Is your wood solid? TM
The JNDC custom wood snare collection is comprised of single-ply steam bent wood shells made with two distinct types of wood, creating the Legacy Series and the Exotic Series. The wood shell snare collection features small, large or no vent design, 24k gold-plated brass JNDC feather motif drum badge, and hand-rubbed Tung oil finishes. These drums also feature unique JNDC bearing edges and vintage-inspired snare beds.
Legacy Series and Exotic Series snare drum hardware consists of bright nickel-plated 2.5mm solid brass triple or single flanged hoops, ten solid brass Corder tube lugs, and the proprietary cast bronze JNDC “One Touch Classic” snare drum strainer (throw-off) system available in set player snare string or tape applications and symphonic player snare cable wire application.
A certificate of authenticity, serialized lapel badge, JNDC Strainer Tutorial DVD, and a complimentary embroidered soft shell case accompany each instrument. The JNDC Legacy Series and JNDC Exotic Series single-ply steam bent wood snare drums come in 7x14, 6.5x14, 5x14, and 4x14 sizes.
Legacy and Exotic Series shell features and attributes are a result of five years of extensive research, development, and sourcing, but over thirty years of playing, recording, touring, tuning, restoring, maintaining, and collecting drums were at the foundation of the final design. Even today elements of the design undergo constant evaluation and scrutiny, in order to challenge and improve the existing execution of the design and supporting concepts. In light of our commitment to quality, design, and performance excellence, we wanted to shares some of the basic principles of drum design, as well as, the JNDC interpretation and execution of those design principles.
Steam Bent construction — This construction method acoustically optimizes the woods natural capacity to transfer energy and vibrate freely in accordance with the woods true density and mass, unlike stave, segmented, or plywood construction, which are encumbered by the interference of multiple layers of material and glue. The result of steam bent construction is the vibrational integrity is consistent with the material used to produce the shell and the vibrance of the natural frequencies is unrestricted, i.e. the wood of the drum sings like nature intended.
Bearing Edge Apex — The apex of the JNDC bearing edge is designed to provide the widest tuning range possible, while maximizing the transfer of energy into the shell. This is achieved by profiling a bearing edge that is not too sharp or too soft, while ensuring the profile does not restrict the drum head mechanics.
Same Species Reinforcement Rings — The JNDC same species reinforcement ring on steam bent shells is a proprietary design attribute which ensures like materials transfer energy at the same rate and amplitude, so a Purple Heart shell sounds like a Purple Heart shell. When hybrid materials are used in JNDC steam bent shell construction they are used to attenuate certain frequencies and integrate them into the design for a calculated and desired result, not for economic reasons or technical shortfalls.
Vintage Inspired Snare Beds — Inspired by the wooden vintage snare drum designs of the 1930s and 1940s; the JNDC steam bent snare bed specification results in an extremely efficient mechanical design. This is due to the narrower and deeper snare bed, which produces a pronounced channel in the snare side head profile. The design allows for greater focus of energy on the snare wires, while introducing a tremendous range of color. That means while playing from the rim to the center of the drum you are afforded an immeasurable palate of color and tone, unlike the homogenous results of the modern snare bed profiles.
Tube Lugs — The JNDC tube lug leverages the vintage aesthetics that inspire our collection of instruments, but also utilizes the mechanics needed to optimize the performance, as well. The solid brass construction ensures that the transfer of energy is not impeded by materials that do not share the same density and mass. In addition, the design also allows for a minimal footprint to mount the hardware and enable a nodal point placement, which optimizes the shell resonance.
Mounting Hardware — The JNDC wooden steam bent snare drum collection uses mounting hardware that is comprised of stainless steel components, which inhibit any corrosion and increase the strength of the mounting components.
Solid Brass / Triple Flanged Hoops — The JNDC standard hoop specification is a 2.5mm solid brass, bright nickel plated, triple flanged hoop. These hoops have additional mass, which aides in their durability, but introduce more musicality to cross sticking and rim shots, as well as, the overall vibrancy and tone of the instrument. These hoops also provide the necessary focus and stability in tuning needed accommodate the active performer.
Solid Brass / Single Flange Hoops — The JNDC alternative hoop option consists of a 2.5mm solid brass, bright nickel plated, single flanged hoop. Although these hoops require more technical experience in tuning, the single flange hoop design yields more tone and character to the sound the instrument is capable of producing, i.e. more partial frequencies are present in all registers.
The JNDC strainer system consists of three adaptations of the revolutionary One Touch Classic design. This strainer system is investment cast from solid bronze and plated in bright nickel, or 24K gold. The strainer system design, although elegant in aesthetics, is a durable functional system capable of withstanding the demands of touring and daily recording session work.
JNDC-01 One Touch Classic/String — This unique strainer system utilizes recessed cavities in the tension carriage to seat and secure knotted snare cord without the use of fasteners, or other mechanical devices. This enables the quickest change of wires, when preconfigured, than any other strainer system available.
JNDC-02 One Touch Classic/Tape — This unique strainer system utilizes components that can be adjusted by the use of a drum key. Designed for players who are more accustomed to modern strainer systems, the JNDC-02 is intuitive, versatile, and durable in design. This enables the artist to utilize both string and tape fastening components, as a result.
JNDC-03 One Touch Classic/Concert — Developed in collaboration with the Royal Opera House Convent Garden percussionists Nick Ormrod and Nigel Charman, this unique adaptation accommodates 10, or 12 strand wire-wound silk cables to be integrated into the strainer system. This strainer system enables the concert and symphonic percussionist to achieve secure fine adjustments in tension, while providing virtually silent engagement and dis-engagement of the strainer system tension.
There have been numerous advances in drum head technology, but tone is still the key imperative for the JNDC collection of instruments. This means that REMO drum heads were the best head to optimize the sonic potential our instruments possess. The Mylar film used to produce these heads is not only durable, but the tone they produce introduces the organic character that lends itself to the design principles of JNDC.
The standard wire configuration for the JNDC collection is the 16 strand PureSound Custom, which results in tremendous snare sensitivity and articulation, along with extended durability. If needed, other personal wire configurations will only add to the limitless range of sensitivity and color these instrument are capable of producing, as desired.
The JNDC wooden steam bent shell finishes are hand-sanded to a high gloss finish, sealed in 100% Tung oil and then finished with 100% Carnauba wax for a hard durable finish. The result is the natural beautiful aesthetic of the wood and a shell that is sealed from the elements, but is allowed to breathe, age, and improve sonically over time.