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FAQ-2010-June 2021-The Original 1.5 Steel Series

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Do you manufacture your own shells?
Yes. Beier Drums is a manufacturer of drums-Not a builder/assembler/importer. Your drum starts with raw steel-To what you see and hear. I use very traditional methods & only hand tools to make & finish your drum. When I say I am making you a drum- I personally and truly am doing just that. My drums are some of the few metal drums that are still manufactured this way. The downfall to this is that they can take some time to complete. However-This is the only way to do it to me. I am always in production, and at least one size is almost always available at a Dealer. The maximum wait right now is 30 days, and usually it is less.

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Why did you decide to focus on bringing the 15" snare drum back to the industry?

I have always been fascinated by the sound of the early 20th century drums that were 15". They have a fullness to them which is a sound I have always loved, and diffiicult to find in smaller size drums. Somewhere around the mid-20th century, those drums got lost it seems. It was time to bring them back. Since I have started making them, 15" snare drums are popping up again. That is a great thing for players, music, and this business.

 

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What is the most difficult part of making your drums?

This is one of the most often asked questions here. For me, making the shells and cutting the snare beds would have to be the most difficult...Particularly the snare beds. My inspiration for mine are derived from vintage drums. They can take many hours to complete....And well...You have to get it right...You have one shot at it. Shell making can be very tricky as well...But is not nearly as time consuming. The smaller the shell, the more difficult it is to make.

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What was your main influence in developing and manufacturing the 1.5 Steel Series?

 Virtually 100% of my driving influence has always been, and will be, my independent thoughts. When something is not purely independent...I think it is imperative to note that. My edges and snare beds for instance were solely influenced from my admiration of vintage gear.  I would not be making a 5.5 x 12 if it wasn't for David Northrup, or a 7.5 x 12 because of Gary Keith Johnson. There are a lot of really good ideas out there, and more all of the time. My mindset has always been to respect that, but never ever duplicate that. Basically, I live in my own head when it comes to my drums, and have since Day 1. While it might sound odd, it is extremely rare for me to spend a lot of time, or even any time at all looking at other drums. Creating something is just that. That is something I think should be done in as purist a manner as possible. Despite the fact that it has become the norm in today's world, cloning products, sizes, ideas, & even phrasing/terminology...Is not a path to creativity. From the start of Beier Drums, my phrase "The Original" has been used, and the drums are truly Independent & Original creations. 

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I played one of your drums recently, and want to pick one up for myself in the 
same size. Will it sound like the one I played?
Absolutely. That was extremely important to me when designing these drums, 
and is foremost when I am making your shell. Producing drums with an 
identifiable sound was my #1 priority here. Visually, the drums are classic and 
beautiful. That is a great thing. But the majority of my interest is in the sound of 
them. I don't want drummers to see my drums, I want them to hear them. I get a 
lot of correspondence here, and I "hear" that all of the time. That always 
makes my day.

 

 

 

What type of heads do your drums ship with?

All 15" drums are shipping with the Evans G1/300. Remo heads on 15" drums are by request. All other drums ship with a Remo Ambassador/Hazy, or the Evans G1/300. If you have a special request...I can certainly put the head that you would like on the drum. I have worked with all types of heads a great deal, and it is interesting to hear from players why they use the heads that they do.

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Can I have a different strainer put on my drum?

Absolutely. All of the drums, with the exception of the 4 x 15, ship with the DW Mag. The other one that I work with and offer is the Trick GS007. It is excellent, reliable, and is one of the best pieces of hardware ever made.  The 4 x 15 drums ship with the Gibraltar Piccolo Strainer. Please do notify me beforehand if possible if you would like to add a different strainer. There is a $35.00 charge for this, the upcharge is at exact cost.

 

 

Do you take orders for custom sizes and colors?
Not at this time. I really don't offer custom sizes & colors, etc.., To refer you back to the above answer...My focus is on the sound of my drums. There are some incredible finishes out there, and an endless list of accessories on drums that are great. However, that just has never been of huge interest to me to go that route, and it also greatly increases the prices of drums in most instances. It is extremely important to me to keep the prices of my drums as reasonable as they are, and let the sound of the drums speak for themselves. 



Will you be manufacturing drums in any other metals?
Right now, there are no plans for that.  I see, and most importantly hear the 
attributes of other metals. But the sound I wanted to offer to the industry is in 
Steel. The drums I make have the sound I could not find with the countless 
number of drums that I played and bought. Many of them were excellent drums, 
but just did not have everything I was looking for. The 1.5 Steel Series does everything for me, and has been met with huge approval industry wide. Beier Drums is the only company ever to specialize in Steel only for their snare drums, and there is a musical reason for that. I decided from Day 1 to focus on the revitalization and popularity of Steel within this industry, and will always do so. New drums are coming out all of the time in Steel from manufacturers and importers, and that is a great thing for players everywhere. I do  appreciate all of the requests for different metals though.  



Do you make other drums besides snare drums or any accessories?
This is a question I get asked pretty frequently. A lot of the ideas/questions are really good, and I find them interesting. With the workload here though...I just simply do not have the time. My time and attention has to remain on the line of my current drums. If I know someone who is making the item(s) in question, or could make them for you...I would be most happy to refer you to them.



What kind of music are your drums designed for?
The drums are designed for all styles of music. The thicker shell, and straight  
bearing edge gives them extreme volume. They are not just designed just for 
volume though, and do not have to be utilized that way. They are extremely 
responsive to brushes, and are wonderful for light Jazz work.  They have an 
extremely wide tuning range, & have an incredible mid/bottom range-(See Audio 
page for samples). They are full of tone...And overtones.  I am very rooted in the 
design and sound of early period drums, especially from 1910-1960's. Those 
drums sounded huge, and full of life. Beier Drums was set up to bring that 
sound back to life, and bring back 15" snare drums in a big kind of way.

Will you have a Dealer in my area soon?
Retail sales for Beier Drums are handled exclusively through Dealers. 
Direct inquiries are handled here for full-time backline companies. Please refer to my Order page for details to contact an existing Dealer. I am running at my maximum production, and am not seeking additional Dealers at this time. My current Dealers are the best in this business, and they can easily,  have, and do ship my drums all over to customers. They also keep my drums in stock, so almost anything you are looking for can be found without waiting. If you would like me to check stock for you....I am happy to do so, and do all of the time.

Is it possible to demo one of your drums live?
If your going to be in town and your band is playing live...Let me know well in 
advance if possible. I am gone frequently, and would hate to miss your show! I 
would be happy to bring out a demo drum at  anytime.  Just contact me and 
let me know when you would like to come out. (Please do note that all sales 
have to be done through Dealers)



Are you looking for endorsers?
The interest is really appreciated...But I am not at this time.

When is the best time to contact you?
Anytime. I return all correspondence-Always. It would be great to hear from you. 
Call, email or text me anytime. See Contact page for all information. Your also more than welcome to stop by when your in town. This is a pretty tiny and crammed in operation...But it works flawlessly! Please do if possible give me notice. My schedule is full almost always. But I will also always-always make time for you, and will look forward to meeting you...