Stauffer Custom Drums & Percussion

Dear Stauffer Percussion customers and friends

Dennis — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:15:09 +0000

Dear Stauffer Percussion customers and friends,

On January 18, 2012, Dennis Stauffer, founder and builder of Phattie, Black Label, Cocktail, Sounds Like Art, and Steam Bent Drums, died in a car accident. We are all heartbroken by this sudden loss, learning how to move forward without him day by day. Dennis was a brilliant one-man show who managed all aspects of Stauffer Percussion in addition to building each and every drum himself. I realize this may come as surprise to many since his attention to detail and level of excellence gave the appearance of a much larger operation. I am beginning the process of looking at all current orders and assessing what we will be able to complete with the support of the drum building community. Unfortunately, we will not be able to accept any new orders. It is my greatest hope that Dennis will be remembered through his creations located across the world. While Stauffer Percussion will not be able to continue in its current form, it is my intention to explore ways for his various brands to live on as a legacy of his passion, craftsmanship and creativity. In the meantime, I request your patience and understanding as I work through the many details. Please continue to share your stories and memories to celebrate an amazing life and master drum builder.

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/citizen-times/obituary.aspx?n=dennis-stauffer&pid=155547631

Sincerely,

Brittney Stauffer, Mrs. Stauffer Percussion

Phattie 13″x8″ Copper Collection Snare, 4mm Cold Rolled Steel Hoops

Dennis — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 22:06:20 +0000

Another beauty from the Copper Collection, this Phattie snare features the Drip-Etched Copper finish over a 13″x8″ 10-ply maple shell. 4mm thick cold rolled steel hoops and machined hoop clips give this drum a unique industrial look that goes great with the custom finish. Check it out:

Black Label rock kit in Vintage Gold Glass Glitter

Dennis — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 18:17:56 +0000

The hue of this Vintage Gold Glass Glitter shows great with the classic styling of the Black Label series. The sizes on this big rock kit include a 14″x10″ rack tom, 16″x16″ floor tom, and 24″x18″ bass drum. Classic touches include the inlaid black-lacquer bass hoops, Radio King style lugs and rail mount. Modern touches include the deeper bass drum, Gauger Alloy RIMS mount and Pearl-style fold out spurs. The result is custom kit that is a perfect blend of new and old, check it out:

Nesting Cocktail Kit with some vintage-style class

Dennis — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 15:01:07 +0000

Finished in White Pearl, this nesting cocktail kit features a vintage style shield logo on the front of the drum that adds a great touch of class. The 10″x8″ rack tom, pedal, and hardware fit inside the main 16″x24″ nesting cocktail drum. The special order 13″x6″ snare resides in it’s own case, for an easy one-trip load in. Radio King style lugs compliment the vintage style finish for a timeless package, check it out:

Sounds Like Art 14″x7″ Dragon, Distressed Black on Black

Dennis — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 11:55:57 +0000

The 14″x7″ Dragon Snare from the Sounds Like Art series is one of the most popular sizes we craft. The thick shell provides projection, a crisp sound and thick sounding rim shots. The depth gives the drum a lot of body, with more tone than most people expected from such a drum. This dragon features a distressed black paint job, with layers of silver to accent the carvings and black plated hardware. Check it out:

Artist Video highlights of 2011

Dennis — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 11:49:51 +0000

2011 has been a great year filled with many awesome experiences! We’ve been able to work with a ton of great drummers with great ideas, and turn those ideas into amazing kits. The best part is watching these guys exercise their talent on a set of drums we built, and see the enjoyment they get out of a finely crafted instrument. Here are a couple of video highlights from the year, from two of my favorite artists:

The Eli Young Band has had an amazing year, with Chris Thompson driving the beat from his Phatties. Their hit Crazy Girl made it to #1! Here’s the official video, featuring a beautiful set of Phattie Drums in pre-aged pearl with inlaid wood hoops:

Later in the year the Eli Young Band had the opportunity to play Letterman. At this point Chris was playing his new baby-blue Phatties, and Letterman gives the drums a little shout-out at the end of the performance, check it out:

This year almost marked a banner year for the Avett Brothers. Here’s a clip of them playing the Grammys in a very cool performance that included Mumford & Sons and Bob Dylan. Drummer Jacob Edwards was using his Black Label 14″x6.5″ snare:

Most recently the Avett Brothers played Laundry Room on the CMT Artist of the Year Awards. Jacob rocked his full Black Label outfit with the vintage style mahogany finish and pre-aged wood hoops. Check it out:

Get More: CMT Artists of the Year: Avett Brothers “Laundry Room”, The Avett Brothers, The Avett Brothers Videos

Hope you enjoyed these select highlights from the year. Many more video appearances from our artists are already in the works for 2012. Stay tuned!

Friday Flashback! Lime acrylic jungle kit…

Dennis — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 21:24:50 +0000

This Friday Flashback dates from early 2006. This jungle/hip-hop/dj-drummer style kit features a 10″x6″ Hybrid Snare Drum, Lime Acrylic 12″ snare, 10″ and 14″ toms, 18″x18″ bass drum and matching woofer. Custom features included all brass hardware, 50% offset lugs, Gauger Alloy RIMS mounts, matching woofer, brass-wrapped bass hoops, and Dunnett R-Class strainers. A real head turner in the clubs, check it out:

Starglow Acrylic kit for The Next

Dennis — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 15:10:17 +0000

Nothing glows quite like our Starglow white acrylic. This kit is going to get some serious use in the clubs of the north east with The Next – a hot new group featuring the talented Anthony Baker on drums. Stay tuned for some future video of it lighted and spinning on Bakers rotating drum riser. In the meantime scroll down to check out the 10″x8″, 12″x9″, 14″x12″, 16″x14″, and 22″x16″. Not pictured is a matching 14″x6.5″ snare. It’s one seriously sharp setup and is going to integrate into their live light show with style. Check it out:

Here’s a video clip of a similar kit in Starglow Acrylic. Different size drums but the same Starglow shells, lights, and hardware. Check it out:

Cocktail kit, or bop kit, or both?

Dennis — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 21:33:47 +0000

This unique setup takes the nesting option and pushes it one step further than we’ve gone before. A dual latch system on the cocktail drum allows it to be used as a 16″x24″ upright cocktail drum or as a 16″x14″ bop bass drum. The addition of a 13″ floor tom compliments the standard 10″x8″ rack tom perfectly, for a great bop or cocktail combo. A wide variety of ratcheting clamps, l-rods, and cymbal arms make the setup possibilities as wild as your imagination. Something this cool deserves some attention, and the bright Tangerine Glass Glitter finish definitely stands out. Check it:

Black Label 14″x7″ Snare with Aged Pearl inlays, rolled steel hoops

Dennis — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 12:05:12 +0000

Today’s post features a Black Label snare in the popular Perfect Brown satin lacquer, but with a few custom touches that set it apart from the rest. A 1/4″ Pre-Aged Pearl inlay is beautifully centered in the middle of the shell and goes well with the cold rolled steel hoops and vintage style claws. The 8-Ply Maple VSS shell, Trick GS007 throw off, Puresound snare wires, and solid brass tube lugs are all standard features. A beautiful blend of modern construction and classic style, check it out: