DRUMMER CAFE

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I have TWO of the Erskine Stick Bags. The first one is the earlier model (black/purple/green combo) that Beato made for Yamaha. I really like the first stick bag, but it doesn't have the tray like the second one (see photo below). They also improved the durability of the handle and a few other minor items.



Both versions of Erskine stick bag has one issue that really bothers me ........ the pockets. It's not the pockets themselves, but rather the stitching inside the pockets. If I put a pair of sticks that has really be chewed up along the shoulder (ie. rimshots), the wood splinters get hooked on the lip of the pocket ... and start to mess up the bag. I've got stitching coming out, or portions of the pockets kind of pulling away. I have to fight with the bag to get it to let my sticks go! They get material stuck in the splinters on the stick. So that's a bit frustrating ... but I still love the bag. I think they need to redesign the bag's pockets so that there's no way for anything to hook or snag on the inside of the pockets where you keep your sticks.  I had Tuxedo Bags do the same thing; their stick bags that is.

I still give the stick bag a BIG "thumbs up"!!!

After almost 3 months of waiting I finally received my

Sonor Giant Steps Twin Effects Pedal
Don't buy this unless you want your mind blown.

For those of you living under a rock the past year this is a pedal which has two beaters...the left activated by the heel and the right by the ball of your footski.  It is a single pedal with two beaters and as sonor states not intended to replace the double pedal.  It is wild what one can aspire to do with this thing...I can imagine having two or even 4 or them with gajate brackets, triggers, or kicks.

Not only is this thing well made (compare it to an axis or dw and this thing is right there if not better- parts are beautifully die cast, painted and machined) the feel out of the box is outstanding.

I'm not going to get into it...the beast comes with a video, nice embroidered, padded case and the "docking station" which is really slick (no more chewing up your BD hoop).

I got it for 400 beans out the door.  I think they retail for over $650.  I think it is a very fair value and that is hard for me to say about anything in the music bizz.

I think I love it, but it is like doing something incredibly mind expanding for the first time.  It is going to be long haul to really get this thing happening but I was doing this flammed 1/8 note triplet osti with my left foot this morning and it was blowing my mind...as soon as I add the rest of the kit...voila!  Instant ass kicking solo- just add a Giant Step.

You are going to have to get over your preconceived notions of heel down and heel up playing.  In other words you are going to have to really get your balance/seat/center of gravity happening...no more resting on your heel or kick drum head boys.  One will use muscles in their foot they aren't used to- this thing is not for wimps.  It's not as tough if you are familiar with heel/toe technique, but it's not like buying a snare drum and banging out whatever you did before.  THIS IS A NEW THING.  I've already got sixteenths happening on it and  I actually played a jazz samba with that ostinato happening on the left  foot!  And when I go to bang out a 2/3 clave with just the ball of my foot I don't notice any problems with the other beater wanting to activate- I can leave the main beater in the jam block or let it rebound.  Your foot just sorta floats on the thing-  I don't know...you just have to get one.

The action will blow you away on the heel and the ball portion of the beater...there are over 14 sets of ball bearing/needle bearings in the thing!
So don't worry about the pedal performing, it is the smoothest pedal I can remember ever playing! All you need to do is get your foot happening.

I hate schlepping my cymbal bag through airports, because it weighs a ton, and after 9-11 I get hassled trying to bring it onboard as a carry-on. So I decided to look into a hardshell alternative that I could actually check as baggage. I wanted something durable, easy to carry, and secure from the sticky fingers of baggage handlers.

I found this cool-looking case made by Gator at Mars music:




It's got rollerblade-style wheels, and a telescoping handle - very slick. But to open it, all you have to do is unscrew the threaded knob in the center, and I was worried about the handle sliding up when I didn't want it to, possibly getting mangled in the cargo hold of the plane. So I knew I'd need to modify it before I'd feel safe checking it with my suitcase.

My solution was to keep the original knob in my stick bag, and use a wrench to put on a locking nut (those metal hex-shaped nuts with a nylon insert that increases friction on the threads), and then another nut on top of that, tightened against the original nut. It would take a thief at least a minute or two to get these off, and they'd need to have a wrench to do so, so I doubt most would take the risk to even try it. I also painted my name on the side of the case.

I bought a nylon strap at a luggage store, and looped it around the case, holding the telescoping handle in place, so it won't open unexpectedly. And the strap provides one more layer of interference between thieves and my cymbals.

I just did a round trip from Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles, and it worked like a charm. For local work, I just use the regular threaded knob that came with the case, but for flying I've now found a system that I feel comfortable with.

With Mars going out of business, you may be able to get a good price on one of these cases. I give it two thumbs up!

