cocktail Drums

[pan60]

cocktail Drums any one know much about this type of drum?
how good is the bass?
i seen Brian Setzer's drummer using one line and it sparked a interest.

[pan]

Whats that?

Shakers, bottles and bowls?







Brian Setzer?
Ahh, you mean those sets for "upright" drummers...

[Bob Ross]

Reaching back into the depths of a memory ravaged with too much excess, I recall first encountering the "cocktail drum" in a 1973 Slingerland catalog. It is a tall two-headed drum with snares underneath the top head (!) and a reverse-angled kick pedal thumping against the bottom head...plus a cymbal stand mounted to the side. Basically a really shitty sounding kick & snare all in one. Played standing up, with brushes. While wearing a powder-blue tuxedo, of course. Presumably used for space-challenged General Business gigs.

[pan60]

Originally Posted by Bob Ross

Played standing up, with brushes. While wearing a powder-blue tuxedo, of course.

While wearing a powder-blue tuxedo, of course.
of course : )
you would have to be wearing a powder-blue tuxedo.

[chetatkinsdiet]

Nothing really to write home about. The portability is nice, but those like the Slings which are basically a tall floor tom with a pedal that hits up to the bottom head. Sometimes snares are attached to the underside of the top head to give a sort of snare sound. These were in the Sling catalogs back in the 50s. I can't remember if they're around earlier than that, but it's possible.

Rogers had a cool version as well back in the day. Theirs was a bit more conventional. If you're familiar with the Rogers "swivo" hardware, then you can imagine this.....a small 18 or 20" kick with the swivo hardware holding a snare on top with a ride cymbal holder as well. Basically everything is stuck on the kick drum. This one sounds pretty much like a regular kick and snare....since it is. The placement is a bit strange though.

If you were to run across one of these at the right price, it might be fun to have around, but you're probably not going to use one for their great sounds. If you need a small kit like this for gigs that need super fast breakdown or a kit that travels well, I'd probably look for something like the little Yamaha Jungle kit or I believe Sonor makes one as well. Either that or just look for a small vintage student line kit like the Ludwig Club Dates or Rogers Tower kit. They sound great and are small. The Rogers is my favorite there as their drums sounded killer. I'm actually playing a gig this week and pulling out my Tower kit. Red Onyx with matching snare......merry christmas. ;-)

m

[cajonezzz]

Hey Pan- they are cool, and can definitely give you a different sound. I've played a couple of the newer Yam cocktail kits, and had a great time.

Big caveat ( for me) the standing position and the way you gotta rock your balance over would KILL my back on a longish gig. very unhealthy position to be in.

The kit I'm about to grab that is flippin me out right now: http://www.gigpig.org/media.php?b=pns

[joeq]

Originally Posted by cajonezzz

The kit I'm about to grab that is flippin me out right now: http://www.gigpig.org/media.php?b=pns

wow that is very cool

are they available in the US in stores?

[pan60]

very cool!!!!!

[Pasta4lnch]

check out KT Tunstall's album. Her drummer uses one on a few tunes. It was amazing live!! She also just put out an acoustic thing . . . I'll be willing to bet he used it all over that album . . .

[pan60]

Originally Posted by Pasta4lnch

check out KT Tunstall's album. Her drummer uses one on a few tunes. It was amazing live!! She also just put out an acoustic thing . . . I'll be willing to bet he used it all over that album . . .

the GigPig?
or some other coctail drum?

[Pasta4lnch]

Originally Posted by pan60

the GigPig?
or some other coctail drum?

wasn't the gig pig (although that looks pretty funky!) it was a big cylendrical drum w/ a side snare, hh and crash. I explained it to a drummer friend and he called it a cocktail kit . . . I origionally thought it was calledd a "troubador kit"

looked something like this:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...Set?sku=440517

either way it sounded pretty darn good. something different. . .

[pan60]

this one caught my attention.
http://www.dwdrums.com/drums/specialty.htm
anyone know how much these are?

[pan60]

or these maybe?
http://www.metrodrum.com/

[cajonezzz]

The DW's are nice Pan.... pretty WAY pricey for what they are though.
You could build a mini kit like that pretty cheap, buy shells etc. Or , poach some different drums from ebay and cobble together a cool kit.

i did this with a 16" gretsch floor tom... put it on a riser as a kik ( aquarian 16 kik head) and use perc, and a small snare and whatever else to do what i call "mini kit"

The cocktail kit thing is a whole different animal. I think the Gigpig might get more play... and with triggers, could be a hiphop machine.

yehaw.

hurrry up santa!

