Setting the Bar High | The British Drum Company Way
When it comes to drum manufacturing, the British Drum Company stands tall as one of the best to ever do it — if not THE BEST. The sound quality, visual aesthetics, and attention to detail applied in making each and every BDC drum are just already absolutely glorious on their own.
If you ever plan on visiting the British Drum Company factory one of these days, prepare to be blown away. Wait until you see how intricate their process is in manufacturing drums — every single ply of the drum shell is cut and lined up so perfectly that it almost doesn’t need any glue! Oh, and did you know that BDC also makes their own molds for their drum shells? Yes, and they also do it with astonishing attention to detail! See? These are just some of the reasons why the British Drum Company already made its mark in the drum industry. They produce some of the best-looking and sounding drums you could ever find — and it certainly shows! Today, we at the Drum Center of Portsmouth prepared a glorious British Drum Company showcase featuring three (3) categorically stunning BDC drum sets for you to enjoy.
Buckle up as we dive deeper into the specs, features, and details of each ultra high-end BDC drum set and of course — give you a glimpse of how they sound live through the video. So, what are you waiting for? Come and join us, the LARGEST INDEPENDENTLY OWNED DRUM STORE IN THE WORLD, as we go over some of the British Drum Company’s finest drum sets!
The Founder’s Reserve Series | British Drum Company’s Ultra Exclusive Drum Sets
As the British Drum Company said — the Founder’s Reserve Series is unlike anything you’ve ever seen. These are the ultimate high-end drum sets which are essentially one-offs and exceptionally unique. That being said, you can only find these precious gems from selected dealers all over the world. And guess what? Drum Center of Portsmouth is one of them!
The Founder’s Reserve Series is a perfect testament to the British Drum Company’s unparalleled expertise and dedication to quality. Each kit is manufactured featuring high-quality materials, meticulous processes, and of course — world-class craftsmanship. Well, I hope you’re all set and ready because we’re about to explore three of these masterpieces right now!
Starting off this list is the absolutely gorgeous British Drum Company Founder’s Reserve Birch 4-PC Drum Set sporting a head-turning “ Ebony Veneer ” finish. This kit includes a 12x8 rack tom, 14x14 and 16 x 16 floor toms, and a 22x16 bass drum. This kit is made of 10-ply, 6mm birch shells that are very dynamic and have a lot of body. You can also tune them up or down with absolute ease!
Now, the aesthetics of the Ebony Veneer drum set is just — breathtaking! It’s god-tier and can really catch the attention of anyone, no doubt. You can see the intricate badges of the British Drum Company and the special Founder’s Reserve Series outside of the drum. But on the inside — you’ll notice that there are three badges which are your serial number, the British Drum Company logo, and a cut-out badge of the Founder’s Reserve Series. Oh, and you know what? Even the washers used for the kit are extra special because they’re laser-etched wood and feature the name BDC. They also used hex-screws for the lugs to help you avoid stripping them out in case you want to polish your shells or for what reason.
See what I mean? The details, man. You’d realize that the British Drum Company team put a lot of thought into making this masterpiece. And it shows. Just wait ‘til you hear its excellent sound!
British Drum Company Nicko McBrain Signature Talisman 14x6.5 Snare Drum
The snare drum we’ve paired with the “Ebony Veneer” is this British Drum Company Nicko McBrain Signature “Talisman” 14x6.5 Snare Drum which is equally gorgeous and excellent. It’s made of a seamless spun British steel shell, 2.3mm triple-flanged hoops, round-over bearing edges, 42-strand wires, and Code drum heads. The “ Talisman ” has a lot of tone with loud and vibrant sounds. And the best part? This beast of a snare drum is designed by one of the most badass metal drummers in the world — Nicko McBrain himself!
Coming straight up with a beautiful “ Donington ” finish is the British Drum Company Legend Ultra 3PC Club Drum Set which certainly poses a commanding presence on stage. The Donington’s exotic Black Ash outer veneer with a Cherry Wood central stripe accented by hand-cut matching pinstripes perfectly resembles BDC’s mastery in drum making. I mean — how could you ever resist this beauty?
