Good news Benny Greb fans! Benny will be doing a short run of clinics in North America at the end of September and the Drum Center of Portsmouth is just one of eight scheduled dates on the run. More importantly, Greb’s stop at DCP is the ONLY visit to New England. If you miss him here, you’ll have to trek all the way to Toronto or Long Island for the next nearest visit.

KEY INFORMATION
Date: Thursday, September 23, 2010
Time: 630pm
Place: Drum Center of Portsmouth – 800 Islington St #4, Portsmouth, NH, USA
Tickets: $5 in advance or at the door
More info: Please call 603-319-8109

GIVEAWAYS

We will be offering a number of giveaways following the clinic. More info on the exact items being given away will be provided soon!

SPECIAL PROMOTIONS

We will be offering a week-long sale on all Sonor, Meinl, Remo, and Pro Mark products, including all of Benny Greb’s signature model items.

BENNY GREB – OFFICIAL BIOGRAPHY

Benny Greb was born in 1980 in Germany and began playing drums at the age of six years old. Initially self taught, he began his full time studies in 1997 and attended music schools in Dinkelsbühl and then in Hamburg.

Benny’s drumming is slick, full of musicality and finesse. It has style and defines today’s modern drumming. Over the last few years Benny has rightly achieved world class status and recognition in the drum community by touring globally, entertaining drummers worldwide with his clinics. He has performed at high profile events such as the Montreal Drum Festival Canada, Ultimate Drummers Weekend Australia, the World Drum Festival, the Meinl Drumfestival in Germany, Drummer Live at Wembley Arena London, and was already invited twice to perform at the Percussive Arts Society Convention in the USA.

Along with his popularity in the worldwide drum community, Benny can be found playing with a broad assortment of musicians, all demanding his tasteful and immaculate playing style. You can find him in rock settings with German singer Stoppok and The Ron Spielman Trio, in jazz with his own Benny Greb Brass Band and Turkey’s Sabri Tulug Tirpan. He has also played classical music, working with the NDR Orchestra on their Zappa / Pops project and for film composer and ex-police drummer Steward Copeland. Benny’s ability to mix jazz and rock finds him also working with the fusion band 3ergezimmer. Allowing his sense of humour to come to the fore, Benny records with acoustic punk/cabaret act Strom & Wasser, clearly showing that no style is beyond his tasteful, yet fun loving approach. And of course, Benny is also a highly in-demand session player in his native Germany, where his studio duties also include the roles of composer and producer.

Benny writes, records, and releases his own solo records with Grebfruit being one such release. The award winning The Language of Drumming – A System For Musical Expression DVD was released in 2009 on the Hudson Music label, showing his unique approach to drumming. It is one of the best selling educational DVD’s worldwide. His new critically acclaimed solo album called Benny Greb – Brassband showcases a great mixture of New Orleans Jazz and Funk.

Each Classic Maple outfit or component drum can be custom configured to include hardware options to best suit any playing environment. Proudly made in Monroe, North Carolina, Ludwig takes great care in selecting only the finest quality materials for Classic Maple drums. This process starts with select North American maple. The maple is cut into panels. The outside panel is 1.8mm thick, two-ply, cross-laminated maple. The center panel is 2.4mm thick, three-ply, cross-laminated maple. The inside panel is 1.8mm thick, two-ply, cross-laminated maple. This gives the 7-ply shells a total thickness of 6 mm.

All Ludwig Classic Maple drums feature bearing edges that are cut to a 45 degree angle within 1/16” from the outside edge. The sharp edges are rounded by light sanding for a smooth even surface. This process results in what is the unmistakable signature Ludwig sound.

Classic Maple Drum Options

Finish – Choose from 25 eye-catching finishes varying from Vintage Pearl and Sparkle Wraps, Gloss Lacquers and exclusive Exotic Veneers, all of which demand attention.

Bass Drum Legs – Choose from Classic Curved spurs or Elite Telescoping spurs.

Lugs – Choose from Mini-Classic, Classic or single-piece “Long” lugs.

Heads – All Classic Maple drums come standard with Ludwig WeatherMaster heads. A variety of head options are available (clear, coated, silver dot, etc) depending on the size and type of drum.

Badges - The Keystone, Ludwig’s Company Icon, is standard on all Classic Maple Drums and Components. The oval badge replicates one of Ludwig & Ludwig’s earliest badge designs from the 1920’s and comes standard on Classic Maple drums with exotic finishes.

