DW

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At Drum Workshop, The Drummer’s Choice® is more than a slogan, it’s a fact. After more than thirty years of innovation and tireless dedication to improving the way drum products are made, DW drums, pedals and hardware are the standard by which all others are measured. To get here, it takes more than a working knowledge of the instrument or a few good ideas; it takes a true passion for designing and manufacturing the very best.

All DW drums are custom ordered, with an infinite choice in series, shell types and colours and with the ever changing exchange rate (Between the British Pound and US Dollar), it is impossible to list prices for drums.  Any kits we have in stock will be shown below.

The DW Family

DW Collectors

DW's flagship line of Custom Drums in North American Hard Rock Maple or Select Heartwood Birch, Collector’s Series is the original American Made custom drum set. Choose from a myriad of state-of-the art California Custom Shop shell configurations and a seemingly endless array of high-end finishes and drum hardware color options to create your very own dream set-up.

Shells - All Maple or All Birch

SSC stands for Specialized Shell Configuration. It's the culmination of more than a decade of DW Custom Shop shell technology and represents the state-of-the-art in sonic customization. So what is SSC? Put simply, it's DW's recommended shell configuration that utilizes X, VLT and VLX shell technologies. Of course, you can custom order a custom DW kit anyway you want it, but we've simplified the process by optimizing a particular type of shell for each drum size. Ask for anSSC Collectors Series kit and one will be factory configured especially for you.

Maple shells with reinforcing hoops have a longer, slower sustain ratio while birch shells without reinforcing hoops have a shorter and faster sustain. Maple produces a warmer, lower fundamental tone than birch. The outer face, or veneer, has very little influence on sound. The core plies and inner ply have the most influence and significant influence on sound, respectively.

VLT™ (Vertical Low Timbre)

In experimenting with different exotic woods as alternate shell making materials, DW's Custom Shell Shop discovered that in addition to the different tonal qualities inherent in every unique type of wood, slight alterations in the shell's construction can also greatly influence sound. Some of the woods sampled possessed a vertical grain pattern that when tested, dramatically lowered the pitch of the shell. Thus, VLT (Vertical Low Timbre) was born. For those players who prefer a lower overall tone while still maintaining maximum resonance and attack, VLT can be ordered as an option on all Collector's Series Maple Drums.

VLT consists of arranging the grain pattern of the plies in the shell so the outermost and innermost plies run vertically, and not the traditional horizontal. The vertical grain places less tension on the shell, allowing it to vibrate more freely, resulting in the lowered fundamental pitch.

BUILT-IN-BOTTOM™

So, what's the difference between VLT and Built-In Bottom? In a nutshell, the optional VLT feature utilizes vertical plies on the inside and outside of the shell, while Built-In Bottom only has vertical plies inside the shell. It provides a more low-end response. While optional on all Collector's Series drums, Built-In Bottom comes standard on Collector's Series bass drums and tom-toms 14" and greater to add the desired low end for these size shells(14"-24").

X-SHELLS™

Making drums sound better, at DW it’s what we do best. So what exactly is X Shell technology and how does it work? It all started with our foray into VLT™, or Vertical Low Timbre Technology. We found that in experimenting with alternate ways to cross-laminate a shell, the tension on the shell could be greatly decreased if the majority of plies were run vertically, rather than horizontally. Just like a guitar string, the tighter it gets, the higher in pitch it goes.

Shells must be cross-laminated for strength, so the idea of designing a completely vertical shell to achieve optimal low frequencies was never an option. Until now. Enter X Shells. The concept was derived from our popular line of VGE (Vertical Grain Exotics). Sure, we had been laminating veneer in a diagonal orientation for a while, but had never considered the sonic benefits until Master Drum Designer John Good proposed it, “If we can mimic the effect of a complete VLT shell, we’ll have created the lowest sounding drum ever.” The first prototype was made and the result was a home run. Exactly what Mr. Good had anticipated, big, full sounding drums with a huge fundamental, and all of the warmth, resonance and attack that Collector’s Series drums are known for. X Shells are crafted from hand-selected North American Hard Rock Maple in an 8-ply configuration with a 3-ply finger-jointed reinforcement hoop. The shells can be custom ordered in any Collector’s Series size, finish, drum hardware color or factory option. It’s a giant leap forward in shell technology and everyone wins!

