't get custom ones.

- It took me five months to build. It was a weekend project. Dropping 1200 for a kit all at once can sting. But dropping 1200 over five months and building it yourself makes you appreciate the kit a lot more.

- The coated studio-x are fine. I wanted coated heads to contrast the flat black finish. I think it looks nice. I'm sure there are better heads out there. I really liked the studio-x on my birch kit, but on the maple it leaves a little something to be desired. I don't know what head I need but it needs to have a lower attack volume when tuned low. Is there such a head?

Overall, they sound really good. I'm still playing with the kick tuning. Every time I crank them a little tighter, they sound a little better. The toms resonate for days, which is exactly what I was looking for. The snare is tuned high batter and low reso and sounds just like I wanted it to.

Thanks everyone...mo

[e0n]

Oh my.... I'm speechless!
That thing is just beautiful! Beasty, but still beautiful... ;) Awesome job!

[bighaibigdrums]

Nice job, I love the kick resos. But flat finishes just arent my cup o tea.

[maddrummr]

Wow 100 bucks a peice for reso's on a bass. Oh well at least christmas is comin up.

[KCDrummer]

Awesome job man! I also built my own set about four years ago and have been recommending it to everyone ever since. Glad you saw fit to go that route and got such a great result. Take care of 'em, congrats!

[BarryBuchanan]

Stunning Kit!!!!!! I love the Metal front skins!!! R u a pantera fan by n e chance? =p

[morristyson]

Awesome job man! I also built my own set about four years ago and have been recommending it to everyone ever since. Glad you saw fit to go that route and got such a great result. Take care of 'em, congrats!

Amen brother. I'll probably never buy another drumset.


Barry - I do enjoy Pantera and Vinnie every now and then. I got these particular skins cuz I couldn't find anything else out there with a metal finish. Now that I know that you can send Vintage Logos a picture of anyting and they'll slap it on a head, I plan to one day change the skin design to some fancy brushed-steel to match the lugs.

[hauk]

looks good. i've got an intrest in building my own kit, i don't have the dough for a new one though

[drumzrf47]

Very nice kit,clean and nice set up,nice cymbals also

[Mista Bob]

Whoa
Nice!

Do you have any close up shots of the lugs? They look awesome with that brushed look.

Where did you order your shells and hardware from?

[drozzy]

Very nice mate, looks fantastic, making me want to make my own now! I cant say enough good things about it.

However one thing that may cause you some grief later on is that when you brushed the lugs, how hard did you do it? Hoopefully not hard enough to wear through the electroplated chrome onto the steel, because it may cause easy susceptability to rust...

But wow! Fantastic!

[morristyson]

Mista - I got the shells and hardware from Drum Foundry. They have good service and prices and make some really good bearing edges. I never could get the lugs to photograph well. I have a pretty crappy camera. Up close, the lugs don't quite looks as good as real brushed steel, but it'll do. Like Drozzy points out, taking a 3M pad to the hardware is not the best manner to go about getting a brushed or satin finish on the hardware. There are some pros out there who can bead-blast hardware for you. If I ever go this route again, I'll get the bead-blasting done.

I just started on my next project. A stave kit. It'll take me a few months to get this done.

[d.c.drummer]

try g2 coated or ec2's, Pinstripes are also the head of choice for deep sounding toms these days.

[NYdrummerdude]

beautiful looking kit i bet its a blast to play on

[straks]

Nothing like building your own kit, puts some pride in your playing.

[<<L3o Luk@?>>]

very cool idea...good job!

[wnameth]

cymbal specs? i'd like to see some.

-Wes

[morristyson]

My current cymbal set-up for this kit is:

Sabian
- 14 AAX stage hats
- 18 AAXplosion crash
- 16 AA medium thin crash (very nice)
- 16 AAX Bright crash
- 18 HH medium thin crash
- 22 AAX Metal ride (yuck)

And a 12 Pasite Flanger Bell.