Stone Custom Drum at NAMM 2014

BillRayDrums

Gold Member
Heya guys, I'm the web guy for Bernie Stone. He's a well respected drum maker in Ft. Wayne, IN. and about 10 years ago he bought the old Slingerland molds and dies. Over the course of time he slowly rebuilt and reengineered all the working and now he has a full production shop that can crank out hundreds of ply shells of any sort of variety other than the usual maple (Keller) and birch (Eames).

Anyhow, just wanted to pass that on to you guys and drop the site on yas. http://stonecustomdrum.com

I'll be getting a lot more pics at NAMM for the site, as I recently rebuilt it using what was there and I need more. (And quite frankly, I want to get someone else's mug up there playing Bernie's kits because right now I'm the only cat out there with a SCD kit (Serials 002-006, baby!)

So anyhow, check us out. We build for short runs and long production hauls. If you need 1000 shells in whatever wood we can crank 'em out. If you need One, we can do that too. :D

I want to make it clear that we are NOT looking to be "the next Slingerland" but would prefer to be "the first Stone Custom". There's similarities in the cosmetics of the drums but I can assure you, these are of a completely different pedigree.
 
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Sounds interesting. Thanks for the info. I'll bookmark the page.

I like those badges. Very cool.
 
I have to say, this is very cool and a great story. Bernie won the equipment on an eBay auction? NICE! I think its great that someone is using the old Slingerland molds. Its like recycling an old USA company into a new USA company. Kudos! Even though its not the 'new Slingerland,' I like that someone has sort of extended the mojo to something new, and carried on a great old USA tradition that has (unfortunately) died, and now reviving it and molding it into something new!

Awesome. Will the website be updated with some basic specs, options, finishes offered, pricing, things of that nature?
 
I bought my first professional kit in 1976 (!!!), and it was a Slingerland kit! I still own the snare drum (the rest of the kit was "stolen" - don't make me think of that!). Therefore, I am more than pleased to hear that old Slingerland molds did not get lost and are still being used!

I've been watching your videos on the Stone Custom Drums site and on YouTube: I like very very much your playing and I like very very much the sound of your Stone drum set!

My best wishes to Stone Custom Drums and to you!
 
I remember briefly speaking to Bernie last year.

I live in Los Angeles, but all of my extended family is in Fort Wayne, so we were discussing the connection.

I'll be sure to stop buy.
 
The molds and tools have been retrofitted and brought up to 21st century standards. The shells we create are nothing short of magnificent.-site

Good news.



Heres my opinion, most manufactures blow it by not utilizing their web page to max capability. You cannot post enough pictures on your web site, and this is where we see other companies fail in promoting their goods.

Pics about the product. A lot of questions can be answered by a simple picture, that '1000 word' saying is true.
 
Thanks for posting, I will keep it in mind! Not too far away from me- I am within an hour of there several times a year.
 
Heres my opinion, most manufactures blow it by not utilizing their web page to max capability. You cannot post enough pictures on your web site, and this is where we see other companies fail in promoting their goods.


That depends largely on the company. With only a few exceptions, the majority of 'companies' don't have a plant where they make their shells. What are they supposed to do... show pics of the Keller facility!?

Let's take a venerable brand like Gretsch. What pics should they show - a bunch of Keller shells being unloaded into their warehouse?

I think that the companies/builders who really have something to show, are already showing it. Everyone's pretty hip to the mandatory need for an informative site and interactive social media presence. Those who can't rise to that occasion reap the result with lower revenues, due to a reduced presence in the marketplace. But things have always been that way, nothing to do (necessarily) with missing the internet boat.

Bermuda
 
I had heard something about this a short time ago,as we were discussing why Gibson guitar,seemed to let the Slingerland name languish into obscurity.

If Bernie Stone has the old dies,why not make the 3 point strainer ,bridges and butt reproductions,that bolt up to the original Slingerland hole pattern? Zoomatics,Rapid and Clamshell strainers too.

There is a guy ,who makes a Slingy 3 point repro,but the hole pattern is different from the original,and useless unless you want to drill extra holes in a vintage drum,which is sacrilege to most vintage drum owners.

There's deffinately a market out there,for Radio King owners,who want to gig out their RK's,but can't because of damaged or weakened hardware.

Anyway,get the word out,and I'd love to hear what these modern drums with a Slingerland heritage,sound like.

