FVF Custom Drums

[altered_beast]

Anyone heard of these or know of their work?

I have just sent them an enquiry for the following:

13" x 8" Aluminium snare
1/3rd of an inch/ 8.3mm thick
Sonor designer style lugs
Die cast Aluminium hoops
(forgot to ask about but will add) Trick strainer.

Any bets on the price? I'm thinking it'll be pretty expensive, being the size it is and being the thickness of shell it is. But I am excited! If the price is good I'm gonna order it!

[altered_beast]

Guess no one's heard of these then huh?

Well, I've had my first reply from Francis of FVF, confirming that they can make the drum for me to my specs, except it won't have Sonor Designer style lugs, but will have their own lug configured to look similar to a Sonor style. I'm pretty excited now, just the thought of having a custom snare is good, but to have one in an unusual size and shell thickness sounds amazing to me! I'm awaiting an email giving me an idea of price. I can't imagine it's gonna be cheap with such a thick shell!!

Cheers!

Al

[Sesh]

I'v heard of them - I asked for a quote for some shells I wanted and francis said he couldn't do them, but passed me on some other contacts. Seemed like a nice guy, I've heard good things about his drums. He wouldn't be able to get sonor designer lugs - if you want sonor, DW, pearl,yamaha etc lugs, you have to buy a drum from them - they wouldn't sell them to a custom maker.

All the best.

[Synthetik]

I took a look at the site, and found a couple cool acrylic kits, and stave snares. I have added them to my "stave cave" and gallery.

Thanks for the heads up.

[altered_beast]

No worries. He's confirmed he can make my shell and if this turns out well I'm going to have him do me a bronze shell too, but I still need to dream up the full specs of that bad boy.

He's going to do my Aluminium snare in camo finish too : ) it'll be a beast! Can't wait! This and my Recording Customs in the same year!! BRILLIANT!

[drumbandit]

i checked out the site recently and the kits on their do look beautiful!

[drumbandit]

the kits on there*******

[altered_beast]

They're awesome aren't they? I think the quality of his work looks brilliant. Can't wait to be able to give the go ahead on this aluminium snare. Check in the snares gallery, the 6 x 14" bronze snare, how awesome is that?!!

[altered_beast]

Had an email back from FVF - he can't make me a solid shell aluminium snare that's 8mm thick, for the simple reason that the cost will be extremely high, but can do me a shell with a single seam that 7mm thick (about as thick as I can go and stay "true and round"). He says the seam will be near enough invisible and I was considering going for a camouflage wrap on my drum but I'm not sure since I've never had a wrapped drum before and I'm concerned about the seam, especially considering the colours involved. Anyone got any ideas or comments regarding wrap or whatever other finish might be smart on a 13 x 8" aluminium snare? I was thinking of either black chrome or black powdercoated hoops and lugs and probably bolts, so need something that isn't gonna be too stark a contrast to those.

Help!

Cheers!

Al

[GRUNTERSDAD]

Are you talking about puttting a wrap on an aluminum shell? I would think that would kill the sound. Why not just use wood if you are going to cover it up?

[altered_beast]

Are you talking about puttting a wrap on an aluminum shell? I would think that would kill the sound. Why not just use wood if you are going to cover it up?

Because I want to use metal?

I'm looking at some other options as well as the wrap, the reason I wanted the wrap because I wanted a camouflage snare drum, I have a bit of a penchant for camo, but am now changing my mind. May go for a sand blasted finish. Francis also said he could polish to mirror finish and give me some polish to use on the drum. It will have powdercoated black hardware.

[altered_beast]

I have a price!! £550! I'm going to have the price re-jigged though to include for a sandblasted then lacquered finish and a Trick strainer but I'm not 100% sure on the Trick yet, I don't know how much I'll be flicking the snares on and off with the alu snare like I do on my bronze Black Panther... hmmm.. : )

[altered_beast]

No thoughts on the price? I have images of a raw alu shell similar to the one I will have if you want to see em.

[altered_beast]

Waaaay! The order is placed and the deposit sent. It's going to be a ten lug aluminium shell. 13" x 8" x 7ish mm thick. Bead blasted and lacquered finish. Black lugs, tension rods and hoops. Fat Cat snare wire, R-Class strainer and at the moment 1 vent, but that may increase, depends on whether or not I'm happy with just the one vent. The snare will cost £625 including Remo heads, but I'll be changing the heads to Evans in time. I can't wait!

[dom]

sounds like quite a snare FVF makes some great looking stuff. about how long it is going to take for them to make it? get us some pictures when you get it!!!

[tmv31]

That snare sounds like it is going to be pretty beastly, ha. I like the idea of a laquered aluminum.

[altered_beast]

I've no idea how long it'll be before I get it. I asked and he said he'd let me know when his manufacturer had made the shell and give me an idea of how long from then. Hoping it's March/ late March cos I'm a bit broke with having paid out a load for new drum kit, car service and car insurance.

I think the lacquered aluminium will be awesome, I can't wait.

[altered_beast]

The snare finally arrived on tuesday night - over 8 months from being ordered. I didn't get the exact finish I wanted cos when he tried to sandblast the shell and then lacquer it showed up every imperfection in the metal. He ended up painting it but it looks absolutely awesome. Much better than I expected when he told me was considering painting it. I'll put some pics up in the next couple hours and let you all judge for yourself.

[altered_beast]

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j263/bonzarockin/DSC00267.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j263/bonzarockin/DSC00266.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j263/bonzarockin/DSC00265.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j263/bonzarockin/DSC00252.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j263/bonzarockin/DSC00251.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j263/bonzarockin/DSC00250.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j263/bonzarockin/DSC00249.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j263/bonzarockin/DSC00248.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j263/bonzarockin/DSC00247.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j263/bonzarockin/DSC00246.jpg