rom any others available today.
It would be safe to say that this system is the only reason we are in business!
Take an empty drinking glass, tap it and listen to its sustain.
Then, lightly hold the glass and tap it again…a very different sound. You’ve killed the natural sustain of the glass.
This simple exercise actually demonstrates the physical impact lugs and bolted fittings have on any given drum shell. Without the restrictions placed on it by sometimes more than twenty bolted fittings, the drum shell can now resonate to it’s full potential.
Obviously, this is going to give you much more sustain in note length, increased volume levels (which in turn gives you more control over the instrument), and another benefit of our system is a massive amount of tone.
There are another two other major benefits to the Sleishman System also.
The first being our drums are an absolute ease to tune!
Due to the unique way our system works, both top and bottom drum heads are in complete sync with each other at all times. Here's how it works:
Our suspension system sits outside of the drum shell just like a cage. The top head sits on the shell and is fitted to each tuning rod via tension screws, much the same as standard drums attach the top head to bolted lug fittings (Ouch! Poor shell!)
The bottom head is fitted to the drum via tension screws that are received by the suspension ring. The tuning rods that in turn receive tension from the top head are also attached to the suspension ring. Apart from allowing you to tune the drum without impeding its shell, you get a sound free of annoying overtones as both the top and bottom heads actually work together to give the drum a constant, pure note.
The suspension ring at the bottom of the drum acts much like a timpani web. The pitch of the entire bottom head is brought up evenly whenever tension is placed on the top head via any tuning rod. This also occurs in reverse.
In essence, the drum stays completely in tune with itself at all times.
A permanent tuning ‘sweet spot' is what you have to play with, at any tension. All you need to do is maintain even tension around the drum at your desired pitch, and you have the most pure drum tone possible.
For those of us that like to get a ‘pitch bend' out of the drum, this is quite easily achieved by detuning any tension screw on the drum until the desired ‘bend' is heard.
Another major benefit of our suspension system is that you can change your shell type at any time!
Provided it is the same size as your system, you can go from maple to birch, padouk to jarrah- or any shell type for that matter, just by removing the top drum head.
As the shell is floating free between the heads, it just lifts out allowing another shell to take its place instantly. Then, all you do is replace the top drum head, tune the drum to where you like and off you go with a brand new sound!
If you ever find yourself doing this with a Sleishman drum, we thoroughly recommend you only use a Sleishman shell for optimum sound. Our bearing edge specifications are unique and are proven to provide the best possible platform for a Sleishman shell to resonate at a perfect level.
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Comments
Posted On
Feb 14, 2010Posted By
Hi. i am making my own 12x5 and 14x6 inch jarrah block snares and would really like to use your free floating system to complement the sound! Would you mind letting me know if i am able to purchase just the systems from you.
I am in australia.
Thanks you!
Posted On
Feb 24, 2010Posted By
David SleishmanHi Andy,
I'm sure your snare shells are going to be nice. However, we do not supply systems alone. Our bearing edge profiles and snare beds are made to suit our drums alone.
Possibly, we could cut the edges and bed's for you... then fit the systems.
email info
Thanks,
David
Posted On
Sep 23, 2010Posted By
I am just plain stoked that you're finally beginning to distribute in the States. I lived in Melbourne, Victoria for a year back in '06, and took drum lessons from Tony Floyd, who turned me on to these drums. I've been trying to afford one ever since.
I finally bought one on ebay a few months ago... a gorgeous "ironwood" stave shell 14x5 snare. it's about an inch thick, and it just melts my heart... after kicking in my teeth a bit.
But I'd like to clarify exactly what kind of wood is this drum? It was sold as "Ironwood." Is this the actual species or is it a slang term for a any hard wood, like Jarrah? I've got the serial number handy, if that would assist you in answering my question.
Posted On
Oct 31, 2010Posted By
David SleishmanHi Alex,
Great to hear you finally grabbed one of our snares!
Tony is a legend. You must have had some fun lessons with him
Ironwood is a species of timber located in the north of Australia. It's especially dense and makes for cracking and bright snare drums.
We don't make many of those babies, so you have a rare gem there.
email me... info
Cheers,
David
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