My crazy drum kits!

[drummerboyfitz]

Here is a link to my blog. It's a museum (of sorts) for all my crazy drum dreams! Whenever I want a new kit, I start thinking about things I haven't seen before and try to make it so.
http://crazydrumkits.blogspot.com
Enjoy! Feel free to leave comments here, including new ideas! I'm constantly looking for new challenges.

[Red Menace]

Great blog! I love restoration threads and franken-kit threads. I have a few questions and one suggestion for you:

How did that 28x9 bass sound? I've been thinking of getting a shallow, large diameter bass drum just to mix it up a bit at gigs. Did it still have nice
oomph" or did it lack character because of the depth?

One thing I'd love to see documented is taking one of those longer smaller diameter bass drums and slicing it down. After much pestering I've finally got my drum guy to agree to this and now I see a whole world of possibilities for people like myself that are looking for more traditional sizes but don't have the cash to fork out for custom or vintage kits.

I'd love to see you get your hands of one of those trendy sized OCDP, Gretsch Catalina mod or DDrum kits with say a 20x20 bass and wrap finish and slice it all down and re-finish it to look old. That would be a beautiful thing.

[drummerboyfitz]

The 28X9 was unruly sounding to say the least - it was originally a marching band drum. I had to muffle it with a lot of egg crate foam just so you could hear the rest of the kit. I never had to mike it at gigs - it was crazy loud. I've cut down a few bass drums to make smaller ones and the warmth of the tone always suffers. I'll do pretty much anything to a drum and there isn't much I haven't tried. My next experiment is going to be square drums with no heads. We'll see what happens...

[drummerboyfitz]

New update to my site. Check it out at Crazy Drum Kits.

[Deathmetalconga]

Cool stuff, especially vent holes.

But I would appreciate it if you put some drum porn on this forum to contribute that to it. You have not shortage of photos and stuff so please share them.

[drummerboyfitz]

I've been having trouble posting pics to the forum... that's why I've been updating my blog and posting links to it. Any assistance in posting pics would be appreciated - The site keeps asking for an image URL and I want to get them from my hard drive. Help?

[drummerboyfitz]

Figured it out. Yay!

[Deathmetalconga]

Originally Posted by drummerboyfitz

Figured it out. Yay!

Very cool snare. I sometimes like to play snare with the hands but that drum is very hand playable.

[drummerboyfitz]

The snare drum is a Remo Buffalo Drum - very inexpensive ($39 from Musician's Friend) and it's supposed to be usd for drum circle type applications. I screwed a set of Puresound 20 strand wires into the shell, cut off one end, then duct-taped the loose ends to the underside of the shell. I thought it would sound like crap but it doesn't! It sounds fantastic - super dry and crisp. No throw-off, so it's a full time snare. It weighs about 1 1/2 pounds and is weatherproof. After 7 months of playing, the head looks brand new - not a mark! (The head is Fiberskyn.) I originally intended this as an experiment, but it sounds so good I use it as my full time snare. Also, eminently hand-playable - no rims to hurt you! The 'rim' sound is decent - woody and clicky, it could be better though. All in all, a great little drum and easy to make.

[drummerboyfitz]

Well, here it is. One Stand To Rule Them All!
I used a cymbal stand, stuck a tom holder in it,
clamped a snare basket to it, clamped a cymbal boom on,
and voila! One stand.
Also posted at my blog:
http://crazydrumkits.blogspot.com

[drummerboyfitz]

The Little Monster! This kit is a 12" X 10" Peace tom with a snare basket mounted on top. I screwed some angle irons to a wooden box and then attached a piece of wood to the angle irons (to clamp the kick pedal on.) I had to cut down a cymbal stand to about 4 inches long to slide into the tom holder on top of the tom, which I then slid the snare basket post into (basket post was too narrow for tom holder.) The tiny bass drum is tuned wide open and not muffled. I'm delighted with how great this little monster sounds. The snare is, of course, my Buffalo snare, but any snare can be used. The hi-hat pedal is a tiny little kids hi-hat that matches this kit perfectly. The whole thing is 27" high by 12" deep by 15" wide, making it officially the smallest kit I've ever built.

[shambo]

Very cool...got any videos of you playing these kits? Would like to hear them in action!

[drummerboyfitz]

The only camera I have has a super crappy microphone in it. I'll ask my friends and see who has a better camera!

[wildbill]

Nice stuff.

I usually have a project going too. Some work good - some not so good - ha ha. But they're all kind of fun.

I like the pic of the big and small bass drums together. Big contrast.

[drummerboyfitz]

Looking for crazy drum kits to add to my blog. If you've built something crazy and want to share it with our community, email me at drummerboyfitz@gmail.com with pics and a description, including how you built it. Sound and video clips welcome too! Please only submit kits you've actually built yourself. I'd like to see some of your crazy kits on this thread too! Crazy Drum Kits! Check it out.

[drummerboyfitz]

Forum member jingscrivenshelpmaboab added The Wee Kit to the museum of drum madness! Check it out at Crazy Drum Kits!

[drummerboyfitz]

Check out my newest crazy drum kit - the Crazy Tiny Square Snare Kit! Click on the link above to see a full description.

[drummerboyfitz]

Another new Crazy Drum Kit!

I built this out of Remo Buffalo Drums. Full description and pics at my blog: http://crazydrumkits.blogspot.com

[wonder1]

Originally Posted by drummerboyfitz

Another new Crazy Drum Kit!

Attachment 55310

I built this out of Remo Buffalo Drums. Full description and pics at my blog: http://crazydrumkits.blogspot.com

Hi,Drummerboyfitz!
Very cool design! you're using drumstick or Vic Firth "Rute 505" nylon stick for this drum?

[drummerboyfitz]

Originally Posted by wonder1

Hi,Drummerboyfitz!
Very cool design! you're using drumstick or Vic Firth "Rute 505" nylon stick for this drum?

Peter - I'm using regular drum sticks - a Vic Firth 7AN. The drums came with mallets and I use those for quieter playing. The heads are Remo Fiberskyn so they are super tough. I used the 14 inch as a snare drum for almost 2 years and there isn't one mark on it.

[wonder1]

Originally Posted by drummerboyfitz

Peter - I'm using regular drum sticks - a Vic Firth 7AN. The drums came with mallets and I use those for quieter playing. The heads are Remo Fiberskyn so they are super tough. I used the 14 inch as a snare drum for almost 2 years and there isn't one mark on it.

I will give it a try.always enjoy playing mini drum-kits for almots 11yrs.This's one of my DIY drum.(8" bass,8" snare,8"mini-hat,12"splash,DIY kick-pedal).

[drummerboyfitz]

Originally Posted by wonder1

I will give it a try.always enjoy playing mini drum-kits for almots 11yrs.This's one of my DIY drum.(8" bass,8" snare,8"mini-hat,12"splash,DIY kick-pedal).

I love your kits. I've been looking at your drums since you started posting them online! My crazy kits are a lot different than yours, but you are definitely my main inspiration when I build a new one. So thanks for making crazy drum kits! I've also watched videos of you playing - you're really good. So thanks for that, too.

[wonder1]

Originally Posted by drummerboyfitz

I love your kits. I've been looking at your drums since you started posting them online! My crazy kits are a lot different than yours, but you are definitely my main inspiration when I build a new one. So thanks for making crazy drum kits! I've also watched videos of you playing - you're really good. So thanks for that, too.

Hi,Drummerboyfitz!
Thanks alot for your kind words! I really enjoy on my so call crazy mini drum project.I learn alot during the process(problems,materials,parts,tunning).The best part is,when I bring it on stage and play that the best & happy thing in my life!
Pls keep on with your crazy drum project.
Regards,
Peter Lau

[wonder1]

For the past few weeks,I really go into this "Vintage style" drum-kits.Just to share 3 of them.

[drummerboyfitz]

Originally Posted by wonder1

For the past few weeks,I really go into this "Vintage style" drum-kits.Just to share 3 of them.

Peter - that is super cool. Keep up the good work!
- Fitz

[drummerboyfitz]

I've improved the Crazy Buffalo Drum Kit. Check it out at my blog:
Crazy Drum Kits!

