Hey Mathew, yeah don't they sound great. With some bass drum muffling you'd get more low end punch, and a front hole would give you that rock "PUHG" sound, but the single tension Cooper bass is just best as it is. Thanks for your comment . Tony
Those are some seriously nice,well made,and really expensive drums,could you someday do a demo,or video for Australian drum builders CHAOS DRUMS?interseted in the RELIC line and maple snares, not alot of examples in the united states of these products.
Absolutely! I own Bob Gaston's prototype star kit and a few snares including the highly prized noble and Cooley Zildjian snare. N&c are my top shelf. I'll reach out to Nick and see how we can make that happen with a fresh kit in Australia. About time I bought a new N&C. Cheers Stephen
I’ll be keeping my eye out for that episode. N&C are a must have for anyone looking for a killer sounding drum kit or snare!! Every single line of theirs is made with an incredible attention to detail. From the Horizon line to CD maples to the Italian walnut line. They all look fantastic. They record beautifully and with the tom mount it makes it simple and easy to setup and tear down. Cheers, mate! P.S. if you’re old N&C drums are looking for a good home…… 😉 I’m in Canada. hahaha 😎
Modern drums that are made to look like they come from the year 1892? I'm sure this company will sell quite a few drumsets. They are indeed quite novel....
As a collector I have very very old drums. They have amazing materials that translate to great tones that would have been perfect for the jazz dive bar, where the drummer jangles along in the background of a big band orchestra. But the manufacturing technology and the ideas - like snare mechanisms for example - were not that great. So A&F have hit a mark here, bringing old school materials and ideas into the 21C with all the required improvements to fill Madison square garden with reliable tones for four hours long night after night being hit like a punching bag. That's worth what ever it costs.
@@KillerDrumsTV What ever it costs? A three piece Gretsch USA custom (with matching snare) in bop sizes is less than 4K. They sound better than these drums and have an authentic historical legacy. These drums are a novelty.
Yeah sounds great hey. The room is full of hundreds of resonating guitars and reflective surfaces, with a room mic for kick, so you'll being hearing reflective captures; that is if you're listening with quality phones or monitors.
These drums have a unique tone and if you’re a studio musician you may want these in your arsenal. But these guys over here in the States have a reputation for being way overpriced and under engineered for a tone lacking. People are trying to sell them and there’s zero aftermarket appetite for those prices.
I haven't seen any aftermarket yet, likely meaning those who bought aren't selling. A&F hit a sweet spot here, with no one doing these tones really. I guess until you actually play them it's hard to imagine they could fill or reveal holes in your drum collection as far as sounds. I don't actually own any A&F drums only because I've made my own drums for three decades in almost that style which covers these sounds just fine and more. From my perspective, the hole price argument used to dismiss expensive drums doesn't cut it for me, unless you actually just don't like the sound. I mean who disses a Porsche, Ferrari or Lamborghini just because it's expensive. But if a crappy Hyundai was expensive you'd have ever right to complain. I'm so glad that you can hear their unique tones and you're so right, as a studio player they have a lot of advantages to mainstream drums in the studio.
Under engineered, perhaps. Definitely NOT lacking in tone. I have a dozen brands on hand to choose from and these hang with all of them and more than many other boutique custom drums, at least, in my opinion. Yes, very pricey which has led to a company that offers a huge variety of vibe gear!
I got to try most of their drums recently & I was blown away by the sound of their nickel over raw brass kit; I'm lusting after it now! I generally think most very-high-priced kits are not that much (or any) better soundwise than lower priced kits, but that A&F nickel over raw brass kit was another level tone wise, imo; incredibly deep, musical tone from the toms; sounded like they were mic'ed with reverb added! I dig the experiments they're doing too; I also fell in love with a prototype thin marching/field snare drum they haven't posted yet. I also dig that they're actually manufacturing these drums in the USA, locally in Austin, & hiring local drummers & artisans. I have several amazing kits & didn't think I'd be lusting after any more but dang it, I want that nickel over raw brass shell kit!
I think that if you have the money and love the gear, there's no problem, right! But here is how A&F see it: Q: Why are your drums so expensive? Yes great question indeed and sorry for the sticker shock! Here’s the deal, we are a family owned and operated company that chose to hand make drums (all shells, lugs, hoops, spurs, floor tom legs, all brackets) out of Raw Metals and Woods here in Austin, TX using locally sourced materials and hiring local drummers and artisans, and that is definitely expensive. However the sound and quality we get in return is uncompromising and we just couldn't do it any other way! We started in May of 2016 and actually hold a full design patent on our drums, along with a hand full of utility patents for various drum gadgets we are releasing every year!
These days it’s really hard to make a kit that sounds crap. Of all the variables that negatively impact on a drums sound, I think these days, a bad sound is more likely the drummer, their tuning, or their choice of drumsticks even, rather than a brand of drums.
A&F get a lot of criticism over price, but if it’s out of a person’s price range what’s the complaint? I’m sure most people think luxury cars are overpriced, and/or are outside most people’s budget, but still luxury brands thrive. They just have a niche customer base that support them and A&F are no different, accept that A&F’s retails are based on cost of sales (remebr it’s made in America) plus fair profit and you have to support that. I love A&F drums personally, they have a sound that really like. But I don’t own any atm, but will be saving. Thanks for your comment.
