FAQ
- AK Drums
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AK Drums is a one-man operation.
All of the instruments' components are manufactured in-house:- drum shells
- hoops
- throw-offs & butt plates
- lugs
- tension rods
- snare wires
- drum keys & other accessory (w-w-s snares adapters, drum head calipers, flesh hoops,...)
- custom hand engraving
- natural drum heads (calf & goat) in all possible sizes (tucked on brass flesh hoops)
- delivery time
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Delivery time always depends on the current order situation.
All orders are processed in chronological order.- custom drums: current average delivery time (as of April 2024) is 20 months from order placement.
- accessories: are in stock and ready for shipping (unless otherwise noted in the item description)
Price lists with additional information: LINK
Contact for inquiries / detailed quotes: info@ak-drums.com - quote requests & order placements
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If you'd like to get a detailed quote (no obligation to place an order!), please send me an email including the following info:
- model type (orchestra or drum set snare drum)
- shell size and material
- hardware type (lugs, hoops, throw-off,...)
- number of lugs
- hardware and shell finish
- additional requests (engraving, ecc..)
- shipping destination country (for calculating the shipping costs)
order placement:
- 15% deposit to get on the orders list.
(deposit is considered as security for order confirmation and will be retained in case of cancellation)
- balance payment - prior to shipment of the finished instrument / or in case of custom engraving, before the execution of the same (it's one of the last steps of production).
payment options:
- PayPal
- bank transfer - 2-piece shells
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2-piece shell construction (brass+brass / copper+copper / copper+brass):
These shells consist of two halves (top- + bottom portion) that are overlapped at the center and connected permanently by a rolled in reinforcement bead over/around that joint.
In addition, the two halves are soldered (soft solder/tin) at that bead around the inside of the shell.
This strengthens the joint to a maximum and it prevents any kind of distortion.Material thickness suitable for 2-piece shell construction:
brass: 0.7mm
copper: 0.8mmsound:
2-piece shell drums sound a tad louder and more focussed due to the additional weight (double thickness around the center bead).
Sustain is a bit shorter (additional soft solder around the center bead).BUT it's all quite relative when a drum is assembled, with all the hardware mounted and the heads installed.
The difference to a similar drum with a 1-piece shell remains quite subtle.
Drums with both shell types definitely belong to the same sound family!
sample: 2-piece shell (copper/brass)
top half overlapping the bottom... permanently joined with the center bead - engraving
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All the engraving work is done strictly by hand, using the traditional "wriggle" method.
This engraving technique is the essential of musical instruments (brass wind, metal shell drums,..) engraving since the late 1800. It is featured on many of the classical vintage engraved snare drums (Slingerland Black Beauties / Lud&Lud Triumphals & DeLuxes / Leedy Black Elites / Conn Victor models,...).
some sample photos of my engraving:
class. scrolls on GunMetal finished brass shell
matt/polished "wild rose" pattern + waves hoop pattern / 24K gold plated
"triumphal scrolls" + roses on brushed patina finished copper shell / oil sealed
matt/polished triumphal engraving - silver plated brass shell
"triumphal scrolls" on class. GunMetal finished brass shell
"triumphal scrolls" on blue tint brushed patina finished brass shell
"two-tone" feathers engraving on brushed patina finished / oil sealed CoBra shell
matt/polished Art Déco engraving - 24K gold plated
"two-tone" finished engraving on brushed patina/oil sealed brass shell - plating options
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- 24K Gold (matt or polished)
- Nickel (matt or polished)
- Chrome
- Copper
- Vintage ArtGold / Nobby Gold
- "Brushed Patina" finish
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"brushed patina" is a simple, raw finish (artificial patina / hand brushed) that's oiled as a final step.Oiling only slows down the natural patina development process, but does not prevent it!Appearing fingerprints for example are the typical tarnish/patina where the shell has been touched with bare hands at one point.Natural patina keeps always developing, depending on how the instrument is treated (touching with perspiring hands, drops of spilled drinks,…) as well as on the environmental conditions (air moisture, salty sea air, acidic liquids, etc... ).While first fingerprints may appear shocking at first to some… the shells will generally darken over the years, showing a nice patina (and with it, the drums’ real life and live experience!)
- transport and snare wires
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snare wires:
ALWAYS leave the throw-offs in the "ON"/engaged position when transporting your drum.
This prevents snare wires damage… they're made to last for a lifetime!
transportation:
When carrying bigger sized drums in the soft, padded and reinforced cases, make sure to not apply full weight force to the side of the drums, as long tube lugs might get bent.
- periodical lubrication of moving parts (throw-offs) and tension rods
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DO it!!Most issues with old strainers and threaded parts that came through my hands when restoring vintage drums came from insufficient maintenance over all the years the instruments were in use.
- AK Drums cleaning
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Do never agressively clean brushed patina finished shells or hardware, as you could damage the natural finish.plated Hardware (same goes for plated shells / engraved- or non-engraved):
wiping off the fingerprints or dust gently with a soft cotton cloth should do it to preserve a shiny finish!In order to avoid finish damage: never use any kind of abrasive cleaner or steel wool to clean shells or hardware parts! - informal videos
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link to video page
- vintage restoration service / reproduction parts
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I’m sorry, but I don’t offer restoration service and reproduction parts for vintage drums anymore.