Some manufacturers glue a plastic strip over the seam to hold the acrylic together. The seam of the drum shell is then glued, tabbed or acrylic-welded together. In recent years, Thomas Lang, Jon Theodore and Mike Portnoy have played acrylic drum kits on high-profile tours and during clinics.ДЄcrylic drums are made by heating and bending a sheet of material into a cylindrical drum shell. In 1975, Keith Moon infamously showcased an acrylic setup with goldfish visible inside one of his drums on the television show Midnight Special. Other drummers who have performed on acrylic kits include Ringo Starr, Karen Carpenter, Nick Mason of Pink Floyd, Lionel Hampton and Billy Cobham. John Bonham famously played Vistalite acrylic drums in the 1970s. Choosing a double-ply clear drum head will give you better durability than a single-ply, and power dots in the center of clear heads can further extend the lifespan in hard-hitting situations.

With clear acrylic drum shells, many drummers choose clear drum heads over the coated type to maximize transparent surfaces on the kit. Acrylic drums can be used in diverse situations and musical styles, despite the association with loud or brash playing. Often the acrylic difference is 'heard' with the eyes more than the ears. In a blind sound test within the context of a band, most drummers probably couldnвЂ™t tell the difference between acrylic and non-acrylic drums. However - as with any drum - the drumheads, tuning, sticks and microphones used to create and capture the sound make a huge difference to the overall tone and feel. A well-tuned acrylic snare drum can deliver a ton of sonic 'crack' and projection. Ludwig brought re-issued Vistalites onto the market in 2001, complete with an amber-colored replica of John BonhamвЂ™s 1970s kit.Д¬ompared to wooden drums, acrylic shells have a louder, punchier sound. Two popular acrylic offerings include Tama's Mirage range and SonorвЂ™s X-Ray range. Companies such as Zickos and Fibes were some of the first to consistently offer acrylic drums, and modern companies such as C&C and Pork Pie have now joined the mix. Ludwig ended production of the original Vistalites in 1979, partly in response to the increasing cost of acrylic materials as oil prices rose.

While Bill Zickos made an experimental acrylic drumset in the late '50s, the glory days of acrylic drums didnвЂ™t arrive until the '70s, when Ludwig issued the Vistalite range. The acrylic drums of the 1970s are prized as collectibles, while contemporary acrylic drums offer sturdy construction and a broad palette of sounds to put to use. Even better, they have the added benefit of finally letting the audience actually see the drummer. Acrylic drums look amazing while offering the drummer a powerful sound and big projection. When it comes to drums, plastic can be fantastic.

Fibes drums acrylic