Building A Set Of Concert Toms (Recycling a $25 Drum Kit)

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00:09 Background
00:58 Builing The Concert Toms
09:26 Sound Demo
13:14 Final Thoughts
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The backing tracks used in these videos are from Tim Baltes Drumless Tracks collection available here: slouxrecording...
GEAR:
20" x 16" Gretsch Renown Kick
14" x 14" Gretsch Renown Floor tom
14" x 6.5" Drum Supply House Black Beauty Snare
8", 10" 12", 13" Homemade Concert Toms
14" Bosphorus Hammer Hi Hats
17" Bosphorus Gold Crash
sE Electronics V Kick (Bass)
Sennheiser e604 (Top Three Toms)
Shure SM57 (Lowest two toms, and Snare)
Shure KSM32 (OH)
#DIYDrums #ConcertToms #DrumBuilding

[@Pure_KodiakWILD_Power]

Love concert toms, and I did this to a 12 and 13 on the kit so I could make them level with the snare(s) and floor toms. Now that I've found out there might be somebody local who makes larger rototoms, though.... 🤯🤯🤣

[@malonedrum]

I'd be interested to see somebody making roto toms. Document it!

[@crazy8sdrums]

Nice project! Something you can do with a junked bass drum is to cut it down similarly to how you did these tom toms, and make a subwoofer out of it. Having two heads on a bass drum subwoofer is not necessary. It does work (ive done it) and it looks cool.

[@malonedrum]

I actually already used up the bass drum and turned it into a dog bed. You can watch that video here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qKPJlmqkbrajiZI

[@tommalsman4185]

Add the 14”, you won’t be sorry, because “more drums equal more fun!”

[@malonedrum]

Totally!

[@arodgoogle6327]

Love your channel and the work you do on drums. Keep up the great work!

[@malonedrum]

Thanks

[@dye182]

Mike this is awesome I’ve also been getting into smaller concert Tom’s. Taylor Hawkins style

[@malonedrum]

Yeah, it's a fun change of pace for sure! Not sure if I'll hang on to these or not, but for now I've had fun with them.

[@dye182]

@@malonedrum I would atleast hang on to the small ones it could be cool with your gretsch set up

[@Timbales1979]

14!!! ...and PLEASE put some Pinstripes on these. Great job.

[@malonedrum]

I think my biggest reason for not using better heads is I don't feel like spending that much money on a whole new set of heads, but if you send me 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 16 I'll throw them on there!

[@oncameramastery]

Ha, just been thinking of doing somthing like this myself! I'm thinking of trying to half each shell to make a really tiny mesh headed practice kit, and use the other half of each shell to make a matching proper head kit!

[@malonedrum]

Do it! But I'll warn you, if you use the mesh heads it will almost completely silent, part of what makes those mesh heads sound right and have some tone is the bottom head still vibrating. I tried it, and it was way to quiet to use with my L80 cymbals.

[@oncameramastery]

@@malonedrum ah, yeah, I had heard that about the mesh heads, I'll have to think this one through then!

[@PatBob5150]

Great project, nice to see a fellow drum hacker...

[@malonedrum]

Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@kevinbothwell8425]

Subscribed. This was sick! I've been eyeing the treehouse custom concert toms for a while. And I still may spring for them as they really are a good value. But seeing how successful this was does make me want to try cutting up a cheap kit and giving it a shot!

[@malonedrum]

I’ll have to check the Treehouse ones out, but I agree, worth a shot to try this first!

[@handsfirstflower3639]

I would not have cut them down from their original depths but that's just me. They turned out good as you did it. I would also have liked a more exciting finish than the basic green as you also stated. Great job though! For a matching set of four, not bad at all, especially for that price. I'd say go for it with the 14". If you already have all the material, why not? That 14" was looking pretty lackluster from the brief shot of you holding it up in front of the camera. Make it a set of five!

[@malonedrum]

I have the materials for a 14" and 16", hoping to get to it early next year!

[@Michael-xw4er]

That's a lot of work and dedication and they sounded really good!

[@malonedrum]

Thank you

[@raythackston1960]

Uhm...concert toms should be miced from the bottom. That is the best sound you can get from them.

[@malonedrum]

I do believe that is one sound you can get from them.

[@brucelach4481]

sounds good

[@malonedrum]

Thanks Bruce, no Cadillac green, but still......green

[@dww0902]

The green concert toms are very Hal Blaine. You should definitely add a 14" tom and a 16" tom as well if you can. #14racktom

[@malonedrum]

I'm leaning toward doing the 14" at least, don't know how I'd get this whole thing set up with 6 toms though haha

[@ben_ide]

Love the sound of the full mix.

[@malonedrum]

Agreed! That's really where they shine.

[@tommalsman4185]

I did the same build, only 10, 12, 13, 14ft, 16ft, from used shells. I added dowels to all of the holes filled, and routed the bottoms to fit automotive chrome edge guards, a perfect fit and match. 🎉

[@malonedrum]

I have 14" and 16" shells that I'm hoping to add to this set soon.

[@alejandrobustos2268]

Horrible colour.

[@malonedrum]

You’re certainly entitled to your opinion. Regardless, thanks for watching the video.