RETRACTION:
I'm sorry to say I need to retract that. I've only flown with this case three times, and already it's cracked!   I'm very disappointed.

I'd love to get my money back. There's just one problem: I bought it at Mars Music, and they've gone out of business!  

How many cases does all that fit into? Some airlines I've flown recently only allow ONE carryon , so you'd have a hard time bringing all that on board. That's one of the reasons why I bought a hard case for my cymbals.

Check with some of the airlines that you use to see what their latest rules are. They're starting to loosen up a little, although I still get frisked every time I fly, and I have to pack all my tools and hardware-oriented stuff with my checked baggage - they are extremely tough on that stuff at the security checkpoints.

PS - they do NOT like metronomes. I guess I can't blame them - a battery operated thingie with flashing lights and a timer? Not something most people want to see on airplanes.   So I always throw that in my checked suitcase!

I think the whole flying topic is a good one. Let's start another thread on that so we can keep the reviews ... well, about product reviews.

istanbul sultan

technical info:
hand hammered, hand lathed, B20 alloy

alright i picked up my first in what will be a small collection of these cymbals.  i got an 18" ride that is actually from the pre-split era of istanbul (both agop and mehmet)  but since i figure theyre all handmade and prone to slight differances anyway, that it didnt really matter much, same basic people, same materials and methods.  that said, this series is essentially the same as the bosphorus ferit series.

first obvious bit is the lathe pattern.  the sultan series has a completely lathed bottom and the top is mixed.  unlathed bell and ~2" stripe around the middle.  this is what makes the cymbal stand out from more traditional designs. not just in looks but in sound and functionality.  they are also unfinished, it doesnt seem as though they have a protective coating or anything like that.  gotta keep 'em clean.

the overall character of these cymbals is dark, warm and complex.  this one was a touch on the heavy side (for me, its a medium by most makers standards) which combined with the smaller diameter gave it some high end sparkle that a 22" wouldnt have had   but there wasnt so much that it was "bright", just enough to blend in with the darker tones.  give the whole thing some added color.

the lathed stripe isnt that thick.  the lathing on the top was apparently done just a hair past the surface.  so it doesnt make a HUGE difference.  it simply excentuates the characteristics that are already there.  when you play a ride on the edge, you get a more active sound with overtones and edge wobble.  you get that with this cymbal because the edge is lathed.  when you play a ride in the middle of the bow you get a more controlled & focused sound, less overtones, and less wobble.  the unlathed stripe excentuates that.  its even more solid & focused ... "pingy" if you will ... on that stripe.  same with the bell, the bell of any cymbal is pingier than the edge, the unlathed sultan bell simply excentuates that.

that is the sultans strength.  by excentuating a couple already evident characteristics without eleminating others, you get a cymbal capable of more color, character, and variety than others.  these are "if you could only take one cymbal" cymbals.  

im getting these cymbals to use with my "pop" band.  most of my work with them is ride cymbal driven so i need a variety of ride sounds to keep things fresh.  i typically use 3 (crashable to some extent) rides, a crash, and hats.  i plan on getting sultans for all of them.  this 18" is gorgeous, but a bit on the high end side for a main ride for me.  i plan on getting a 22" and 20" as well.  between these three i should really have all id ever need.  

istanbul agop's (which are what the rest of mine will more than likely be) arent that expensive really. a 22" agop sultan can be had brand new for $240 at idaho percussion.  average for big 3 prices, low for hand made boutiques.

22" Istanbul Agop Sultan Jazz Ride ... (mouthful i know)



from thier site: SULTAN SERIES
The bottom side is lathed. The top side has lathed and unlathed parts that follow eachother ; beginning with a lathed edge , ending with a unlathed cup.

this is part 1 - the excited because i just got it today initial reaction part.  ill add part 2 (to this same post) later this weekend since i plan on using it on a gig tomorrow.

(note, i was using a guitar center 7A.  a .540 diameter stick with a ball tip.  these are my controls.   they can have a brighter sound than i often like, so if i dig it with the ball, ill love it with the teardrop)

my first reactions were to the physical nature of this cymbal and how handmade it really is.  its got some rough spots in the lathing, the signature is smudged, and its absolutely gorgeous.  to the cymbalholic, good hand hammering is like the facets on a diamond, in the right light it becomes a whole new cymbal, with light reflecting off every dent.  beautiful  the unlathed bits are accordingly multicolored, showing the wierdness that heat adds to metal.  varying shades of reds and violets.  the bell on this thing is pretty wide at 5 1/2 inches, but relatively flat.  

