Originally Posted by
jazz
Artisan Percussion, as its name implies, is a one-man operation. In this case, the man is Greg Blake, who turns Vaughncraft shells into elegant drums whose simple symmetry and beauty are refreshingly subdued, right down to the classic, tarnished-brass, antique coin-like badge proclaiming the drums’ origin in the USA (Loomis, California, to be exact). Blake, like most of his contemporaries on this list, favors the single-ply shell over the multi-ply for its ability to vibrate more freely, offering more articulation and a purer tone. He also shares with many other drum makers in this article the distinction of using Vaughncraft shells. Vaughncraft, a Kansas-based company that has been bending wood for tambourines since the early ’70s, added snare drum shells to its repertoire in 2003, followed by complete drum set shells last year. Vaughncraft owner John Rose says the company has crafted such shells from more than 60 species of wood, including many varieties of exotics.