[@Tama-dr4oz]

dude the eq and effects really made that kit shine I would love to use that in a live situation !

[@malonedrum]

Appreciate it, proud of how this one turned out. Although, I’m considering building it again with higher quality components.

[@Tama-dr4oz]

@@malonedrum great idea be sure to post when you are done for a comparison that would be very interesting

[@Rhythmic1]

Those sound great. Way deeper an lower than I would have expected from shallow drums. Very cool.

[@malonedrum]

Yeah, I agree, and the concert tom sound in general seems to really dilute the effect of the shell depth.

[@williamperri3437]

That's it! Forget all our other deals and lets settle on the pet bed. Will a Pitbull fit in there? 😉

[@malonedrum]

I tore that project apart later on.

[@eldonb402]

What a great project! I love smaller shells, but you don't always get that option when buying new or used.

[@malonedrum]

They’re fun!

[@demonicsweaters]

Great job!

[@malonedrum]

Part 2 coming soon!

[@davegink9222]

They sounded great! Especially for the price!!

[@malonedrum]

Keep your eyes peeled for part two coming in a couple months

[@donfurcio4080]

That's a really nice color

[@malonedrum]

People seem to love it or hate it

[@jtsviews3689]

I would put mufflers in them.

[@malonedrum]

Hmm, interesting

[@jamesmurphy981]

Build it dude add on the 14

[@malonedrum]

If I build the 14, I might as well track down the parts for a 16 right?

[@gregwonhoff7161]

Great video, Mike. I watched this one a few months ago but went back to watch it again, as I enjoy your posts so much. I think you should go ahead and turn that 14” tom into a concert tom to add to the other 4 you made. The more the better, right. Take care and thanks again for your posts.

[@malonedrum]

Spoiler, I also picked up a cheap 16" floor tom to do a 14" and 16" concert tom for this kit. So hopefully a set of 6 soon!

[@gregwonhoff7161]

@@malonedrum Now I am really excited, Mike! Can’t wait for that one. I just added another tom to my kit bringing my tom total to 7.

[@JakeStaffin]

Awesome video, the drums look and sound great! Definitely add the 14 at some point. I’d love to try something like this sometime!

[@malonedrum]

I probably will! And I hope this video gets you realizing how simple it could be to do it.

[@RainMakeR_Workshop]

One thing I've been curious about lately... What if you used mesh head for the reso side? Would you get a sort of "inbetween" sound? Or would it just sound like one or the other? Also could you use it to have a loud kit for rehearsal and gigs, and then use the mesh side for quiet practice?

[@malonedrum]

I have some experience with the mesh heads, and in a setting where you're using them as batters, the normal full rest head makes a huge difference. Without a reso head, the mesh heads sound like nothing, but with reso's they have some realistic tone. When it comes to the other way around, the mesh head allows all the sound to escape pretty much so I don't think you'd actually create a noticeably different sound than having no reso heads. You could take standard reso heads and vent them though, much like a bass drum would have a porthole and that would create an "in-between" of regular drums and concert toms.

[@RainMakeR_Workshop]

@@malonedrum Interesting. Do you think you could layer both a port hole reso and a mesh head on the same side? Or would that completely kill the tone? That said, thats more a "I wonder" question, the main thing I want personally is a single kit I can use to both perform loudly on and practice quietly on without having to change heads or use mutes (not a lot a room or money for multiple kits). Could make for a good vid for those of us with only one kit and a need for both loud and quiet playing. But might also not be with the effort.

[@malonedrum]

@@RainMakeR_Workshop I'm honestly not that curious to spend the time and money to experiment with it to that degree. Good luck if you chose to though!

[@RainMakeR_Workshop]

@@malonedrum Fair

[@chromebull884]

I did this with 4 rack toms from 4 different kits. I made 10" 12" 14" and a 16". I kept the 8" tom that came with the kit that the 16" bass drum turned rack tom came from and used it as it was. I stained them all black with a matte finish. Love projects like these!

[@malonedrum]

I recently picked up a 16" cheap tom at Goodwill, so I might add a 14" and 16" to this set.

[@chromebull884]

@@malonedrum you should!

[@tuntematon_hiiri]

I love concert toms😍

[@malonedrum]

Ditto

[@nohandleforme....]

If it was me doing this project, I would add the 14. I would also wrap them with some celluloid drum wrap, and put Remo CS black dots on them. Those heads work quite well on single head toms. But yeah, I like what you did. It is very cool!

[@malonedrum]

I guess you haven’t seen part two yet…

[@DR.KIMDAEEUN]

awesome man!

[@malonedrum]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@soup4495]

That EQ was crazy good!

[@malonedrum]

Yeah, I reached my peak on this one

[@jeffholmes2459]

I vote add the 14” !!!

[@malonedrum]

Noted!

[@Noteven0]

They turned out great bro! I like the green!!

[@malonedrum]

Thanks

[@matspersson5188]

Great work. Very inspiring 👍🏻

[@malonedrum]

Glad to hear you enjoyed it!

[@michaeldutill9921]

Awesome job man

[@malonedrum]

Thanks!