Why Phattie Drums? When searching for a custom drum set or snare of professional quality, this is possibly the most important question you’ll ask. The current custom drum market is saturated with a variety of custom shops building drums that are remarkably similar when compared side by side. At Phattie Drums we apply ourselves daily to exceed the level of craftsmanship, finish quality, and sound currently available to drummers and percussionists worldwide. Through a high level of innovative thinking and woodworking experience we've introduced products unlike anything previously available to drummers. One visit to our Sounds Like Art™ snare page and you’ll understand the level of quality and craftsmanship we put into the instruments we make.
Bearing Edges
The defining feature found on nearly all Phattie Drums is the unique bearing edge that tones down high-frequency ring while making tuning quicker and easier. Featuring matching precision machined chamfers on the inside and outside of the shell, our bearing edge doesn’t come to a sharp edge, but is leveled to a thickness of 1/4th the total shell thickness. The flatness is then checked on a granite plate with a tolerance of .0014", ensuring the flattest edge possible. On a 6-ply tom shell, this leaves 1-1/2 plies touching the drum head. On 8-ply bass shells this leaves 2 plies touching the drum head. The location of the bearing edge in the center of the shell promotes even energy transfer throughout the whole shell evenly, without a bias towards the outer or inner plies. The resulting timbre has reduced overtones and a big, full sound across the tuning range of the drum.
When working with other brands of drums that have a sharp, pointed edge, drummers often find it necessary to use 2-ply heads, duct tape, moongel, or any other number of devices to eliminate high-frequency ring and get a deep, punchy sound. By crafting our edges perfectly level and with a wide contact patch you can get that deep, punchy and powerful sound from Phattie Drums without resorting to heavy muffling.
Easy to Mic
Easy to Tune
Easy to Play
The Difference is in the Edge™
Unique Lug Designs
In addition to our unique bearing edge, the PhatRat lug is another PhD Innovation developed to provide a low-mass, low-weight lug that also contained a "quick-release" design to aid in head changes and eliminate lost tension rods. The base of the lug is precision machined aluminum that is chrome or black-nickel plated depending on the application. The floating machined insert provides a very smooth surface for easy tuning, and more accurate readings when using torque gauges. The PhatRat lug is exclusively available on Phattie Drums.
HCL Bass System
Over the years, countless drummers have tried 26" and 28" kick drums, having fallen in love with the look and sound of these enormous bass cannons. Unfortunately many of these same drummers soon grow tired of the feel of the pedal on such a large head, tuning problems, and the lack of punch and attack. Recently the Woofer has become a popular accessory for gaining that extra little “oophm” from smaller bass drums. While small bass drums with large woofers have become popular in studios, they lack the visual punch that large bass drums provide, and require carting and setting up two drums where one should have been able to do the trick.
The yellow arrows illustrate how the sound waves reflect between the three heads, giving the effect of a large woofer and the playability of a regular 22" bass drum.
The HCL Bass System™, part of the family of PhD Innovations™, is the ultimate answer to your low-end blues. The HCL Bass System™ uses the Haskell theory of sound waves to create a single drum that does the job of a woofer while providing a comfortable and familiar playing surface, and gives the visual edge you’ve been searching for. Simply tune the batter head until you are happy with the tension and rebound of the playing surface, and then adjust the resonant heads to find your perfect balance of depth and punch. The versatility of the HCL Bass System™ is unmatched by any other single bass drum available. The use of three different heads provides the ultimate control in the amount of punch, resonance, and depth, allowing you to fine-tune the drum for any venue or studio.
The 28/20 HCL Bass System™ is currently available through our Custom Shop. It utilizes a 28” resonant shell with a 20” batter shell. The 20” batter shell is fixed at a position that allows you to strike the center of the head as if it were a 22” drum, without adjusting your pedals. This provides a familiar playing surface and comfortable head tension. Ideal for double-pedal gurus who like the deep sound and killer looks of a large bass, but are unable to find a comfortable playing tension.
Dedication
Our high level of dedication to staying on the cutting edge of woodworking technology is something you won't be likely to come across anywhere else in the custom drum industry. We continually research the latest woodworking tools and techniques and study ways in which we can impliment the latest technology to bring you a better drum. We currently combine traditional woodworking techniques with the latest technology including CNC controled routers and laser cutters. (Our Factory Tour video includes a clip of our laser cutter in action). By keeping this technology in-house, we are able to continually monitor quality and immediately apply innovations. This combination of hands-on construction and in-house cutting edge technology allows us the ability to truly be your custom drum company of choice.
Social Awareness
The modern business world has expanded beyond what has long been the standard for running a business: The Bottom Line. Global Warming, deforestation, and water pollution are ever growing concerns in the world. As a socially aware company we understand that how and what we choose to build effects everyone. From planting a tree for every drum we build, to our emphasis on re-useable packing materials, Phattie Drums is focused on the future of everyone, not just the bottom line.
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