Guru Drums retrospective album (Final update 2017 onwards)

Wow Andy loving the pics-I know it's an emotional journey-both joyful and sad you do this-so thanks! For some reason I thought Guru was around a lot longer-it started before 2013 didn't it?
Thanks Art - sad indeed :(

I first started working with Dean in 2011, & he's been crafting drums for a few years before that.

Lamp Shades
Love em!!!

Question for Andy—-

Of all the kits you’ve made, which one is closest to your heart?
Ooohh - now that's a big one.

There's kits I like for different reasons, and a ton I wish I'd kept, but the one that occupies the biggest chunk of emotion real estate is the first prototype kit.

Stunning !!!!
The reak candy is yet to come in the later year posts Harry :)

Amazing man, I can tell you are an engineer, designer, inventor, artist or master craftsman by trade. Newer to the forum and have to say it’s a shame that you don’t build anymore.
Thank you. Yes, pulling the plug was tough, and still is, but there are bigger concerns in life, & when faced with a challenge I can't beat, I took the only decision that made sense :(

Thank you Andy for everything you have done for the art of Drum making and this forum. You are "in a sense" our Guru.
An extremely minuscule sense, but I'll take that - thank you :)

Amen. Andy, even though we have never met, you have always struck me as the perfect blend of Renaissance Man, English Gentleman, and consummate artisan.
Gentleman is a stretch sometimes ;)

Thanks for posting the photos. Thanks for your masterpiece instruments. What a legacy!
Thank you :) A ton more photo's on the way. Next is 2014.
 
In an effort to create a timeline, I ordered my first kit in late 2012. I got it in September of 2013. If I recall correctly, mine was the 3rd kit, but Andy needs to confirm that. Grea (Pollyanna/Anon Laply) got the 2nd kit I think and I don't know who got the first one. The first Andy/Dean kits were steambent ash ovangkol hooped drums. There were more steambent kits built, I'm not sure how many. The Cappuccino bop kit (20 x 12 bass drum) was a big hit. Andy went to segmented shells pretty soon after the first steambent kits were made

When was the first steambent kit delivered Andy? Can you say who got it? How many steambent kits were made? When was the first segmented kit delivered? To who?
 
In an effort to create a timeline, I ordered my first kit in late 2012. I got it in September of 2013. If I recall correctly, mine was the 3rd kit, but Andy needs to confirm that. Grea (Pollyanna/Anon Laply) got the 2nd kit I think and I don't know who got the first one. The first Andy/Dean kits were steambent ash ovangkol hooped drums. There were more steambent kits built, I'm not sure how many. The Cappuccino bop kit (20 x 12 bass drum) was a big hit. Andy went to segmented shells pretty soon after the first steambent kits were made

When was the first steambent kit delivered Andy? Can you say who got it? How many steambent kits were made? When was the first segmented kit delivered? To who?
Hi Larry, there were a fair number of steam bent kits made prior to 2011, but the first steam bent Origin kit when to Dave McKeague (UK) early 2012. Total number of steam bent Origin series kits only numbered 5. Total number of other steam bent kits, I'm not sure. Lots of snares though. First segmented kit went out early 2014 (In-Tense series) - I'm not permitted to say who it went to.

Featured in the next photo set, remember this experimental 3 x 10" tom steam bent (In-Tense series) kit? Built February 2014 :)

video kit bass drum2.jpg
 
As I sit here in my drum room next to my Guru Padauk segmented set viewing this I am simultaneously moved by conflicting emotions.
Joy at having them but sadness that the line had to be cut short.

Andy, Guru drums were something magical and I'm proud to have them. You and Dean were consummate professionals in every aspect. You have my unending respect.

To answer one of Larry's questions: I think my kit was one of the first segmented ones, no?
 
Great stuff, Andy! Is that Kenny Jones behind a set?

Not too long ago, I randomly searched Reverb.com for Guru and someone was selling a snare. The one and only time I’ve seen a used Guru for sale. I find it telling that no one sells their Gurus.
 
Just googled and found this ?. The only other I found was a 13,x8 snare in reverb that sold a year ago . Was sad to see when they ended as I only found out about em a year before that. Those last kits going out were just stunning . Would’ve loved to have one of em .

 
It was such a joy to follow your struggles and progress with Guru drums. The prototyping, the technical arguments, the inventions, the attention to detail, and, more importantly, the sound clips and videos.
We don’t have Guru Drums anymore, but we still have Andy -)
 
Andy, Guru drums were something magical and I'm proud to have them. You and Dean were consummate professionals in every aspect. You have my unending respect.

To answer one of Larry's questions: I think my kit was one of the first segmented ones, no?
Thank you for your kind words Jeff :)
Your segmented Origin series was definitely one of the first, but I think a couple were built before yours (non of them padauk)

Great stuff, Andy! Is that Kenny Jones behind a set?

