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"Village Drum is a new tradition in hand drums. By combining traditional drum designs from around the world with modern drum technology, Village Drum has been able to develop a drum I feel is second to none."  Joe Bender, drum-maker

About Village Drum

 A line of drums that combines great looks, clean true sound, easy and dependable tuning with unsurpassed comfort and durability. Designed by a drummer for drummers.

All Village Drums are hand-crafted from start to finish by me right here in the Ozarks. And of course I guarantee every one of them.

Thanks for your interest. I hope I can help you find a drum that will allow you to enjoy the rhythm of life and express yourself through music. Remember, the best musicians are the best listeners and it takes less energy to vibrate together than it does to oppose one another.

May the pulse be with you.

About the Drum-Maker

My name is Joe Bender, and I've been drumming ever since I started kicking out the jams in the womb (according to my mother). After taking formal drum lessons (snare drum rudiments) in my teens, I played in several bands. I played mostly rock and roll, blues, and original music for fun and (very little) money. My day job was my other love: woodworking. I did everything from form work to cabinet-making.

One day I woke up and realized I could combine my two loves. I started making drums. After several months of trial and error, the Shanti emerged. (The research provided a lot of firewood!)

How I Construct Your Drum

My personal goal is to help you find a drum that will allow you to enjoy the rhythm of life and express yourself through music.

I construct each Village Drum with materials that I hand-select with quality in mind. I use only the finest quality domestic hardwoods: black walnut, cherry, and hard maple. (Other woods are available by special order.) These woods offer excellent tone, durability, and beauty. I hand-select the wood for its soundness, color, and figure. Though difficult to find and work with, burl and reaction woods are the foremost characteristics I look for in the wood.

Natural imperfections in the wood do not affect the structural integrity of the drum. I enhance this natural beauty with an inlay of semiprecious stones, such as turquoise, malachite, or lapis lazuli, a deep blue mineral. I glue the drum shells using the highest quality waterproof glue, making the joints actually stronger than the wood itself. And finally I give the shells a hand-rubbed Danish oil finish. The Danish oil finish brings out the natural beauty of the wood. This soft lustrous finish feels wonderful to the touch and allows easy maintenance, ensuring that your drum will look good for years to come.

Heads

I use goatskin heads on the Shanti and standard Ashiko because they give the widest range of tones. The goatskin heads can create deep resounding lows, beautiful rich middle tones, and crisp, clear slaps. Other heads are available by request. I use a thick calfskin head on the Djun-djuns for durability and booming lows.

Custom Design Your Drum with Inlay

I can create your Shanti drum with custom inlay designs such as initials, astrological signs, or a geometric design. I can add your design on the shell, the blocks, or the ring using turquoise, malachite, lapis lazuli, or other semiprecious stones. You simply need to provide a picture of your design. This is done on a custom-order basis and quotes are based on the intricacy and size of your design and the type of stone you choose.

Tuning

The heart and soul of Village Drum is the Shanti. This hand drum is tuned using my own tuning system. You no longer need to fiddle with complicated lacing that stretches. Using modern drum technology, the Shanti is fully, accurately, and dependably tuned. Fine adjustments are possible in only seconds. A wide range of tuning options are available to fit your style of play. You can do all this with no relacing, stretching, or tuners moving. It is simple to detune the Shanti when you're not playing. This advantage increases the life of the head significantly. (On standard Ashikos and Djun-djuns, I use prestretched Dacron polyester cord.)

Who Plays Village Drums

Village Drums can be heard on reggae star Floyd Lloyd's Better to Laugh album. Village Drums are also played, endorsed, or represented by the following musicians:

Visitor Number: Since 9/1/98

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