TECH SPECS Model: Kommagene
Weight: medium-thin Sizes: 15" hi-hats, 18" crash, 20" flat ride, 22" ride Finish: proprietary process to darken Lathing: wide Hammering: wide, deep, asymmetrical
didn’t disappear in a dense mix, which is sometimes the case with paper-thin, trashy, vintage-style crashes. You could also get plenty of articulation by playing on the bow if you want to use the crash as an alternate ride source for a breathy timbre, and the round, non-hammered bell offered a nicely integrated but clear tone.
22" Ride Softer and more expansive than the hi-hats and crash, the medium-thin 22" Kommagene ride features a wider, flatter, non-hammered bell and had a more complex and smokier tone that recalled the expressive and multi-tex- tural sounds heard on classic bebop records of the ’50s and ’60s. Again, the finish helped to control some of the wash so that the ride had a lot of clarity, but there was a longer sustain and a bit more rumble lingering in the dark overtones. The wide bell had a fully integrated tone, so you could go to it in the middle of ride sections for bursts of color without sounding jarring. I ended up adding a small strip of tape to the underside of the bow to get the sustain to match better with that of the crash and hi-hats.
20" Flat Ride The medium-thin 20" Kommagene flat ride provided a cooling contrast to the washier, smokier timbre of the 22", while remaining consistent with the dark yet crisp vibe of the entire series. As expected, this ride had little sustain (because of the bell-less design), controlled volume, and a sparkling, woody stick click. It didn’t have as many high-end overtones as the flat ride that modern jazz legend Roy Haynes made famous on Chick Corea’s classic album Now He Sings, Now He Sobs, but it’s a close cousin to that archetype. Michael Dawson
Check out a demo video of this Kommagene setup at
moderndrummer.com.
Provenance 4x14 VW Snare
From the scraps of a funky old work van to one of the funkiest-sounding snares around.
T
he U.K.-based Provenance Drums specializes in repurposing materials from specialty vehicles like Jaguar sports cars, racing yachts, and military airplanes. Back in May 2012 we
reviewed a 5.5x14 F4 Phantom cast-aluminum snare that the company made from a fighter jet, and we were knocked out by its versatile, high-end tones and flawless craftsmanship. This month we have another unique drum with some historic mojo: a 4x14 steel snare built
from the side panel of a 1962 Volkswagen van. The shell is largely untouched, so it has the original paintwork on the outside and a black under-seal rust-prevention treatment on the inside. The 45-degree edges, which were rolled, are the only parts that have been lacquered, to prevent further corrosion. Visually, the VW drum has a ton of retro-
cool vibe. Sonically, this snare was no kitschy gimmick—it was a true dynamo. Tuned medium (batter head at 85 on a DrumDial), it had a super- fast response, supreme sensitivity, a bright but not abrasive attack, very clean overtones (i.e., no muffling required), and a surprising amount of depth. It was reminiscent of the popping snare Matt Chamberlain used on the Wallflowers’ hit single “One Headlight.” Tight tunings had an ultra-bright snap along with full-bodied tones, while lower tunings had more smack and punch without losing brightness or the quick snare response. Medium to medium-tight was the range that brought the old, rusty VW materials back to life, but the drum’s versatility across all tunings was quite exceptional. Michael Dawson
TECH SPECS Shell: repurposed steel from a 1962
VW Type 2 panel van Size: 4x14 Bearing edges: rolled to 45 degrees Lugs: chromed brass tube Hoops: 2.3 mm triple-flange steel Throw-off: Gibraltar Deluxe Classic- Style Piccolo Wires: 16-strand PureSound Custom Heads: Aquarian Texture Coated batter and Classic Clear bottom
Check out a video demo of this snare at
moderndrummer.com. • • January 2016 Modern Drummer 29
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