03/10/2026
5x14 Kakishibu Birch Solid
Steambent solid shell - roundover/30° batter, 45° snare side
Traditional Japanese kakishibu finish, inside and out: thousand-year old process using aged bitter persimmon vinegar. Water resistant, gets stronger with time.
Hand machined brass and stainless hardware, including:
Patented throw off and butt plate with integrated key holder
Torch silver-brazed solid hoops and brass/stainless badge
Precision bespoke stainless tension rods with class 3 thread fit: the drum tunes smoothly but with good resistance, and stays in tune.
Truly things should get better with age: wines, heirloom antiques, relationships. I'm obsessive and made sure everything on this drum will only improve. No poly or lacquer to flake someday, no plated hardware to rust.
Sound: Presence with a capital P. Woody and warm, but really complex in the upper mids and highs (think tube overdrive). If you want the entire dynamic range to translate to the back of the room acoustically, or a rimshot backbeat that sparkles and explodes, this should do.
