Drum Construction

One man, one concept, one drum. James was always clear and steadfast in his vision of how and why he would build his solid wood drum. First, he would design the parts. Then, manufacture the parts. And finally, he would integrate all the parts. By having total control of the whole process he knew that he could create a solid shell drum that would be unmatched, acoustically and aesthetically.

He instinctively believed that if he abided by the fundamental principals of quality that the sound would follow. By doing what he has done his whole life, build with quality, he knew that something new, unique and genuine would occur. For James, all his answers have always been found by taking action with his hands-on approach.

The creation of a solid shell snare drum was a new challenge. Without any musical talent or abilities, he had to rely on his thirty years of construction knowledge and wisdom. The selecting of woods came from his extensive horticulture background, the lathe turning and finishing came from his years building furniture and the in-depth understand of wood came from his extensive scientific research.

His approach was to create something entirely new. Its been an ongoing process of learning, creating and re-creating. Advancement has come by mistake upon mistake, with surprise successes thrown in. But once the mistakes have run their course, whats left is pure quality. Its been an all-consuming, intense, eventful, exciting course of action that has produced an artistically presentable drum of unequalled sound.

There are only a handful of drum manufacturers in the world that produce a solid shell drum. No books exist on how to make this particular type of drum. It is a very complex process that demands skill, patience and artistic sensitivity. James stated, It was an evolutionary process, with constant readjustments and fine tuning. I went through numerous shells before I was finally satisfied with my first final product. It's a balancing act of cutting, drying, sanding, and finishing. It takes me 3 to 4 months to produce one solid shell.

The hardware was designed to enhance and compliment the beauty of the solid shell wood and to harness the drums unique sound. The components were created to facilitate the needs of the drummer. The lugs were designed to caress the solid shell. The snare release responds with the push of a button. With a fresh perspective on this instrument and a willingness to perceive anew, the artist reinvented the drum. It took Mr. Chudzinski 3 years to perfect his first solid shell snare drum.

The artist uses non-traditional woods such as podocarpus, ulmus and carob. Knowing that each wood produces a different sound, researching different species of wood is ongoing.

Every drum is a one-of-a-kind, produced one-at-a-time. They are individually signed, dated and numbered. The pursuit of perfection limits his production.