Stauffer Custom Drums & Percussion » Unique Builds

Cocktail kit, or bop kit, or both?

Dennis — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 21:33:47 +0000

This unique setup takes the nesting option and pushes it one step further than we’ve gone before. A dual latch system on the cocktail drum allows it to be used as a 16″x24″ upright cocktail drum or as a 16″x14″ bop bass drum. The addition of a 13″ floor tom compliments the standard 10″x8″ rack tom perfectly, for a great bop or cocktail combo. A wide variety of ratcheting clamps, l-rods, and cymbal arms make the setup possibilities as wild as your imagination. Something this cool deserves some attention, and the bright Tangerine Glass Glitter finish definitely stands out. Check it:

Distressed Acid-Etched Copper on a 14″x7″ Phattie Snare

Dennis — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 20:06:05 +0000

The latest addition to the Copper Collection is this dark “Distressed Acid Etched” finish. Featuring black undertones with shiny streaks of copper between them, it has a much more earthy and dark look than the Blue-Etched and Drip-Etched finishes. Featuring a 10-ply maple shell in our popular 14″x7″ size, this Phattie snare sounds as good as it looks. Black plated hardware, a Trick GS007 strainer, Puresound wires and solid-brass tube lugs make for a stunning package. Check it out:

Nesting drum set with inlaid wood hoops

Dennis — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 13:25:56 +0000

Nesting kits are great for the drummer on the move. Easy to pack and port around, each nesting kit we build can be transported in a single case. This Phattie nesting kit features a 10″x8″ rack tom, 14″x11″ nesting floor tom, 18″x20″ nesting bass drum and a matching 14″x5″ snare. Each drum includes a soft case that slides smoothly inside the next drum. 10″ fits smoothly into the 14″ floor tom, and the floor tom and snare both fit cleanly inside the 18″ bass. Beautiful inlaid wood hoops and a modern mahogany satin lacquer prove that nesting kits don’t have to be just utilitarian, they can be beautiful as well. Check it out:

Phattie setup with silver leaf inlays over a deep purple burst…

Dennis — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 11:38:53 +0000

October has featured a number of beautiful kits, and I’m happy to send out the month on a very high note! This unique set of Phattie Drums features a deep purple stain with a Kandy black burst topped in a high gloss lacquer. Under the beautiful clear coat is a 1/4″ silver leaf inlay that compliments the chrome hardware perfectly. The sizes include 10″x8″, 12″x9″, and 14″x10″ rack toms, 16″x14″ floor tom, 22″x18″ bass and a matching 14″x6.5″ snare. Custom touches include chrome Pearl Optimounts, 1/4″ silver leaf inlay, diecast hoops on the snare and tear-drop style lugs all around. Check it out:

Black Label set with a Birds Eye Maple veneer and Paua Abalone inlay

Dennis — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 12:05:59 +0000

Today’s kit combines a beautiful birds eye maple veneer, deep golden amber stain, and a 1/2″ Paua Abalone inlay all buried under a high gloss lacquer. The sizes include 10″x7″ and 12″x7″ rack toms, a 14″x12″ floor tom, and 20″X14″ bass drum. Custom touches include DW brackets, a double tom holder mounted on the bass drum, and die cast hoops. This one turned out to be quite a head turner, check it out:

Steam Bent 14″x7″ Maple Snare Drum, Paua Abalone Inlays

Dennis — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 11:05:28 +0000

Another drum that doubles as a beautiful work of art has rolled out of the shop! This 14″x7″ snare drum sounds every bit as good as it looks, featuring a 1-ply maple shell with 1-ply reinforcement rings that support a wide bearing edge with a full round over. 1-Ply steam bent hoops are the perfect upgrade and give the drum a nice fat sound and a timeless look. Custom touches include 1/4″ Paua Abalone inlays in the center of the shell and both wood hoops, brushed-satin finished hardware and matching stainless steel fasteners all around. A Dunnett R4 strainer with quick-release, Evans heads, and Puresound wires complete this package. Check it out:

Bubinga Stave Phattie with Abalone Inlays

Dennis — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 13:08:14 +0000

One of the more unique builds I’ve completed recently, this stave-style Bubinga kit delivers equally in sonic and visual beauty. Made from 100% Bubinga for a solid & pure tone, the toms are lathed to 3/8″ thick while the bass and snare drum are 1/2″ thick. The finish features a Paua Abalone inlay accented by an airbrushed burst from the center of the abalone and the top and bottom of each shell. Black hardware and stainless steel fasteners complete this setup. You can see a step-by-step gallery of this build on our facebook page by clicking here. Below are a few of the completed photos, check’em out:

Top Hat & Cane

Dennis — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 11:25:07 +0000

Today I’m keeping it old school with this special kit that has some awesome vintage details on it. This is the first kit to wear the new Steam Bent 1-Ply Shell round badge, and the first drums ever to feature the rare Ludwig Top Hat & Cane pattern accurately reproduced on Pre-Aged Marine Pearl. The results are nothing short of amazing, as we combined the best hardware and components the past has to offer with the best shells and craftsmanship available in the present. A few of the vintage highlights include the Ludwig Top Hat & Cane custom reproduced wrap, Rogers Swiv-o-Matic Tom & Cymbal Mounts, Slingerland Radio King style lugs, Stick Saver hoops, and a matching canister throne. A few of the modern highlights include steam bent 1-ply maple shells, Dunnett R4 strainers and Puresound wires on both snares, modern style Gull-Wing spurs, clam shell leg brackets and clam shell bass drum claws that match the classic Radio King profile. There are many more small details, but lets get to the photos as those are much more fun:

The sizes include a 13″x10″ rack tom, two 16″x16″ floor toms (Buddy Rich style), a 24″x16″ bass drum, a 14″x6.5″ snare with radio king lugs, and a 14″x5″ snare with tube lugs and solid-brass single flanged hoops, and a matching canister throne. Special thanks to www.Drummaker.com for supplying original scans and samples of the Top Hat & Cane pattern and using the unique Color Wrap process to get the pattern printed over the aged pearl, and the Grey Eagle for providing the perfect old-school listening room to take these photos.

Solid Maple Black Label with Abalone Inlay

Dennis — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 11:05:06 +0000

This is one of the classiest kits I’ve been given the opportunity to build recently, and I couldn’t be more excited about how it looks and sounds! The foundation started with Vaughncraft single-ply steam bent maple shells. Then a 1/4″ strip of real abalone shell was inlaid around the center of each shell and then coated in a satin-lacquer finish. Classic Radio King style hardware was used all around, but with a twist: All the hardware on this kit was hand finished to a vintage brushed-nickel style feel to compliment the satin finish and vintage vibe. The final sizes included a 13″ rack tom w/alloy RIMS mount, 16″ floor tom with alloy RIMS cradle, and a 26″ bass with heavy duty spurs. While I could wax eloquent for paragraphs about it, lets skip to some photos:

Hybrid Accessories

Dennis — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 14:04:19 +0000

In case you missed it, check out this beautiful Red Glass Glitter & Clear Hybrid Kit, then check out these cool accessories crafted to match. The stick holder is 6″ in diameter and is fully wrapped, even on the bottom, to match the kit. The laptop tray features 1/4″ heavy duty acrylic with a recessed tom bracket for mounting, and a glass glitter wrapped edge tapped and bolted into the acrylic to keep things from sliding around. Adding these accessories is another cool example of “if you can think it up, we can make it look good”. Dig it: