anyone else have the custom shell builder's blues?

This past December I ordered another custom steam bent shelled snare. Today is 5 months and a few days and still no snare drum. This is NOT the builder's fault for the delay. The shell Mfg. moved shop just when my snare shell was ordered and everything went south from there.
Problems with the move, setting up the equipment, huge back orders on shells, blah blah blah blah. The shell Mfg has been making shells for over 30yrs and puts out some incredible work.

In short, my raw shell is finally being shipped Monday and I'm pretty stoked about the final product. Will be sure to share all the details when I get my hands on the completed snare in a "few more weeks" arghhhh. 6.5x13

Erm, no As we're one of the very few who build all our steam bent, stave, & segmented shells in house, & almost the only ones on the planet to do so 8" through 32", we're never reliant on others. (sorry couldn't resist that bit of horn blowing, ahem )

I'm sure your drum will be worth the wait. Even though it's delayed, compared to order times from some major manufacturers, it's still competitive, & just think about what you're getting by comparison Good luck, & enjoy your new instrument.

HA, it's all good KIS

Hope one day I can put down some coin on one of your customs, they are works of art.

I have waited for more than a year for a snare now.

Another snare I ordered was supposedly destroyed during production when I asked the retailer about it a couple of months after the supposed lead time. My guess is they forgot the order altogether.

My Suhr Handwired guitar amp took more than 3 years.

I have waited 4 years for another guitar amp.

Odd-Arne Oseberg said:

I have waited for more than a year for a snare now.

Another snare I ordered was supposedly destroyed during production when I asked the retailer about it a couple of months after the supposed lead time. My guess is they forgot the order altogether.

My Suhr Handwired guitar amp took more than 3 years.

I have waited 4 years for another guitar amp.

Click to expand...

Man that is a rough wait time. My first snare from this builder was destroyed by FedX! I have some pretty horrific photos which are too disheartening and graphic for this forum. Funny you mention custom guitar amps. I was at my cousins' house this evening to pick up some demo copies and he was showing me a custom amp that his friend built. I guess this guy builds amps as a side business. All I know is the amps components (tubes,resistors etc) are from a very old discontinued stockpile that he discovered a while back. I will try and get some photos of his work, he has one there at his studio and says it sounds incredible. What do I know about guitar amps? squat!

"I'm just the drummer" haha

I'll admit, I'm a bit "boutique biased." I've had custom built snares and went back to playing a supraphonic -- because it's better. I've had custom built guitars and went back to playing a Fender -- because it's better.

There's a "snob appeal" to custom made instruments and the builders can sometimes take advantage of peoples desire to be as serious about their sound as possible. But the greatest recorded sounds in history have been on stock instruments.

They aren't rocketships -- they're just pieces of wood.

I waited 12 months for a custom bongo: tiger maple and mother of pearl inlay. I told the guy I wanted something unique and he had complete creative control. It was worth the wait and I am hopeful it will be for you as well. Share the pics and an sound file when you get the time.

GJS

plangentmusic said:

They aren't rocketships -- they're just pieces of wood.

Click to expand...

I get your POV. Indeed, most of the greatest songs ever recorded utilised stock instruments, but you'd be surprised how many recordings are made with alternative instruments. What appears on the album credits, is not necessarily what actually transpired

As for "just pieces of wood", well, not really. There's good & bad in the custom world, just as there's good & bad in the stock world. The majority of custom builders are more focussed on finishes, & providing sizes/wood types that fall outside of stock offerings. However, there is a core of builders who really do focus on enhancing performance, & have found innovative ways of doing so. I'm not sure what you've tried & when, but I think it's wrong to belittle the endeavours of all non mainstream brand manufacturers on the basis of a few isolated personal experiences.

Lots of famous players's stuff is heavily customised and when they get in a position to do so, they get to make signature products.

To me it's not about being custom or unique(a lot of my stuff is far from unique), but it's about getting the sound and response I personally want. In e.g. my guitar rig there are $40 guitar pedals next to vintage and custom stuff on the complete other end of the price scale.

As a drummer I don't have the experience to make those decisions, but I've made some choices based on gear I've heard in use and thought sounding like what I'd want for myself. If it sounds right price isn't really a factor unless it's out of my price range altogether.