Steve B
 
That depends largely on the company. With only a few exceptions, the majority of 'companies' don't have a plant where they make their shells. What are they supposed to do... show pics of the Keller facility!?

Let's take a venerable brand like Gretsch. What pics should they show - a bunch of Keller shells being unloaded into their warehouse?

I think that the companies/builders who really have something to show, are already showing it. Everyone's pretty hip to the mandatory need for an informative site and interactive social media presence. Those who can't rise to that occasion reap the result with lower revenues, due to a reduced presence in the marketplace. But things have always been that way, nothing to do (necessarily) with missing the internet boat.

Bermuda


Yeah show a pic of a raw shell, why not?

What the people want is finished product, they want to see what they're (possibly) buying. One shot is OK, but the more pics the better.

For the consumer its the product. Somewhat a little analogous to going to a drum shop and only getting to see the drums from a distance, or at one angle. The more pics the better.

All the companies are hip to the need of a media presence, they have to be, but most fall short promoting what they're selling by not utilizing pics to their advantage.
 
PICTURES!! Yes, I have got to get more up there, I've been waiting on them and were I closer to Indiana (I'm in San Diego) I'd go take them myself.
PRICES- They're putting all that together right now. When I get the info it'll get posted. I've not had a whole lot to work with.

YaKnow, I've been "devil's advocate" for some time now, running scenario after scenario up the flagpole. I think he's wanting to press for some sort of "Familiarity" and capitalize on that image until he's told it's not OK by any of those who would see cause for concern. Much like Stone Temple Pilots took the STP logo and repurposed it.

But as you can see on the website I designed an oval badge that is not "spot on" the slingy badge but nods toward it.

The main difference is that Bernie is making the shells, he gutted that equipment and rebuilt it from the ground up so he's definitely made an improvement. Not to mention the kit he built sounds incredible AND he's able to create ply shells from nearly any sort of wood in any combination.

Get ready to see some incredible ply shells on the market. :D

I'm definitely all ears when it comes to this because I want the best for Bernie. But in the end I'm the guy who just puts his wares on the internet.

BTW- I've got a "Pedigree" section I'm developing for every drum that leaves his shop. We're keeping a running history on every drum and will allow drum owners to log in and add to it's Wiki entry. :D
 
I'm sort of with Bernie's integrity on the Slingerland connection. On one hand, tapping into massive legacy equity is very tempting indeed, especially if you don't have to carry the cost of purchasing the rights. On the other hand, the machines are different because of the work Bernie has done, & frankly, a ply mould is a ply mould - pretty much. Additionally, & most important, the ply layup & wood types are completely different to Slingerland shells. Personally, I think that's a good thing. From what I can see, Bernie is straddling the brand identity thing smartly. He's tapping into the Slingerland brand profile by telling the story, but differentiating himself by offering a wider (& probably better) shell program.

Good luck I say. There's certainly room in the market for another ply shell provider, especially if a wide range of options are available.
 
I'm sort of with Bernie's integrity on the Slingerland connection. On one hand, tapping into massive legacy equity is very tempting indeed, especially if you don't have to carry the cost of purchasing the rights. On the other hand, the machines are different because of the work Bernie has done, & frankly, a ply mould is a ply mould - pretty much. Additionally, & most important, the ply layup & wood types are completely different to Slingerland shells. Personally, I think that's a good thing. From what I can see, Bernie is straddling the brand identity thing smartly. He's tapping into the Slingerland brand profile by telling the story, but differentiating himself by offering a wider (& probably better) shell program.

Good luck I say. There's certainly room in the market for another ply shell provider, especially if a wide range of options are available.

Right now he (Bernie) is really hot on a ply config of Maple inner/outer with a ply of poplar in the middle. The kit I have is of that variety and it's got a lot of tone and cut. The shells sure like to resonate! Today I tuned them up just a bump higher than I usually play them just to see how full I can make them sound. I'll post video later, as we captured today's rehearsal. :D

I'm glad you "get it", because we think that the legacy of Slingerland drums should be carried on in some way, even if it's indirectly. Remember the way Fibes came full-circle? First they were Fibes, then Corder, then Darwin then Fibes again. Perhaps we (SCD) are just one stop on a long circuitous journey for these old molds and tools. :D I'm pretty certain that with Bernie's expertise and passion for what he creates, we'll capture some magic. :D
 
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