[pan60]

i have been eyeing these
http://www.phattiedrums.com/web/cocktail.htm
they have a shorter set that should be out any time, ( that is what they told me ) intended for drummers who need to be in a more traditionally seated position.
they look cool to me

[halfcocked]

Cocktail Drums are really cool!
They've come a long way since the olden days too.There is a real cult following for these sets now.Great for small stages,acoustic,jazz,Rockabilly sort of stuff.They have all kinds of things attached now and sound as good as any drum set. Go to The Cocktail Drum Lounge that is the mecca for anyone interested in these contraptions.
I have a set made by Billy Blast Drums out of Orange California. Snare drum, drum kits, drum shells, cymbals, slingerland, drum lugs, keller drum shells and they are great. Billy uses only Keller maple shells and this set packs up inside each other. My band plays mainly blues and Rock&Roll here in Melaka Malaysia and we always freak people out when they see this set. It's a stand up set so some drummers shy away but once ya get the hang of it it's fun.
I also have a mini set built by Billy Blast that has a 16" Bass Drum. 10" & 14" Toms Thats a sit down set thats easy to carry around and great on small stages.
If you go to my site you can see videos of my Cocktail set and Mini Set in action! MySpace.com - Johnny Coma & The Boneshakers - Melaka - Blues / Rock / Jam Band - www.myspace.com/johnnycomatheboneshakers
I think these type of drums are enjoying a big comback.

[pan60]

nice!

[pasta]

Whitney Penguins are very nice and have a cocktail kit on which one can play seated. I got a chance to check these out last week and they are excellent. Beautiful sound and the wood hoops are great. Also love the compactness.

Scroll down to the bottom to see the green cocktail kit:

WhitneyDrums Drum Set Description

[altdrumz]

I saw these at the Drum Expo in New Hampshire and they pretty much floored me.

Metropolitan Drum Company

cheers -

altdrumz

[pan60]

i still have not got one but i want one!
not sure which i will get yet?

[ImJohn]

This kid is very good and also has good sounding drums recorded in a dead room with just a K2 and a D112.
YouTube - Rickson Ruiz 11/14/06

I also wanted to say that, at least from what I've seen, the largest vertical drum doubles as a bass drum, from underneath and a floor tom from the top. I thought someone posted that it also has snares, which . . . sounds incorrect to me but maybe that was a thing to do at one time.

And Pan60, if you just want a small drum set the more taditionally configured Yamaha HipGig Jr. sets can sound really good with good heads and tuned up well! Fairly inexpensive too, at least forr the shells.

Also, have you searched ebay yet? if you are just lookig for a "toy" to have some fun with you can get a cocktail set for $280 shipped (or less). Probably definitely need to put good heads on them though!

[pan60]

nice~
i am wanting a smaller kit for the studio and a cocktail kit for me.
i keep watching ebay but i may just get a new set as i have always had set that i built up from what ever came along.
i will probably try to get a smaller kit for the studio first.
at the moment i have been spend my money on 500 form gear~

[ImJohn]

Originally Posted by pan60

i will probably try to get a smaller kit for the studio first.
at the moment i have been spend my money on 500 form gear~

You mean like the Peavey 500 series drums?
Vintage Peavey Radial Pro 500 drums - ( Gretsch - DW ?) - (eBay item 320185988551 end time Nov-26-07 13:55:55 PST)

Besides the cocktail kits and the Yamaha HipGig and Hipgig Jr. sets, keep an eye out for a nice Tama Bop (Be-Bop) kit.

[pan60]

i hear they are very nice sounding drums
i have a friend in Alaska that has a set but i have never have the good fortune to hear them:(
i was thinking
a 16''x18'' for a kick and keeping it virgin
a 8''x12'' or 13'' for a tom
a 14''x14'' floor tom
and the maybe a nice small snare, not sure yet.
i have a few snare so i am not to worried about that.
i keep leaning to these guys
the are coming out with a studio kit, i might do a review on a set not sure just yet.
it will be a while i am saving money for the LaChapell Audio 583s.
then their is a couple new comp hitting the market after the first of the year so the drums have dropped a bit on my priority list:(~

[ImJohn]

hey Pan60,

Check this out:
GRETSCH USA CUSTOM JELLY BEAN GLASS GLITTER (GRE-JBSET)

Besides probably being very nice drums, you could have some wacky fun by using matchig mic pre face plate colors to mic them up!

[pan60]

nice that looks just like what i want~
just add a 14'' x 14'' floor tom that would do it.
how is the quality of the new Gretsch drums?
are they U.S. made or over seas?

[ImJohn]

Originally Posted by pan60

nice that looks just like what i want~
just add a 14'' x 14'' floor tom that would do it.
how is the quality of the new Gretsch drums?
are they U.S. made or over seas?

I've never owned any Gretsch drums unfortunately and I'm not sure where they are made. Maybe send Roundbadge (http://www.gearslutz.com/board/members/roundbadge) an PM. I know he has some experience with them so he may be able to help you out.

You could always just buy them and send them to ME and I'll be happy to take a long and careful time putting togther an opinion for ya!

[pan60]

maybe he will chime in here~

[Larry Copcar]

I have a 1966 Ludwig Oyster Blue Pearl cocktail drum. With a matching 9x13 tom tom I use on a snare stand. Most times I bring this set out, it is to play percussion. The snare setting does not sound like a real snare. I took out the wooden "head" that seperatrd the drum. It rattled and sounded bad. These drums were mainly made to be played with brushes in quiet lounge bands in the 50's and early 60's. Rock- a- billy drummers like then so they can stand up and play. On a real gig, they don't sub for a drumset.
Larry Copcar, Los Angeles, Ca. USA