Bespoke drums, built to spec

Q: What is Big Bear Drum Co?

Big Bear Drum Co is a bespoke drum builder in the United Kingdom. We make custom drum kits and snare drums to order, one at a time, in copper, aluminium, steel, brass, maple, mahogany and acrylic. We also restore and refinish drums people already own.

Q: Can I order a drum in a custom size?

Yes. Every drum is cut to the dimensions you ask for, so there are no fixed sizes to pick from. A 13 by 7 snare or a 24 inch kick with shallow toms is a normal order rather than a special request.

Q: Can I visit the workshop?

Not at the moment. Everything runs through email, photographs and sound clips at each stage of the build, so you see and hear the drum before it ships.

Big Bear Drum Co. builds custom drum kits and snare drums to order. We're based in Scotland. We can build things from pretty much any material you want.

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Seamless copper snare drum built by Big Bear Drum Co

Stave maple drum kit built by Big Bear Drum Co

What we build

We build drums from lots of different woods and metals. Whatever you need from your drum set up, we can figure it out.

A four-piece custom drum kit built by Big Bear Drum Co

Custom drum kits

Full kits in the size and finish you need. Metal or hardwood shells, your choice of bearing edge, hardware and finish.

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Custom snare drums

One-off snare drums in seamless, staved, segment, hammered or plated shells. No drummer can have enough snare drums.

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A vintage drum shell being restored on the bench

Repairs and Restorations

Vintage shells stripped and rebuilt, bearing edges recut. Work on the drums you already own that maybe just need a bit of love.

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Shell materials

The material sets the voice of the drum before a single lug goes on. Metal for cut and sustain, hardwood for warmth and body, acrylic for pure attack. If you are not sure, describe the sound you are after and we will point you at the right one.

Copper

Seamless spun copper. Long, complex decay and a low fundamental that sits under a mix without fighting it. Ages into its own patina, so no two drums stay identical.

Aluminium

Light, dry and fast. A tight fundamental with very little overhang, which makes it the easiest metal to record close-miked.

Steel

The loudest shell we build. Cold-rolled steel is bright and cutting, with a crack that carries over a loud stage without help from a microphone.

Brass

Heavier and darker than steel, with a thick midrange and a long tail. Hand-hammering breaks up the resonance and pulls the overtones in closer.

Maple

The reference point. Even response across the range, warm low end and enough midrange to sit in almost any room. Stave, segment or ply.

Mahogany

Darker and softer than maple, with a rolled-off top end and a fat low fundamental. For anyone chasing a vintage voice without buying a vintage kit.

Acrylic

Pure attack and very little shell character. Cast acrylic pushes a huge, dry fundamental with almost no woody warmth, and it looks like nothing else under lights.

Not sure yet

Most people arrive with a sound in their head rather than a measurement. Send a reference track through the build form and we will translate it into a shell.

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How it works

Most builds run eight to sixteen weeks from deposit to delivery, depending on the shell and our capacity. We'll keep you updated at every stage.

Step 1

Tell us what you need

Answer a few questions about what you play, what you are missing and where the drum needs to sit. No spec required.

Step 2

Spec and quote

Material, dimensions, bearing edges, hardware and finish, written up as a fixed spec sheet with a fixed price. 50% deposit to start.

Step 3

Shell build

Shells are formed, seamed or staved, then trued and edged by hand. Photographs at each stage and updates on timelines.

Step 4

Finish and fit

Lacquer, wrap, plate or leave it raw. Hardware fitted, drum tuned, and a final recording sent before it is packed.

Step 5

Delivery

Insured delivery across the UK and worldwide shipping on request. Or pop in to the workshop and collect yourself, we have coffee.

The Big Bear Drum Co workshop with shells in progress — workshop-wide.jpg

Full width, 2400 x 1200 minimum

At a glance

The details people ask for first.

What we make: Custom drum kits, custom snare drums and restoration work
Shell materials: Copper, aluminium, steel, brass, maple, mahogany, acrylic and much more
Construction: Seamless, hand-hammered, stave, segment and ply
Sizes: Any diameter and depth - within reason - cut to your spec
Lead time: 8 to 16 weeks from deposit, depending on complexities.
Where we build: Scotland, United Kingdom. Shipped UK-wide and worldwide on request
How to order: Fill out the quote form and we usually reply within 24 working hours.
Contact: hello@bigbeardrums.com

Common questions

These are questions we get often, if you can think of one that's not listed, send us an email.

What is Big Bear Drum Co?

Big Bear Drum Co is a bespoke drum builder based in Scotland in the UK. We've been doing this for a while. We make custom drum kits and snare drums to order, one at a time, in most materials you can think of. We also restore and refinish drums people already own.

Can I order a drum in a custom size?

Yes. Every drum is cut to the dimensions you ask for. There are no fixed sizes to pick from. If you want a 13 by 7 snare or a 24 inch kick with shallow toms, that's normal for us.

How long does a custom drum take to build?

Typically eight to sixteen weeks from the deposit, depending on the shell and complexities. You get a firm build slot with your quote and we keep you updated along the way.

How much does a bespoke drum cost?

It depends on material, size, hardware and finish, so every quote is priced against a written spec rather than a list price. Send your spec through the build form and you will have a fixed price back within two working days.

Do you restore vintage drums?

Yes. Vintage shells are stripped, repaired and rebuilt with period-correct or modern hardware. Re-wraps, stains, lacquers, plating and bearing edge recuts are all work we take on. We'll be upfront before we start about sourcing accurate parts for vontage restorations.

Do you ship outside the UK?

Yes. Delivery inside the UK is insured as standard, and worldwide shipping is quoted per order at the point of the spec.

Can I visit the workshop?

Not at the moment. It's too small and usually loud and messy. There's also insurance issues with people being around saws and lacquers. Everything runs through email or whatsapp just now, photographs at each stage of the build, so you see the drum before it ships.

I do not know what I want yet. Can you help?

That is the usual starting point. Describe the sound you are chasing, or send a reference image, and we will translate it into a shell material, a size and an edge profile before you commit to anything.

Get a free, no-obligation quote.

Send a rough idea, a reference image or a full spec. Six questions, about a minute, and you get a written quote and a build slot back within one working day.

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