25 years of building musical instruments!

2009 is a jubilee year for me and at the same time for Kumu Drums, as I started the company in 1984. Initially, the name was Soitinverstas Kunikunda (Instrument shop Kunikunda), and the first instruments for sale were five-string kanteles (traditional Finnish harps), shaman and frame drums and other percussion instruments. The product selection was extended to other drums, and in addition I also made string instruments and tuned pianos. In the 1990s, I concentrated only on drums, and in the late 90s the name of the company became Kumu, which was later changed into its current form, Kumu Drums.

To honor the jubilee year, a new snare drum model made of Finnish curly birch will be added to the catalog. I aim to keep the curly birch models available after the jubilee year, too.

The curly birch models are available in 14″x 5,5″ and 14″x 6,5″. A special feature in these snare drums and their hoops is a horizontal top ply, as usually in special-ply drums the top ply runs vertically. The curly birch snares ordered during 2009 will be numbered, and I will be making as many of them as I have time for. The drums come with the SatinSound finishing and are priced at 1,250 euros.

If you need help in designing your own kit, it’s worth reading the “Tips for choosing the right drum sizes” section.

Curly birch (Betula pendula var. carelica)

Curly-grained wood is a seed-transmitted variety, and it’s born as a result of mutation. Curly birches are nearly always silver birches. The variation creates wider than normal core grains into the wood, as well as unusually oriented cell tissue. Brown curly-wood cells often form a V-shape in a cross section. The wood is tightly grained and heavy.Curly birch grows naturally only in Europe, and even here it’s found in small specific areas, mostly in southern Finland.Curly birch is the most valuable timber species in Finland. It was already used at the czar’s court for luxurious furniture. And now it’s available for Kumus as well.