New SilverFox Signature Drumstick
October 5, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Cristiano Micalizzi, the Italian stallion of soul funk grooves, has snagged himself a signature drumstick from SilverFox. Cleverly called the “CM” model, the stick is crafted from select hickory dowels born in the USA. It’s 16″ long with a diameter of .585″, and the round ball tip measures .410″ in diameter. A short taper gives the stick added bulk in the neck area, which results in an extremely fast rebound and a well-balanced center of gravity. Like all SilverFox drumsticks, the CM model is strengthened with a proprietary finish that, according to the press release, “not only feels great in a drummer’s hands, but greatly extends the usable life of all SilverFox sticks.” No pricing info is available yet…but how much is it worth to you to sound exactly like Micalizzi?
Sabian’s APX “Show No Mercy” Tour
October 4, 2008 | Leave a Comment
In support of Sabian’s APX series of high-decibel cymbals, drummers Ray Luzier of Korn, Chris Pennie of Coheed and Cambria, and Seven Antonopoulos of Opiate for the Masses are going to hit the road for a mini-tour of the United States. The drummers will be demonstrating how the APX cymbals are designed to cut through hard rock and heavy metal music (i.e., you might be needing some ear plugs for this one). Scheduled stops include the following cities:
- Percussive Arts Society International Convention in Austin, Texas – Nov. 8
- Skip’s Music in Sacramento, Calif. – Nov. 9
- Milano Music in Mesa, Ariz. – Nov. 10
- Drum Pad in Palatine, Ill. – Nov. 11
- Fork’s Drum Closet in Nashville, Tenn. – Nov. 12
- Paradiddles in Spartanburg, S.C. – Nov. 13
- Sam Ash in New York, N.Y. – Nov. 14
For more info, be sure to check out the “Show No Mercy” tour page. It includes a handful of APX-related goodies.
Tama’s Soul Toul Snare Drum
October 3, 2008 | Leave a Comment
If you’re anything like us provincial, ignorant bastards, you didn’t know what a soul toul was either. Turns out it was neither a “tool” for extracting soul nor a “toll” for purchasing it. Nope, Soul Toul is a dude, a shredding drummer dude from Japan, and he just got a signature snare from Tama. His 14″ x 5.5″ drum features a 1.0mm steel shell that has a custom bearing edge “lined with a special compound that facilitates the drum’s warm yet extraordinarily precise and articulate response.” What the hell that special compound is we have no idea…but the shell itself, dressed in a black nickel plate, looks very fine. You can snag Toul’s drum for an MSRP of $399.99.
[via Harmony Central]
Alesis Is Giving Away Awesome Stuff…
October 2, 2008 | Leave a Comment
And all you have to do to win is sign up for the Alesis newsletter. The October issue is about to drop, and we’re told it’s almost exclusively for drummers. Don’t thump around the bush with this, because one lucky-ass subscriber will win an iMultiMix 8 USB. Read all about the prize here…or better yet just give it a quick eye-humping below.
Akai Professional’s XR20 Beat Production Station
October 2, 2008 | 2 Comments
It might not be as orgasmic as playing real drums, but making beats on a drum machine is still a shitload of fun. With Akai’s new XR20, you can even take the shitload of fun on the road. It’s billed as a “portable beat production station” loaded with 700 sounds geared toward R&B and hip-hop beats. Other key features of the XR20 include:
- 99 preset patterns and 99 user patterns
- Backlit LCD
- Bright, glowing, backlit pads that follow the beat
- Microphone input and headphone output
- Pattern Play Mode (different patterns can be triggered from individual pads)
- Drum Roll/Note Repeat feature
- $499 MSRP
Protection Racket’s Drum Mat Bag
September 30, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Hmmm….What do you get for the drummer who already has everything? Maybe Protection Racket’s new Drum Mat Bag. From the press release:
Ask any drummer, “what is the first thing you do when setting up”, and they will tell you, “put down my drum mat”. The drum mat, the unsung hero of any drummers set up, like any piece of equipment, needs to be protected from the elements, easy to carry and store, quickly identified and secure when packed up.
The new Protection Racket Drum Mat Bag is 100% waterproof, super lightweight and comes with a draw string entry, keeping your mat secure and tightly rolled when packed away. The central carry handle makes it easy to move about, in comparison to the more usual “under the arm” carry job!
Made of tough abrasion resistant nylon, the Protection Racket Drum Mat Bag includes a clear white panel for name and contact details. It comes in two sizes, Single Bass (2m x 1.6m) at an unbelievable £12.99 [$26] RRP and Double bass version (2.75m x 1.6m) at an incredible £13.99 [$28] RRP.
RealFeel Bass Drum Practice Pad
September 29, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Looking out for all of us drummers-on-the-go (not to mention all of us drummers-living-in-small-apartment-buildings), HQ Percussion has unveiled the RealFeel Bass Drum Practice Pad. It’s designed to work with both single and double pedals, and it can fold flat to fit in any travel bag or even a backpack. The foam rubber beater pad was selected for its resistance to wear, soft and unobtrusive sound, and its realistic rebound that will allow drummers to practice foot technique without compromising the feel they’d obtain from a real drum. Hell yeah! It retails for $79.99.
New Drum Bags From Kaces
September 24, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Need some protection for your drums but can’t afford heavy-duty pro cases? Kaces has unveiled a 4-piece set of drum bags that cost a totally reasonable $169.95. Available in three common configurations (two fusion, one standard), these new gig bags are made with a durable nylon exterior, are double-stitched and reinforced at all the stress points for long life on the road, and feature tough luggage-grade zippers and extra long handles for easy transport. A snare bag in one of seven options is also available for $43.95.
Alesis Ships DM5 Pro With Surge Cymbals
September 8, 2008 | Leave a Comment
We wrote about Alesis’s new Surge cymbals way back in March, and now it looks they’re finally shipping….with a DM5 Pro no less. Or maybe it’s the other way around….
Whatever the case, Alesis’s flagship electronic kit comes outfitted with the venerable DM5 sound module, which features more than 500 studio-grade sounds and 21 programmable drum sets recorded at 48kHz in stereo with ambient effects. 800 bucks also gets you a dual-zone snare pad, three tom pads, and a kick pad with 8″ mylar, tension-adjustable drumheads and 2.3mm triple-flanged counterhoops. Surge cymbals are made of brass cymbal alloy and feature built-in triggers; a 12″ hi-hat, 13″ crash, and a 16″ dual-zone ride are included. Pretty damn sweet.
New Finish in Taye’s RockPro Series
September 4, 2008 | Leave a Comment
The drums that started it all for Taye now come outfitted in a new Brushed Copper finish…but they don’t just look hot. RockPros feature premium birch-basswood shells and are available in a wide range of configurations that won’t bust your bank account. A 5-piece kit with hardware starts at an MSRP of $1,249.