This British Drum Company drum set consists of a 16x16 floor tom with legs, a 13x9 rack tom with a Palladium bracket, and a 24x16 bass drum WITHOUT a mount. The drums are made of 10-ply, 100% Scandinavian Birch which are cross-laminated and cold-press molded into a 6mm shell. The result? An ultra-strong shell featuring 45° bearing edges that are precisely cut to perfection! Then, all of these magnificent shells are then draped into an immaculate, hand-crafted outer veneer of several different exotic wood species. Once again — the details, man. The British Drum Company just never fails to amaze us with their craftsmanship.
The “Donington” packs a naturally lower fundamental tone because of its shell composition along with an immediate attack and a controlled sustain. But probably the greatest strength of this British Drum Company kit is its versatility — it has an extremely wide tuning range allowing you to seamlessly tune up for clean delicate highs or dial down to get deep and punchy bass drum sounds anytime you want. With the “Donington” in your arsenal, you can effortlessly conquer any stage or studio you perform at. What a BEAST!
British Drum Company “Aviator” 14x6.5 Snare Drum
Now, what would be the best snare drum to compliment the “Donington”? Well, that would be no other than the “ Aviator ” itself. This British Drum Company 14x6.5 Snare Drum certainly steals the spotlight along with its Palladium hardware being the first aluminum snare drum that BDC has ever released. You might be wondering — “Why’s it called the Aviator ”?
For one, this aluminum snare drum is inspired by the graceful lines and metal profiles of classic aviation history. But mainly to inspire and manifest your playing to reach stratospheric heights! The “Aviator” packs a full range of crisp, clean sounds to suit all types of performances. Just exactly what you need with the “Donington”!
Finally, we have this MASSIVE British Drum Company Founder’s Reserve Birch 7PC Drum Set featuring the “ Fumed Eucalyptus Stripe ” finish that’s just unbelievably stunning.
This ultra-high-end masterpiece by the British Drum Company screams perfection in all of its angles. The brilliant combination of the natural clear lacquer center stripe paired with the darker lacquer above and below displays BDC’s premier creativity. Not to mention the two hand-cut black and white pinstripes accenting the drum as well which are a “chef’s kiss” regarding the drum’s aesthetics. It’s visually stunning, believe me. You’d also be blown away once you see it in person!
The “Fumed Eucalyptus Stripe” comes PACKED with seven pieces of hardware namely: 8x7, 10x7, and 12x8 rack toms, 14x14 and 16x16 floor toms, a 22x16 bass drum, and a perfectly sized 20x8 gong drum. Yes, you read that right! A gong drum indeed. It’s kind of rare to see gong drums being part of drum sets but adding this one to the kit is actually genius. It opens up tons of possibilities and really maximizes the versatility of the “ Fumed Eucalyptus Stripe ”. The British Drum Company really outdid themselves with this one and it’s absolutely bound to be one of the most iconic kits in the world of drums.
British Drum Company Nicko McBrain Signature “The Icarus” 14x6.5 Snare Drum
Designed to perfectly compliment the legendary “Fumed Eucalyptus Stripe” is no other than “ The Icarus ” itself. In Greek Mythology, Icarus was known to be the son of master craftsman Daedalus. True enough, this British Drum Company Nicko McBrain Signature 14x6.5 Snare Drum is indeed a product of British Drum Company's undeniably divine craftsmanship. It’s made of 10 plies of cold-pressed black oak shell with a Black Fishtail Oak outer veneer, 2.3mm triple-flanged hoops, 45° bearing edges, 42-strand wires, and also Code drum heads.
A Glimpse of the Ultra High-End | Grab one of these excellent British Drum Company kits from DCP!
And that’s it! Those were the three ultra high-end drum sets from British Drum Company that you can find here at the Drum Center of Portsmouth — the LARGEST independently-owned drum store. IN. THE. WORLD!
Want an in-depth head-to-head comparison featuring the actual performance and sound quality of these amazing high-end drum sets by the British Drum Company? Well, your wish is our command. Catch the live performance of these high-end kits by checking out this video and let our drum experts show you the performance of each.
Are you still looking for more remarkable drums and percussion instruments to add to your collection? Feel free to visit our website www.drumcenternh.com or subscribe to our YouTube channel Drum Center of Portsmouth for more amazing content. See ya around!
Take a look at some more British Drum Company items!
Can’t get enough of those excellent high-end drum sets brought to life by the British Drum Company? Don’t worry because we’ve got a whole lot more of their items waiting just for you! Make sure to check them out here:
