Tiki Cocktail set

[Deathmetalconga]

I wanted a second set for smaller, quieter gigs. Instead of getting a smaller version of a conventional drumset (what's the use of getting a drumset if I already HAVE a drumset?), I took the plunge and got a cocktail kit from www.hbdrums.com. It came with a black metal flake plastic wrap that wasn't very remarkable and started warping when left next to a window. I really got the drums for the awesome birch ply shells.

I headed over to www.spoonflower.com and searched out patterns for tiki, cocktail, retro and 1950s. I finally settled on this pattern, Tiki Freaks, and wrapped the drum in it and put three coats of varnish over it. I also upgraded the stock cymbals, which were terrible and suitable for maybe scraping ice off your windshield. I sold the foot pedal on Craigslist and modified a spare DW 5000.

The Tiki Cocktail set is the result. It has a 16 by 24 combo tom/bass drum, a 10 by 5 tom, an 8 by 5 tom, a 10 by 4 snare, Meinl Classics 10 mini-hats, a 14 Sabian B8 bottom hat for a ride and a 12 Zildjian Z series splash for a crash and a cowbell. The 8 by 5 tom was originally the snare but it sounded lousy so I got a Pearl M80 snare and converted the 8 by 5 drum to an extra tom. I added extra three extra mounting brackets to hold everything and did some custom modification of the hardware to get it all in there.

I can carry this entire set in one trip! It sounds beautiful, mellower than a full drum set and perfect for sidewalk busking and coffeehouse gigs. Cocktail sets are rare and eccentric and I have gotten many compliments on the drum and its sound.

[Bo Eder]

Cool kit there! And they're in Huntington Beach right near me! And the price is right. Too bad they make the bass drum so tall, it's too tall for guys my size (hence why I went with the Safari). Any videos of you playing it?

[Garvin]

Ha! That's awesome DMC... Great looking wrap. I was thinking of having mine painted, but I haven't given it much though yet. That looks absolutely great.

[keep it simple]

That's a stunning piece of work DMC! I'm so much not a fan of wraps, but yours is the exception. It just screams trible funkyness. I echo the calls for a video or sound clip.

[Pete Stoltman]

Very hip. You're inspiring me.

[Deathmetalconga]

Thank you all. Sound clips soon to come.

[Deathmetalconga]

Originally Posted by Garvin

Ha! That's awesome DMC... Great looking wrap. I was thinking of having mine painted, but I haven't given it much though yet. That looks absolutely great.

Check out Spoonflower.com. They can put any design on a high-quality fabric of varying weights and the prices are fair. You use Titebond wood glue to affix the fabric and a water-based varnish to finish it. Not too hard.

[Mr.L]

Nice n' classy!
Sounds though, we need sound!

[zambizzi]

Sweet! Let me know when you're out w/ these babies and I'll come and check you out. I played one of these kits a while back and they're a lot of fun. It's tough to get used to standing and using a kick pedal, though.

[Deathmetalconga]

Originally Posted by zambizzi

Sweet! Let me know when you're out w/ these babies and I'll come and check you out. I played one of these kits a while back and they're a lot of fun. It's tough to get used to standing and using a kick pedal, though.

Yes, they are actually pretty uncomfortable to play. You have to shift your weight from one foot to the other. The "floor tom" is at the center of the set and the snare way off to one side, so it takes a lot of re-learning and adjustment. You can't play bass with one foot for very long or you get a serious burn in the front calf muscles. I don't know how sitting makes such a big difference but it does. On the plus side, I can carry the entire set in one trip very easily.

Because you have to shift feet to guard against fatigue, I play bass with my left foot about 30 percent of the time, so it's training my left foot in different ways.

[zambizzi]

Originally Posted by Deathmetalconga

Yes, they are actually pretty uncomfortable to play. You have to shift your weight from one foot to the other. The "floor tom" is at the center of the set and the snare way off to one side, so it takes a lot of re-learning and adjustment. You can't play bass with one foot for very long or you get a serious burn in the front calf muscles. I don't know how sitting makes such a big difference but it does. On the plus side, I can carry the entire set in one trip very easily.

Because you have to shift feet to guard against fatigue, I play bass with my left foot about 30 percent of the time, so it's training my left foot in different ways.

I've seen guys use a bar stool or even lean against a wall...maybe that'd help?

[Red Menace]

Originally Posted by Bo Eder

Cool kit there! And they're in Huntington Beach right near me! And the price is right. Too bad they make the bass drum so tall, it's too tall for guys my size (hence why I went with the Safari). Any videos of you playing it?

Bo, I'm just had to try pretty hard to lay off the short jokes in another thread where you mentioned "shortstack" toms. You're not making this easy on me.