Here's a shot of me playing it in my drum lab. (That's what I call my spare bedroom.)
Full description at my blog.

[wonder1]

Originally Posted by drummerboyfitz

I've improved the Crazy Buffalo Drum Kit. Check it out at my blog:
Crazy Drum Kits!

Here's a shot of me playing it in my drum lab. (That's what I call my spare bedroom.)
Full description at my blog.

Hi,Fitz!
That's a real "Cool" drum-kits.Looks clean & nice setting.Keep it up man!
Regards,
Peter

[wonder1]

Hi,Fitz!
Here's another mini compact drum that I build,last month.6" mini snare,10" bass drum,6" mini hat,12" splash/ride.Playing position can be Sitting or Standing.Nice for small stage & short gig

[drummerboyfitz]

Peter - I am extremely interested in how you mount the tiny snares into the bass drums. Your kits are so cool! The videos were cool too! I'll be building a new crazy kit soon. Keep posting those kits! They are wild.

Originally Posted by wonder1

Hi,Fitz!
Here's another mini compact drum that I build,last month.6" mini snare,10" bass drum,6" mini hat,12" splash/ride.Playing position can be Sitting or Standing.Nice for small stage & short gig

[wonder1]

Fitz!
I'm using my old Remo Roto tom mounted metal bar for my mini snare.I find this method easy,cause i can adjust high/low position!


May be you can try this method for your new drum project! Good Luck my friend!
Regards,
Peter

[Bo Eder]

I finally took a look at your kits and those are just absolutely wacky. Definitely need to see some videos to hear them. Awesome!

[TYBG]

Loving everything posted in this thread!

[longgun]

Originally Posted by Bo Eder

I finally took a look at your kits and those are just absolutely wacky. Definitely need to see some videos to hear them. Awesome!

+1.................would love to hear the "buffalo" kit

[Deathmetalconga]

Very imaginative ways of rethinking the traditional ho-hum drum set. Great work and well done.

[keep it simple]

love it, love it all! Reminds me very much of work by Marcus De Mowbray.

[drummerboyfitz]

Thanks to everybody for checking out the thread! I love building this stuff and I love playing it. I'll try to shoot some video of the buffalo kit. I really like it when other people post their own crazy drum projects here.

Peter - thanks for showing me how to mount the little snare, very cool. I appreciate the close up photos, makes it easier to figure out. Very cool.

My goal with the crazy kits is to really change the paradigm of a drum kit - to have kits that sound like kits while being portable, small, and easy to set up/tear down. I'm getting there!

[shrpshtr37]

these are very interesting kits!

[drummerboyfitz]

Originally Posted by longgun

+1.................would love to hear the "buffalo" kit

Okay! Here's some videos of the Buffalo kit in action!
Buffalo Kit demo #1
Buffalo Kit demo #2

You can see the threaded rod holding the bass drum in position. The rod is clamped to the cymbal stand. The kit is on a snare stand. The hi-hats I'm using are 1961 ZIldjian 14" beauties... given to me by a friend. Anyway, enjoy the video!

[drummerboyfitz]

Another update to my blog - video of the Buffalo kit! I posted some links earlier in this thread, but here it is again.

Click here to go to Crazy Drum Kits!

[Kudzu Monroe]

Just love all of the crazy kits … very creative stuff!!!

Today I’m working on the final touches of my own POCO LOCO (little crazy) kit that uses a 13x11 Pearl rack tom as a kick drum.
I have seen a number of these conversions of ultra small toms and the biggest issue seems to be how to mount it for use with a beater.
For me it had to be as easy to use and as portable as the kit, so to that end I worked out a “cradle” that is small, easy to use and stable.
One other advantage is that the Pearl JG16 set works for 16” tom conversions (as designed) and the Rhythm Tech cradle makes using
the 13” tom viable using the Pearl JG16 beater attachment. A single floor tom lug was added to the 13” tom to attach the L rod
and rubber fuel line hose covers the part of the L rod attached to the cradle … works great small detachable and very solid.