High quality snare drum made from solid wood M drums

■ What is M drums?

M drums is a completely made-to-order drum brand that was founded by Mr. Horiuchi, a first-class architect and designer of authentic Japanese-style houses, who loves drums.
Drum production started with the creation of the first machine about 10 years ago, by repeatedly disassembling, assembling, and modifying numerous famous drums, and researching know-how on drum production.
Since then, it has been produced repeatedly through numerous prototypes.

■ Commitment to solid wood

Plywood and veneer, which are commonly used for drum shells, are forced into a cylindrical shape by heat, steam, etc., which puts stress on the wood, and it is thought that the wood is not in its original state. M drums aims to bring out the pure sound inherent in wood by developing unique construction methods such as the reinforcement rib construction method and block solid construction method in order to realize the ultimate drum shell, which is a drum shell molding that does not put stress on the material. To prevent the risk of the shell deforming over time, we use thorough drying and seasoning processes to prevent it to the maximum extent possible.

■ Lineup

There are two types available, the ``KURINUKI'' series and the ``BLOCK'' series, depending on the condition of the raw material wood.
Both series are basically made to order, so there is no specific model setting, but it is possible to select the material, size, and parts of your choice.
The snare drums they have made so far include domestic materials such as zelkova, oak, cherry tree, and camphor tree, as well as imported materials such as bubinga, mahogany, and purple heart.

■KURINUKI SERIES

It is manufactured by hollowing out the lean part of a log and molding it into an extremely thin shell (8 to 10 mm) + reinforcement. Although it is hollow, it features a clear, natural sound that allows you to feel the rumble of the body. A machined reinforcement rib (bulged part in the center of the shell) is available as an option. The carved ribs produced using the reinforcement rib construction method are strong and have a unique presence, raising them to the level of works of art and making them a one-and-only musical instrument.
*Reinforcement ribs are a collaboration work with Hiromi Yamanoue, No. 154 Miyazaki Prefecture Traditional Craftsman (Miyazaki Potter's Wheel Crafts), and are carved under the supervision of Mr. Yamanoue.

■BLOCK SERIES

It is manufactured using the block solid construction method, which allows for ideal shell molding without any stress on the wood, by using ``hirazanetsugi'' at the joints to make the thickness as thin as possible. This is a construction method in which a small number of 2 to 10 blocks of various materials are joined together and then carved into a shell shape. The thin (8 to 10 mm) shell produces a clear, natural sound with a strong body rumble.

*Zanetsugi is a method in which a groove called a sanemizo is cut in the common position of both ends of the wood, which will be the joint surfaces, and a separate sanemizo is made to match the groove, which is then sandwiched and joined. The bonding area increases and the bonding force increases compared to simply butting two planes together.

M drums eJPC registered item list
M drums are the ultimate handcrafted drums made by skilled craftsmen who know everything about drums. In order to create the ultimate drum, we have developed unique construction methods such as the hollow shell + reinforcement rib construction method and the block solid construction method, making it possible to mold the drum shell without stressing the material and aiming to bring out the pure sound inherent in wood.
 

■ What is your impression of the sound?

In the conventional hollow shell manufacturing method using solid wood, the shells were often made quite thick to ensure roundness and strength, which gave the impression that young instruments that had just been made produced a rather hard sound that lacked fullness.
M drums' shells are made to be thin while still maintaining strength through the use of the original processing method mentioned above, so when I first heard the sound, I was expecting a solid and heavy sound based on my preconceived notions of conventional hollow-shell snare drums, so to be honest, I felt an indescribable sense of discomfort. However, this was simply because it was a feeling that didn't exist within me (all aspects such as touch and sound), and as I tried it out more and more, that feeling of discomfort disappeared.
It's hard to know how to explain it, but I'd say it's a coexistence of clear, responsive, fat, and powerful, and there's no doubt that once you experience its raw sound, you'll understand that it's an instrument with untold potential.
Many drummers tried out the device at a trial event held at the Drum City store, and it received high praise.

■ We spoke to representative Mr. Horiuchi about the M drums he produced.

Please tell us how you came to make drums.

I started playing drums when I was in middle school, and in high school I was cutting and painting snare shells. Since then, we have been collecting famous drums and high-end drums, disassembling them, assembling them, and repairing defects for about 40 years.
We produced our first original snare drum in 2013, and after much research, we began full-scale production of snare drums in 2021, when we reached the age of 55. It has been well received and used by drummers of various genres such as rock, jazz, and Latin.

What are the characteristics of M drums?

We are particular about using solid wood, and our goal is to create the ultimate drum with a thin shell and a resonating body. The drums are made by cutting logs available locally in Kyushu into rounds and then hollowing them out.
In order to make the shell thickness as thin as possible, it is manufactured using the reinforcement rib construction method (registered as a utility model).

Materials that cannot be obtained as logs (foreign materials such as bubinga, walnut, and mahogany) are manufactured using the block solid construction method (stave shell of 2 to 10 blocks) that has obtained a utility model.

Many people who have tried M drums have commented that the feel is soft, the volume is loud, the sound is clear, and the sound is delicate.

Please tell us about your future prospects.

Based on the opinions and advice of concert percussion staff at retailers and orchestral players, we are planning to develop and sell a model Orchestral specifically for orchestras and wind instruments.
Furthermore, we are currently developing a hollowed-out drum set.
We aim to create musical instruments that will make people smile when they play M drums.

M drums | official website
M drums are the ultimate handcrafted drums made by skilled craftsmen who know everything about drums. We are particular about using solid wood instead of common plywood, and we manufacture our drums completely to order with the theme of creating the ultimate drum. We produced our first original snare drum in 2013, and after much research, we started M drums in April 2021.
 

Makoto Horiuchi Profile

Born in Osaka and raised in Miyazaki Prefecture, he is an all-around drummer with 42 years of drum experience. He is particularly good at jazz and Latin drumming.
In addition to working as a first-class architect at a construction company that builds authentic Japanese-style houses, he performs live with his own band not only in Miyazaki Prefecture but also in various places, and in 2018 he will release a leader album ``What Is This?''.
In 2013, we produced the first original snare drum, and after further research, we started as M drums in April 2021.