DW Classics

Designed to authentically replicate the drums of the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s, DW Classics Series drums feature a Poplar/Mahogany shell with oversized all-maple reinforcement hoops and a soft “butter” bearing edge for a dark, punchy tone. Our goal with Classics was to craft a road-worthy kit with all of today’s professional features, but one that still satisfies even the most diehard vintage fanatics.

Shells - Poplar/Mahogany

In our current music scene, one of today’s most popular buzzwords seems to be “vintage.” Everyone seems to wants to capture the nostalgic tones and sounds of the mid-20th century. For drummers, finding a used set of drums that stood the test of time can be a challenge. DW Classics offers a solution that may be even better than the real thing. With a specially-configured Poplar-Mahogany shell with 10-ply Maple reinforcement hoops and a newly-designed “butter” bearing edge, DW Classics provide players with a true vintage sound in a modern custom-drum package. Offered in any Collector’s Series FinishPly and customizable with factory-installed options such as retro bass drum T-rods, 7771 bass drum-mounted cymbal arm and 770 rail mount, DW Classics give players a true authentic American drum sound.

DW Jazz Series

A specialized special shell formula comprised of North American Hard Rock Maple and Gum wood creates a decidedly warmer tone that is perfect for higher tunings that Jazz demands, yet versatile enough for any recording or touring situation. The definitive drum sound of the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s, made-to-order in any California Custom Shop finish.

Shells - Maple/Gum

The DW Custom Shell Shop in Oxnard, California, is a state-of-the-art shell-making facility. There, DW Jazz Drum shells were born. The idea was to design a shell that offered different tonal possibilities than our Collector’s Series® or Classics Series® shells – something that was dark and warm, but still offered plenty of clarity and attack. Put simply, a shell that would sing. After much experimentation, a thin 8-ply shell with a gum wood core was born. It was no coincidence that this was the exact shell that had been so popular decades earlier.

DW Master Drum Designer John Good then focused his efforts on the bearing edge. This was going to be an edge that lended itself to high tuning without being choked, an edge that provided a wide tuning range while remaining noticeably resonant despite the muffling quality of die-cast counter hoops. You guessed it: The Jazz Series “Butter Edge” was born. John GoodFinally, unlike Collector’s Series and Classics shells, Jazz Series shells have no reinforcement hoops. This creates a less focused sound, but one that helps the instrument resonate as a whole, the way Jazz drums should.

Let’s face it: There’s nothing more critical to drum construction than the shell itself. It’s the very foundation of any drum design. With DW Jazz Series shells it’s all there – innovation, quality and attention to detail. So why consider anything else?

Sure, DW Jazz Series drums are perfect for Jazz, but they’re also exceptional for just about every other style of music that demands a warm, organic tone with plenty of earthy nuance. The fact is, the very same maple-gum shell configuration that was prized in the late ‘60s, ‘70s and early ‘80s for its inherent sound qualities in the studio is the same thing that makes these drums great for rock, pop, fusion or just about any other style of music you play.

The reason for such versatility is due in part to a wide, drummer-friendly tuning range. It’s easy to go from higher Bebop-style tunings that are also great for funk or hip-hop to low, beefy rock tunings that satisfy sparse singer/songwriter tracks or alternative collage radio-esque songs. Just like all DW Collector’s Series kits, these shells are also Timbre Matched® for optimal tuning compatibility.

Best of all, with the latest trends in ambient miking, you’ll hear every note because DW Jazz Drums are dry and sensitive. The combination of a slightly rounder bearing edge, die-cast counter hoops, STM (Suspension Tom Mounts) and coated DW heads give these drums just the right amount of clarity, attack and body.

So even though their namesake would suggest otherwise, don’t consider these drums a onetrick pony; they’re everything you love about your favorite studio kit and so much more. DW Jazz Drums® provide drummers with yet another authentic sound; one that completes the history of American drum making.

DW Eco-X Project

An environmentally friendly Bamboo/Birch shell that’s crafted utilizing our latest X-Shell Technology to provide an exceptionally wide tonal spectrum. Eco-X Project offers drummers a green alternative that doesn’t sacrifice sound or quality.

Shells - Bamboo/Birch

Bamboo never sounded so good. Actually, it’s bamboo and birch that make up these eco-friendly shells. These two sustainable resources, combined with DW’s sonically-innovative X shell technology and a host of professional, drummer-friendly features, put the all-new Eco-X Project in a class by itself. Now it’s easy to go green and sound good doing it. The Eco-X Project, Environmentally sound.

Eco-X Toms feature 8-ply construction, while the Snares and Bass Drums feature 10-plys.

Please email or call us with your specifiactions for a quote.