Not too long ago, I randomly searched Reverb.com for Guru and someone was selling a snare. The one and only time I’ve seen a used Guru for sale. I find it telling that no one sells their Gurus.
Yes, that's Kenny. Lovely guy.

There's very few ever coming up, & when they do, it's usually because of some life event.

Just googled and found this ?. The only other I found was a 13,x8 snare in reverb that sold a year ago . Was sad to see when they ended as I only found out about em a year before that. Those last kits going out were just stunning . Would’ve loved to have one of em .

Thank you :)

That's an old listing, with incorrect description cribbed from our website. This is an early steam bent kit produced just prior to my Guru involvement, & was sold for personal reasons. Someone got a bargain.

It was such a joy to follow your struggles and progress with Guru drums. The prototyping, the technical arguments, the inventions, the attention to detail, and, more importantly, the sound clips and videos.
We don’t have Guru Drums anymore, but we still have Andy -)
Thank you. The "still have Andy" bit nearly didn't happen, hence the regrettable decision to close shop :(

Recognized my padauk stave with the others but my cherry didn't make the cut. Wth?
Fixed ;)
 
I can't believe what that Guru listing on Reverb was asking. What a steal!

I remember the 3 - 10" tom kits. Cool experiment that yielded surprising results. You sold them?

Which kits do you wish you kept Andy?

I'd like to see an event where all the Guru owners come together and bring all their Guru drums they own, into one venue for photos and posterity before they are all scattered to the wind. That would be just so cool having the entire output of Guru drums in one place.
 
Great idea for a thread.

Very fine drums & very fine people. Good to see it all again.

Lastly, can't believe that shot of us all was taken 6 years ago!. How time flies.
 
I remember the 3 - 10" tom kits. Cool experiment that yielded surprising results. You sold them?
Not sold - I broke the kit down into components & used the shells for experimentation.

Which kits do you wish you kept Andy?
Too many Larry :( Of note, probably the satinwood stave Origin series kit, and the 3mm thin shell stave big sizes walnut In-Tense series kit, but there are more too!

When building drums as a business, you get to a point where, even against your better judgement, you have to let stuff go. In hindsight, had I known what was to happen, I might have decided differently, but that's no way to look at the journey called life :)

I'd like to see an event where all the Guru owners come together and bring all their Guru drums they own, into one venue for photos and posterity before they are all scattered to the wind. That would be just so cool having the entire output of Guru drums in one place.
That would be amazing, but difficult & expensive to pull off. Too many countries.

Great idea for a thread.

Very fine drums & very fine people. Good to see it all again.

Lastly, can't believe that shot of us all was taken 6 years ago!. How time flies.
Thanks Jon :) Yes, I can't believe that LDS was 6 years ago. That was right at the point where we were on a roll, and starting to make an impact. They were exciting times, and it was glorious to have so much support from friends :)
 
Next up - 2014! The year we set up the separate finishing shop & demo room, ran two honest capture video sessions including the Drums vs. bass challenge with Yolanda Charles, amongst a host of other activities.

These, & subsequent pictures, are more about milestone events rather than endless drum pictures, but of course, there'll be plenty of those too ;)

Enjoy ?

padfinished kit2HD.jpgguruteeth800.jpgintense 1.jpgLDS2014 Gavin:Todd.jpg2014 stand front.jpgDean kit.jpglug wash.jpgplate1.jpgshop.jpgws drill laser.jpg
 
Keep 'em coming Andy! This is great.
 
More epic pics-good quality too! Nice to see Madge/Magenta-hope she is doing well -haven't heard from her in longtime? Seeing Yolanda reminds me of the Guru Snare contest!! That was a lot of fun and there was some exceptional entries. She is as beautiful as she is talented. Beautiful drums to Andy!!!!!!!! How deep are those kick drums-they all look like cannons?
 
More epic pics-good quality too! Nice to see Madge/Magenta-hope she is doing well -haven't heard from her in longtime? Seeing Yolanda reminds me of the Guru Snare contest!! That was a lot of fun and there was some exceptional entries. She is as beautiful as she is talented. Beautiful drums to Andy!!!!!!!! How deep are those kick drums-they all look like cannons?
Thanks Art :) All bass drums are 14" deep except the Padauk Origin at 16" deep, & the ash In'Tense at 18" deep.

Madge is fine, except she bust her leg recently due to unscheduled ejection from a quadraped :(
 
I would be a far worse drummer if I had a set of these...
1576870099143.jpeg
I can’t stop looking at them. Tough to see them from behind, so I’d probably roll up a couch and a beer and just sit and stare for days on end!:love:
 
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