I know Gretsch used to market a Catalina Ash kit like 15-20 years ago. I say "market" instead of "make" because they don't make any of the Catalinas. They just slap their name on them.The Ddrum Ash Dominion is the only production set of ash drums that I can think of.
Too bad, ash deserves it's place in drum manufacture
Maple, walnut, cherry and ash?I've never played an ash drum, but I've listened to a few ash snares recently. I'm mulling my wood options in preparation for ordering a Pearl Music City Custom snare. Pearl offers this series in maple, walnut, cherry, and ash. I've ruled out both cherry and ash. Cherry is a tad too cutting, and ash seems just as assertive. Rich in warmth, walnut is seducing me, but I still have some pondering to do.
It's like topping off dessert with a soothing cigar. There are worse ways to conclude a night of fine dining.Maple, walnut, cherry and ash?
You had a tasty recipe going there then blew it at the end.
Nor am I contending that ash is inferior to other woods in any way. Also, not all shells made of ash -- or of any wood, for that matter -- will sound the same. There might be ash drums out there that I'd like quite a bit, but ash isn't doing it for me among the Music City Custom varieties. It's got a bit more edge than I care to entertain.I'm not saying ash is any more special than maple or birch, but IMO it's every bit as special as maple or birch.
There was also the Tamburo Ash and the Natal Ash but these might be less common in the US.The Ddrum Ash Dominion is the only production set of ash drums that I can think of.
Canopus offers an Ash kit and snares and have done so for a while.Ash to me is in the middle between maple and birch. Which to my ear sound fairly similar. So ash is right around the maple birch territory sonically speaking IMO. I played my steambent ash kit after not playing it for too long, and of course it was really pleasurable. Very clear sounding compared to the walnuts, which are akin to rolling the tone knob back on a bass guitar a bit. It just made me realize that for drum making, ash is an overlooked wood species by and large. Do any of the majors even offer an ash kit?
I'm not saying ash is any more special than maple or birch, but IMO it's every bit as special as maple or birch.