Bass Drum Mounts – Choose a virgin bass drum, Modular Double, Classic Double, Single Rocker or the new Rail Consolette mount.

Vibra-Band Tom Mounts – Ludwig’s new Vibra-Band tom mounting system, features a sleek, small profile mounting plate. The Vibra-Band allows the drum to “float” freely for maximum uninhibited resonance. Shown with an Elite bracket.

Here at DCP, we regularly stock several Classic Maple snare drums and drum kits. See the images and videos below for a few examples. Give us a call at 603-319-8109 if you have any questions.

Ludwig 6.5×14 Classic Maple Snare Drum in Natural Maple Gloss

Ludwig 6.5×14 Classic Maple Exotic Santos Rosewood Snare Drum | Buy This Drum!

Ludwig Classic Maple Rock Drum Set – 14×24, 9×13, 16×16 | Buy This Set!

Shell Construction
All Ludwig Legacy Exotic drums feature an Exotic Veneer over 1/32” Maple Outer Ply with the standard Legacy Classic 1/8” American Poplar Core Ply, 1/16” Maple Inner Ply, 1/8” Solid Maple Reinforcement Rings shell combination underneath. The Legacy’s rounded bearing edge draws full, focused lows from inner and outer Maple plies and cuts unwanted overtones for superior tone and clarity.

Exotic Veneers
Black Limba – The Black Limba veneer traces its origins to the heart of Africa. By far the most complex of the Legacy veneers, African Black Limba’s vertical grain is offset by its vibrant diagonal quilting pattern.

Sumauma – The Sumauma veneer has its roots in the Amazonian rainforests of Brazil. A dark Amazon hardwood with a deep horizontal grain, Sumauma’s marbled textural figuring compliments its complex visual variation.

Lacewood – The Lacewood veneer comes from the Australian Outback. A hardwood with orange and brown hues and a complex, shifting quilted nature. The heavy grain in Lacewood is likened to fish scales, in that it appears to “move” when light catches it.

Below you will find some samples of past and present Ludwig Legacy Exotic Drums we have (had) in stock. Give us a call at 603-319-8109 with any questions!

Ludwig Legacy Exotic 6.5×14 Lacewood Snare Drum | Buy This Drum!

Ludwig Legacy Classic are made from choice cuts of hand- selected North American hardwoods. A core ply of premium Poplar yields warmth and resonance while cross- laminated inner and outer plies of Maple deliver power and clarity. This proven design is then augmented with 1/4” single-ply Maple reinforcement hoops and rounded classic-cut bearing edges for thundering lows and pronounced articulation, suitable for any musical style.

The Legacy Classic Series are now available in expanded sizes and finish options for the consummate professional.

Here at the Drum Center of Portsmouth, we are attempting to keep Legacy Classic drums in stock at all times. However, giving the lengthy process in crafting these excellent drums, there are often times when we do not have any kits or snares on hand. Give us a call at 603-319-8109 to find out more about Ludwig Legacy Classic drums.

Ludwig Legacy Classic 6.5×14 Snare Drum in Green Sparkle

Ludwig Legacy Classic Drum Set – Bonham Setup

The Bonham set up features a 14×26 bass drum, 10×14 hanging tom, 16×16 floor tom, and 16×18 floor tom. Along with the 3-Ply Legacy Classic Shell and Natural Maple Gloss finish, the kit has Classic Lugs, Classic Brackets, Classic Curved Spurs and Classic T rods. This one sold in just two hours after we unboxed it, but we’ve got another one on the way, should be in early October (2010!).

Tune in each and every Sunday to check out the latest and greatest rides, hats, and crashes from Bosphorus, Istanbul Agop, Paiste, Istanbul Mehmet, Meinl, and more! Ladies and Gentlemen, may we present with no further adieu… “This Week in Cymbals, August 8th, 2010″

Istanbul Agop 24″ Turk Ride Cymbal, 2726 grams | Buy it Now

Istanbul Agop 20″ Turk Jazz Ride Cymbal, 1537 grams | Buy it Now

Istanbul Agop 19″ Signature Ride Cymbal, 1654 grams | Buy it Now

Istanbul Agop 18″ Signature Crash Cymbal, 1029 grams | Buy it Now

Istanbul Agop 17″ Signature Crash Cymbal, 990 grams | Buy it Now

Istanbul Agop 15″ Jazz Special Edition Hi Hat Cymbals, Top 859 grams / Bottom 1139 grams | Buy it Now

Keep in mind, this is just the first batch of pies. More to come next Sunday. Stay Tuned!

