PorkPieGuy
Platinum Member
A couple of drum makers I'm familiar with have switched from using Keller shells to Nordic shells. Is there one overriding reason why or are there a number of reasons?
Thanks.
Thanks.
A couple of drum makers I'm familiar with have switched from using Keller shells to Nordic shells. Is there one overriding reason why or are there a number of reasons?
Thanks.
I think you would be surprised to know who is already using Nordic at this point
So right before N&C changed mgt. recently I was lucky enough to pick up a snare at the factory since they are relatively local to me. I was able to speak at length with the "old guard" there about this exact thing. They had made the swap to Nordic on certain shells and were in the process of swapping all their non-steam bent shells over. Keller's drum business is a small part of what the overall Keller company makes and they were not as "enthusiastic" about the drum lines and investing in the product and/or service. Lead times were insane and that meant N&C lead times were impacted etc.
Nordic makes an amazing shell, and like anything else you get what you pay for.
I think you would be surprised to know who is already using Nordic at this point
I can believe this , when I got some add on Toms to go with my former Horizon kit , the new shells did not look the same as the originals . The mahogany inner plies were much lighter in colour and the butts where the plies joined did not look the same .
I had Nordic make me two 9x12 tom shells. Both 6 ply.It's nothing against Keller shells, they make a great product in thousands of kits being played world wide......I've used some of their raw shells as well. But, if they were being sketchy and wishy washy on when a premier client like N&C would get orders fulfilled, well that kinda tells you all you need if you are N&C. It was clearly impacting their ability to deliver on the timelines they prefer and even timelines that were committed to customers.
It was clear they were comfortable with Nordic and working with them on their proprietary shell layups.
Pardon my ignorance, but I thought the whole point of a drum company was to make their own drums not get someone else to make the shell and then add hardware. Who are the companies doing this?
Not to be a Pedant here, but a point of clarification to address Rockdrill's question: Noble and Cooley do in-fact make their own shells in house. Those being their steam bent solid shell snare drums. The drum kit shells are apparently outsourced similar to some other drum companies..
The (ply) Horizon Series is the best contemporary drum set I've played. It has to come down to the interesting design decisions.That is fact.
N&C outsource the ply drums to folks that specialize in building very high quality ply shells built to N&C specs and you are 100% correct, what they have built their reputation on as far as the steam bent snares
Although a lot of people here do not seem to agree with you, when push comes to shove, I kind of sorta do. Granted, a lot of big and small drum companies do outsource their shells. The biggest player here probably being Gretsch, who actually pretty much always had someone else make their shells. I don't know if the 50s drums with the three ply shells were made in house in Brooklyn. But six plies from the 60s and beyond we're always Jasper and on the rare occasion, Keller.Pardon my ignorance, but I thought the whole point of a drum company was to make their own drums not get someone else to make the shell and then add hardware. Who are the companies doing this?
I've just been looking at getting a new kit and it's between the British Drum Company and Cambridge Drums, both of whom make a big deal about how they construct their own shells and the methods they use to do this.
(they were, lot of pics and commentary from those that worked then there- in Chet Falzerano Gretsch book)I don't know if the 50s drums with the three ply shells were made in house in Brooklyn
look at the shells stacked waiting for finishing here->I thought the whole point of a drum company was to make their own drums not get someone else to make the shell