Prestons Top Tip No.1

The Drum Shell- choosing the right sound for you

The foundation of any drum building project is largely determined by what shell you choose. The shape, diameter, and depth of the shell will all influence the sound, therefore the sound you want for your drum will be defined by the shell you choose.

Things to consider are:

1. The smaller the diameter of the shell, the higher the pitch, fewer overtones, and less sustain.
2. The deeper the shell the lower fundamental pitch, more lower frequencies, more volume and increased projection.
3. A thicker shell has less sustain, and less volume.
4. The thinner the shell the more sustain, more volume and more overtones. Hence many thinner shelled drums require dampening for controlling some of those over tones,

Tiki Drums is a Keller drum shell supplier, we stock 6,8 and 10 ply shells which we can cut down to your specific requirements to create the sound you want.

For advice on achieving a specific sound please email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or click here to see the range of shells we stock. And if you can't find what you are looking for please contact us, we will do our best to get it in for you.

Top Tip No.2

Achieving an even wax coat on your shell

Sometimes when you are staining your shell with a wax stain you will find that it can go on blotchy and uneven on application.

To even out this blotchiness try applying a small amount of white spirit to a cloth and drag it gently over your drum shell with even strokes, you will find that the colour will even out beautifully across the shell and create a uniform finish.