Shinichi Usuda Visits the Drum Center of Portsmouth

When we started carrying Canopus drums, we knew they would be popular, but the excitement that has been generated in recent months is well beyond our expectations. Shane’s conversation with Mr. Usuda covered a variety of topics from the manufacturing process of Canopus drums, how Mr. Usuda designed and built proprietary machinery to craft his magnificent solid-ply shells, the introduction of the new Canopus Sword series drums, as well as future products coming down the pipeline.

Anybody who talks with Shane about snare drums for more than five minutes is sure to hear the word “Zelkova” mentioned more than once. The Zelkova snare drum is Canopus’ flagship snare drum model. You can read more about Canopus Zelkova snare drums and the manufacturing process here. If you’re not interested in reading, just watch Shane demonstrate a 14×6.5 Zelkova snare drum in the video below.

If you would like to buy one of these amazing Canopus Zelkova snare drums, give Shane a call at 603.319.8109 or pick one up from our eBay store.

Lucky for drummers, Canopus is far from a one-trick pony. In the photo above, Mr. Usuda is holding one of the VERY limited Block Rosewood snare drums. In addition to Block Rosewood, Canopus offers solid-ply models in Walnut, Bubinga and Soft Maple. Canopus also offers a wide variety of ply and metal snares in maple, birch, mahogany, brass, bronze, steel, and carbon fiber.

If you are not content with owning only a Canopus snare drum, rest assured a number of drum kits are offered with different shell types and configurations. The newest and most exciting is the Japanese Sword Model which features North American maple shells, a new lug design, classic finishes and a very modest price point. We currently have a Japanese Sword Model bop kit in stock, the very setup that was recently the subject of rave reviews in the August 2010 issue of Modern Drummer magazine.

To learn more about Canopus Drums, visit their website or read this recent interview with Mr. Usuda in DRUM! magazine.

Stop by today and check out these incredible drums!

Shane had this to say about the visit, “I have to say, this will be one of my most favorite memories ever. So cool! Vinnie is easily one of the nicest, coolest guys I have ever encountered. He called the day before and wound up walking 2 miles just to come find the shop. He had told me he had been watching our videos on YouTube. If anything makes me self conscious about my playing, it’s that!! He came in, and we pulled down a bunch of snares and starting playing. Halfway through the shootout I realized who I was tuning these drums for. It was pretty crazy. He is out with Herbie Hancock and I wound up going to the show, and he texted me within 5 minutes after so we could hang. I was really blown away at what a super guy he is. Being in the industry for 11 years I have met most all of my heroes but I had never met Vinnie. And I have a memory I will NEVER forget.”

Shane with Vinnie Colaiuta

A Year in the Life

What a difference a year can make!

Join us on Saturday, June 12 as we celebrate DCP’s first full year in business. You could even call it our first anniversary! RSVP HERE

Thanks to you, our most excellent customers, it has truly been an amazing year. When we opened DCP in 2009, we did so doing our best to acknowledge that we are just one small part of a big family. We pledged to provide the best service possible and to treat you, our customers, as we would expect to be treated ourselves. In a sense, you might say we intend DCP to be a shop for the people, by the people.

The next step in our commitment to building a strong community is to invite you to help make DCP a shop that is truly “by the people.” We want you to tell us how we can improve your DCP experience. We want to know what brilliant ideas you’ve got cooking, what areas you think DCP needs to focus on improving, and where you would like to see us go in the near future.

To stimulate your brain, we will be serving FREE BBQ from Mojo’s BBQ right here in Portsmouth. For those of you not familiar with Mojo’s, it is easily one of, if not the best BBQ joint on the seacoast. We will also provide non-alcoholic beverages to quench your thirst.

Of course, what would an anniversary sale be without some sort of crazy sale and product specials? Rest assured, we will have many items priced much lower than we are allowed to advertise.

If FREE BBQ and a HUGE SALE are not enough to get you out of the house, we will also be holding a raffle for all that attend, giving away drums, cymbals, hardware, and more! The current list of prizes includes a Gretsch Catalina drum kit, Craviotto snare drum, and Paiste Giant Beat cymbals with more to be added soon.

Come in, have some food, give us a piece of your mind and check out all the gear we have on offer. It’s going to be a special day and all are welcome!

RSVP HERE

What: DCP 1st Anniversary Celebration
Where: The DCP Mothership – 800 Islington St #4, Portsmouth, NH
When: Saturday, June 12, 10am-5pm