Sweet kit DMC! I think it would only be appropriate to play it while wearing a Hawaiian shirt and a big goofy grin. That's one of those machines you could never be bored whilst playing.

I've been pondering getting a cocktail kit or a bop set for smaller gigs. As of now I'm leaning on a bop kit but this post has me rethinking it. I love that laid back island vibe you have going there.

[MaryO]

Cool set, I love the tiki-retro motif. You did a great job with the wrap!

[Deathmetalconga]

Originally Posted by MaryO

Cool set, I love the tiki-retro motif. You did a great job with the wrap!

Thanks! It was tricky, especially for the first time. I think if I had to do it over again, I would have aligned the vertical brown stripe with the rod holders. Instead of the rod holders being in the middle of tiki faces, they would wind up in the spaces between the faces. I think I still might do that by realigning the tom holders.

[GRUNTERSDAD]

Bo, they have a complete line of bass drums.

[wonder1]

Wow!! that's a really Cool cocktail-drum!!!

[Deathmetalconga]

Originally Posted by wonder1

Wow!! that's a really Cool cocktail-drum!!!

Thanks!

As promised, here is a sound sample. I will put up more as I do them. Recorded with a pair of Behringer ECM-8000 measurement mics going into a Mackie 1202 mixer directly into the mic jack of a Yamaha Pocketrak.

Cocktail 1.MP3

[Deathmetalconga]

OK, some proper YouTube videos. I used a Shure Beta 52A and Shure SM 57 for recording, running to a Mackie 1202 mixer, then out to the video camera mic input.

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

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

[Garvin]

Nice video DMC. What kind of camera did you use? Great picture quality. Are you a lefty, or did you just configure the cocktail kit that way?

[Deathmetalconga]

Originally Posted by Garvin

Nice video DMC. What kind of camera did you use? Great picture quality. Are you a lefty, or did you just configure the cocktail kit that way?

Thank you. I used a Kodak Play Touch video camera in HD setting and did a bit of editing with PowerDirector. I think I am going to start putting up more videos now that I have some decent gear for it.

[ineedaclutch]

Tiki kit is interesting and sounds great. I am checking out your Terra Sonus tracks. Totally digging it. Very interesting sound scapes. Keep it up.

[LukeSnyder]

Man, I've GOTTA get myself a cocktail set... this just makes me want it more.

[Deathmetalconga]

Originally Posted by LukeSnyder

Man, I've GOTTA get myself a cocktail set... this just makes me want it more.

I tell you, there is nothing like it. Playing standing up is a kick in the pants. Get a cocktail set and see for yourself. The portability and cool factor cannot be beat.

[LukeSnyder]

Originally Posted by Deathmetalconga

I tell you, there is nothing like it. Playing standing up is a kick in the pants. Get a cocktail set and see for yourself. The portability and cool factor cannot be beat.

I know, I've messed around for a bit on one before! They're quite possibly the coolest thing since sliced bread, haha.

[Deathmetalconga]

Originally Posted by ineedaclutch

Tiki kit is interesting and sounds great. I am checking out your Terra Sonus tracks. Totally digging it. Very interesting sound scapes. Keep it up.

Thanks! Are you on YouTube? Send me a friend request.

[Deathmetalconga]

Originally Posted by Garvin

Nice video DMC. What kind of camera did you use? Great picture quality. Are you a lefty, or did you just configure the cocktail kit that way?

Thank you about that. I am just getting into videoing.

I used a Kodak Play/Touch. It has a very good built-in mic but I used a Shure Beta 52 kick drum mic at the bottom and a Shure SM57 mic on the top, run through a Mackie 1202 mixer and then into the mic jack of the camera.

I play open, left hand hats and ride, right hand snare, so I set up the cocktail kit that way. A crossed player could put their hats on their right, near their ride, and play open as well. There is no hihat stand, just a bass drum pedal and you switch feet to play it to reduce fatigue, so there is no practical purpose in crossing the hands/sticks to play hats in a cocktail set.

[Deathmetalconga]

Here is a YouTube video playing on this kit:

[GRUNTERSDAD]

I was watching your right hand and it appears that the stick is not up in the crotch of your thumb and forefinger like it's really loose. Am I seeing correctly.?

[Deathmetalconga]

Originally Posted by GRUNTERSDAD

I was watching your right hand and it appears that the stick is not up in the crotch of your thumb and forefinger like it's really loose. Am I seeing correctly.?

Yes, you are seeing correctly. Sometimes I play with a really loose, floppy feel on the snare hand.

[Deathmetalconga]

Here is a photo of me playing the Tiki Set a couple of weeks ago. I was playing with a keyboardist and a violinist and I'd move to the congas for some songs.