? on Keller shells

[Gaddabout]

I've been looking into building a kit (someone needs to *publish* a book on that!), and someone mentioned I should just buy maple Keller shells, said they were "the best there are."

 

It gave me a cross-eyed look, because I seem to remember some rather nasty comments on Keller shells. I don't know diddly about where drum companies get their shells ... I always assume each manufacturers mold their own -- at least for their high-end kits.

 

OK, so a 6-piece Keller shell package runs a little under $400. They even do the bearing edges (which I assume are a standard 45 degrees ... nothing drastic). With good hardware and my own labor, that's a maple kit well under $1,000. What's the catch?

 

[ 12-03-2001: Message edited by: Gaddabout ]

[felix stein]

I think the catch is you are looking to build the "perfect" drumset. There is a guy in town here "Fortune Drums" and he uses Keller shells and Yamaha hardware. His paint is awesome but to me, Kellers are just inconsistent from my experience and from talking to other drummers.

 

I had some DW's that were pretty good most of the time, I can't complain, and I like the new ice birch finish they have out now...but it is so hard to get a sonically well balanced kit it seems. Now that I have one that is the most consistent I've ever had- I'm afraid to buy another kit no matter what the price.

[rlhubley]

Hmm, the perfect kit, for $1000. I'll just say, not impossible. To me, making my own kit would be more for fun and experience. By building your own kit, you will run into some problems that wouldn't occur with a "brand-name" kit. I could go into more detail, but that wasn't really the question.

 

As for Keller shells. I personally just think of them as generic maple shells. Decent quality, decent sound. If you're committed to doing this, here is what I suggest.

 

Order the shells RAW, no edges(although having the holes drilled might be nice, it could go either way depending on what lugs you plan on using). Take the raw shells and do the finish work first, but refrain from any high lacquer. Then, take the shells do a GOOD drum shop, and have them drill the holes and do the edges. After that, you can do the lacquer if you so desire. From here it should basically just be assembly.

 

BTW, I have toyed with the idea of making a kit as well. It just doesn't come out to be as cost effective, nor does it come with things such as warranty, ability to quickly replace parts, etc. BUT, if this is all ok with you, I am sure you will have a wonderful and rewarding experience. Let know how it comes out.

[DrummerCafe]

Originally posted by felix stein:

Kellers are just inconsistent from my experience and from talking to other drummers.

 

This is probably why DW goes through each one of their Keller shells, finds the pitch, and throw out all nasty sounding shells.

 

I just know that wood is NOT consistent. That's why it's a big deal to get drums made from the same tree or least the same aged tree. Some even want to be sure that they come from the same forest ... if the other criterias can not be met.

 

Look at how much sticks differ in weight and density. I can remember "rolling" the sticks and matching the weight before I bought them at a local store. Many companies now do this before they package them. Still, there's a lot of difference from pair to pair; each set is unique. http://baeproductions.net/images/emoticons/smilewinkgrin.gif

[djarrett]

Actually, DW now makes their own shells. They used to utilize Keller, but no more.

There was no control when buying from an outside vendor. Now DW gets to utilize the control in pitch matching the sets. This is also why they now can offer all kinds of inner and outer ply veneers. At the last Winter NAMM, they had Cedar kits, Pecan wood kits, and all kinds of exotics. It was very interesting.

 

For more info on Keller, ... Keller is actually a furniture manufacter. They specialize in round plyed furniture. Drum shells are a very small part of their business.(and I think, ... more of an annoyance for them!)

 

When at the helm of Mapex (US Maple Project) and Slingerland, I had no problems with Keller. Now, there were those stickler that worked as the factory floor craftsmen that would complain about tolerances for ply gaps, etc., but by and large kellers are killer! Another shell company that little is know about by the general public is Jasper. This is who Gretsch utilizes for their shells. Jasper uses a Maple/Gum/Maple configuration. The gum has an absorbant quality thus adding to that Great Gretsch "ballsy" Sound.

 

Before tackling the task of set building, I would consider the investment carefully. This is not an HGTV weekend do-it-yourselfer project. There are many exacting standards and tolerances that need to be met. Even great drum builders miss these on occassion. I would find a reputable drum builder and pay him and ask if you can participate in the process. This would insure a safer result.

 

Hope this helps.

DJ

[td-devi]

dj is right. crafting drums is not as easy as it may seem. if you want to do it for the challenge and experience, that's great. but my experience has shown that you will not get a superior product. i'm not even sure it will be cost effective in the long run. but that's just me. i might be totally wrong.