Suitcase build

ric drumm

Member
Just finished this up. Everything is made from used parts and pieces except heads.

Samsonite suitcase. CB shells (16" kick), lugs, hoops, floor tom mounts and legs. Pearl Firecracker snare. Snare mount is part tom mount, and part Roland peg. Cymbal mount is part tom mount, part SPL cymbal stand. Mapex Rebel hi hat stand. Ludwig snare stand of the tom (would like to replace with something lighter). Ludwig pedal and lift. Wuhan Ora cymbals. Other misc pieces of paint stir sticks and old flooring to brace mounts.
 

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I use the Unknown Brand American Tourister line. The grains are aligned and the suitcases are tuned to a specific airline.
SERIOUSLY-I love your kit. (ok i will change the name of the brand for my jokes...no offense so sorry.....is Ludwig out too?)
 
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I use the DW American Tourister line. The grains are aligned and the suitcases are tuned to a specific airline.
SERIOUSLY-I love your kit.
The DW jokes are getting old and are certainly not funny anymore (if they ever were)


Just finished this up. Everything is made from used parts and pieces except heads.

Samsonite suitcase. CB shells (16" kick), lugs, hoops, floor tom mounts and legs. Pearl Firecracker snare. Snare mount is part tom mount, and part Roland peg. Cymbal mount is part tom mount, part SPL cymbal stand. Mapex Rebel hi hat stand. Ludwig snare stand of the tom (would like to replace with something lighter). Ludwig pedal and lift. Wuhan Ora cymbals. Other misc pieces of paint stir sticks and old flooring to brace mounts.

I was thinking about doing this with my pops’ n mom’s Delsey from the 80’s.

How did you mount it all together? How did you made the perfect cirle for the bd head?
 
The DW jokes are getting old and are certainly not funny anymore (if they ever were)




I was thinking about doing this with my pops’ n mom’s Delsey from the 80’s.

How did you mount it all together? How did you made the perfect cirle for the bd head?
The circle isn’t perfect and it’s slightly smaller than the shell. I used a small piece of the shell outside, and then used just enough to attach lugs on the inside. I drilled small holes in the suitcase for the tension rods. The tension rods into lugs inside hold it together.
 

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I use the Unknown Brand American Tourister line. The grains are aligned and the suitcases are tuned to a specific airline.
SERIOUSLY-I love your kit. (ok i will change the name of the brand for my jokes...no offense so sorry.....is Ludwig out too?)

I'm a Ludwig fanboy, and as far I care, it's open season! Take your best shots. :)
 
I never play acoustic gigs these days, but that is a pretty cool setup. If I had something like that, I would seek out low volume gigs.
 
That packed suitcase is very tight and cool. It all fits real good.
 
Very cool.

How does the kick drum sound?

When playing with brushes, I've been using a homemade cajon as a kick, with a folded towel covering the striking surface. Do you think it would sound better if I installed an actual drum head instead of using thin plywood (marine mahogany) for the striking surface?
 
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Very cool.

How does the kick drum sound?

When playing with brushes, I've been using a homemade cajon as a kick, with a folded towel covering the striking surface. Do you think it would sound better if I installed an actual drum head instead of using thin plywood (marine mahogany) for the striking surface?
I'm actually more than pleased with the kick drum. I've had a Ludwigs Breakbeats and a DW Low Pro kit, and I think this sounds better than both.

I have a smaller, matching suitcase and I'm thinking of making one that has a smaller kick with something else added (tambourine?) with a 2 pedal attachment.
 
Just like any kit live, if your gonna mic the kick you can make it sound great.

Real head on the batter, a firm anchor for pedal, port the front. Clothing inside Samsonite optional to taste. Just my experience.
 
How do you guys make the pedal connection to the case?
I got lucky. I have a lift from a Ludwig Breakbeats that came with the pedal. It's bolted on the bottom. Originally, I tried a large door hinge. It worked when hooked up to a heavy pedal, but rocked way too much with the lighter Ludwig pedal.
How do you guys make the pedal connection to the
Just remembered....I had to drill a hole through the lift so the tension rod could still fit. In hindsight, I should have rotated the head mounting so that the lugs and rods weren't at the top and bottom.
 

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I got lucky. I have a lift from a Ludwig Breakbeats that came with the pedal. It's bolted on the bottom. Originally, I tried a large door hinge. It worked when hooked up to a heavy pedal, but rocked way too much with the lighter Ludwig pedal.
Thats nice!

Although I would need something that can be removed after usage.

I wonder if you could do it without attachment and only though velcro.
 
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