now to the sound.  i got a "jazz" model.  which is thinner than thier standards.  according to idaho percussion a normal 20" averages around 6lbs, a jazz around 5.  i wanted a thin 22 because i wanted dark, and washy ... i love sustain in a cymbal.  this delievers in spades.  

when riding the unlathed edge it gets going and just rolls there ... for days ...  each stroke after the first looses its attack a bit, so your strokes arent so much well defined "pings" but more a simple peak in the wash.  like a whitecap on windy water.  that alone could turn off a lot of folks.  but to me? YUMMY.  and this is where the true strength of the sultan line lies.  if you want more ping on top of that underlying roar, you just move your stroke up a couple inches to the unlathed stripe.  viola.  your attack is sharper, but you retain that warm fuzzy wash.  and thats the reason that stripe is there   ingenious design.

when crashing the edge it opens right up and that sustain is right there after it.  more than most rides because of its thinness, but less than a normal crash obviously, its a 22 after all.  what i do a lot instead of using crash cymbals for accents is to crash my rides.  not with a swing persay, but while riding just bear down on the edge a bit more, so you get a big soft roar in the midst of your riding.  again, this cymbal nailed that.  

the bell is an odd duck.  im not much for bell sounds so im not too particular, but i checked it out because i know a lot of folks are.  being as wide as it is, makes it an easy target and combined with its unlathed-ness gives it a solid "tang" when hit with a shoulder.  its a fair bit weaker when played with the tip of the stick, but a nice audible ping that doesnt really activate the sustain.

to sum up, big, fat, dark, warm, with complex overtones and tremendous depth and wash.  controllable with a lighter touch, roaring with a heavier one.  and oh so purty  

Bosphorus Jeff Hamilton "Hammer" 14" Hi-Hats

as i was looking for some cool hihats, i stumbled upon these at Drummer's World.  became a big fan after getting my Diana Krall Live in Paris DVD, so i thought, "what the hey?"

Looking at 'em, they were done nicely in a brillant finish with the dark navy logo set starkly against it.  all along the surface are those tried and true hand hammered marks that looked like rippling golden waves.

had a very little bell, and both hats were rather shallow looking.  picking up the top, you cant but notice its suuuuuper thin and light.  even has a freaky wobble when you crash the hats.  while, the bottom hat had a more pocked and dirty, unlathed look and also felt medium weight/thin.

playing 'em yielded a Harry Caray approved, "Holy Cow!"  

closed hat chicks had a very sweet chirpy tone that oozy sizzly overtones.  foot chicks were mellow, yet sizzly as well.  the lighter than average top really made the foot work very responsive.  and, the open hat crash tones were actually good enough to use as crash tones!  nothing too trashy, dissonant or offensive about 'em.  very harmonious.  the bell also yielded some sweet pings that sounded like mini dinner bells.

downsides?  a bit too sloshy and soggy.  tho the top's light, the overall feel isnt as articulate and pinpoint as my Paistes.  still, with tone this good, who cares?    also, the top hat seems sooo thin, it almost feels fragile.  kinda makes me wince if i hit the hats too hard.  

compared to the pricier Zildjian KCon 14" hats, the KCon's had waay more trashier accents, especially in the open hat sounds.  stick sound was similar, but a little tighter and articulate, and not as sloshy.  

compared to my Paiste Trad's, lets just say, i think they're quaking in the cymbal bag!  the Hammers made them seem almost bland.  not as sweet a chick, brighter & more inyourface open hat sound, while not nearly as vibey.

funny, but i also tried a wafer thin, Hammer 20" Crash/Ride, and didnt dig it as much.  tho, it had a sweetly bright, controlled, yet somewhat dry stick tone, hitting it harder gave some after/overtones that were just too trashie for me.  like beating on a finely tuned trash can lid from outside.  still, would give any vintage buff sweaty palms.

i havent played all that many vintage hats, save for what Mark at the shop had, but overall, if you're looking for a sweet vintage vibe in your hihats, your search ends here.

Sabian B8 PRO Cymbal Performance Pack

The pack came with 14 med high hats, 16 and 18 med crash and a 20 med ride. These cymbals are not bad at all for the money. I went in with about $500 to spend on cymbals tested some Zildjian Avedis and K's some Sabain B8 and B8 Pro, HH and AA...

After about an hour of testing and some dirty looks from the sales people I came to the conclusion that Sabain has great High hats.  Every pair I tried was great! The B8 pro's sounded just as good as the AA's.  The B8 pro's have good sound on the crash's I did like the AA's abit better the meduim thins were amazing, but for $215 couldn't pass up the deal.   The avedis line makes good rides for my taste but still the B8 Pro was not that far off.  I know these are looked at as cheap in most peoples eyes, but I think they are worth the money!

Charlie