When I was about 11, our household cat urinated in my Lego. An unwillingness to deal with the problem at hand meant any mechanically minded aspirations I harboured were left to marinate in a golden, saline solution for quite some time.

Some years on, I’ve always been envious of those with any sort of skilled trade. Carpentry, metalwork, mechanics; to me, the skills needed to indulge in such professions remain about as elusive as a winning lottery ticket.

In terms of how the drum set is constructed, there is something most satisfying about looking at an object that a craftsman has put countless hours into, even if you posses absolutely no idea how it has been made. Today, it seems there are no shortage of exquisite drum related products out there. Occasionally, however, you see something that is extra special.

My awareness of Serenity Custom Drums, a manufacturer based in Eastbourne on the UK’s south coast, began after seeing some photographs of a snare drum into which a perfect replica of the DeLorean from Back To The Future had been woodburned. Naturally, this was eye-catching. It proved, however, to be the tip of the iceberg in terms of how and why they build drums. They use reclaimed woods which makes each and every item unique, internationally hand delivering their orders. We chatted to master craftsman Jon Hammond and director Dan O’Driscoll in an effort to understand what makes bespoke drum production unique.

Read the full article in Issue Seven >

Copyright © The Drummer’s Journal 2013

The proprietors and contributors to The Drummer’s Journal have asserted their right under the Copyright Designs and Patens Act 1988 to be identified as the owners and authors of this work.