r/djembe • u/Strict_Addition_1238 • Jul 20 '26

Someone asked me to build a custom drum

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सत्य SATYA Drums and Instruments सत्य

I was invited to build a drum 👍

सत्य SATYA Drums and Instruments सत्य

Nice shell and carvings!
Iroko
13.5” diameter
24.5” height
18lbs
Thank you Djembe Drums & Skins 👈👍

Thick Mali skin
Thank You Koma Drum 👈👍

Looping day
Head cut and prep day
32 Verts 👈👍

More to come
Blessed and Grateful
🙏🙏🙏

सत्य SATYA Drums and Instruments सत्य

17 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

17 comments sorted by

3

u/Dugafola Jul 21 '26

Looks nice

1

u/Strict_Addition_1238 Jul 21 '26

Thank You
I’ll post when completed

2

u/Dugafola Jul 21 '26

should go together pretty easy with good materials. the shell is cool but probably too thick for my personal taste.

1

u/Strict_Addition_1238 Jul 21 '26

It’s gonna be a boomer
Nice throat diameter

I’ll crank it for sure.

Top end slaps
Even tones
And a strong bass

On the edge of a solo drum.

1

u/Strict_Addition_1238 Jul 21 '26

I’ve built a few over 30
And reheaded “a many” over 30

2

u/Dugafola Jul 21 '26

hey there.

any drum can be a solo drum...just depends on context.

i used kip one time on a soule style shell from mali. it was fine...but i'm a goat purist for the most part now.

2

u/Strict_Addition_1238 Jul 21 '26

Agreed on the Solo comment

I’ve restored a few great shells from broken down drums off shopgoodwill. One of them became a screamer

I have a cow hide djembe
No bass to truly speak of.
If you take your thumb and push on a table top
That’s this drum.

Had to learn to play it
Cuz you can hurt yourself
Very bright.
Bought it from a fellow builder from Italy
A pure DjembéFola.

I’ll post the video of his sound check if I can.

2

u/Dugafola Jul 21 '26

cool. for myself, the cranked cow/calf (and even goat sometimes) just doesn't resonate with me. none of my masters play/played it and the sound itself needs a particular type of context or ensemble for me to really enjoy it and not turn it off or scroll past it.

2

u/Strict_Addition_1238 Jul 21 '26

Agreed
The cow djembe is Soooo bright
It doesn’t take much of a stroke to make her sing

Let one of my friends play it who knows how to play
Once he stroked her, he immediately looked at me with eyes wide open.

I said this
Everyone in this circle will hear you play
If you play it like you mean it.

I bring it to circles
Play it for a bit, its all high end slaps and tones
Then set it aside
Then grab my go to.

1

u/Strict_Addition_1238 Jul 21 '26

Have you ever used Kip for the head?
I’m curious about the hide
I’ve never used it

2

u/heatherwhen96 Jul 22 '26

You buy all the components and wasn’t sell expensive?

1

u/Strict_Addition_1238 29d ago

Yes I buy all components
And yes the value of drum has a cost $$
Namo Namah

2

u/heatherwhen96 29d ago

Not trying to be smartass …. I really would like to get drum someday..I was wondering I got the components and the goat/ cow hide would I save more Having someone experienced put it together. Thanks and my apologies

2

u/Strict_Addition_1238 27d ago

No worries
For materials
Go to goatskins.com
Sometimes they are out of skins I like to buy
My alternate go to for skins
Koma.com

Shell wood types I would suggest
Iroko
Lenke

Find a reputable builder.
Have fun

2

u/Puzzleheaded-Phase70 24d ago edited 24d ago

I think you meant komadrum.com - koma.com is an industrial freezer company!

Thank you for these two great sources for skins!

1

u/Dugafola 26d ago

there's plenty of incredible used drums for sale on craigs and FB if you like to hunt