Finishing
This was the home stretch. The kit was coming out perfect, and I couldn't wait to see the finished product. Jefferson had mentioned how the finishing coat added to the shells would bring out the brilliant characteristics in the wood while also protecting it from the elements. By choosing Cherry wood for the kit, I knew that the finish would look spectacular and as it ages organically, it will develop a darker, richer color.
Adding the hardware is like adding the armor to the shells. It allows the drummer to properly tune each head, while protecting the edges and shell of the drum. It also adds a touch of aesthetics that is completely customizable. Jeff actually created his own Sugar Percussion design for the drum lugs out of wood, then sent in his prototype to be machined by a manufacturer; very cool! Everything on the kit is custom, and the snare drums are all equipped with a high-end, Trick throw-off that has the Sugar Percussion logo engraved.
Once the lugs are installed, then it’s time to throw the drum heads and hoops on. A drummer should choose the appropriate drum heads based on the sound that they are trying to achieve. Again, I wanted a sound that I could easily apply to multiple genres without doing too much drastic tuning. I chose single ply REMO heads for the snare and toms, and a double ply bass drum head with a fiberskyn resonant head (mainly for looks but it allows to bass drum to really sing). I finally was able to take the full kit out to play recently and really lay into each drum.
WOW! The results were amazing and kept me smiling the entire time I was testing these beauties. The kit was warm and each drum contributed a distinct tone to the overall kit sound. The bass was booming but also controlled, the toms were huge and meaty (possibly my most favorite sounds from the kit), and the snare had a thwack to it that made me want to drink a glass of Vitamin D milk.
Choosing the Wood
Building
