I remember back a few years i ran into these drums , my friend has a drum shop in montreal quebec canada , i think he told me they were made in quebec canada ,
There was an Impact in Canada, which was a bit of a headache for the US company who also had distribution there. No relation though.
Bermuda
Bermuda,Thanks for posting. I've never seen a double headed Impact kit, at least not that I am aware of. Do you know what their though process was regarding the "hand hole" on the front of the shell?
They had 2-headed toms (Laser series) when I first met them in 1985, but their signature was the concert tom cutaway (Lightning series.)
[img]http://www.bermudaschwartz.com/images/impblack.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.bermudaschwartz.com/images/folds.jpg[/img]
(Ben Folds played piano on an Al track, but he can also plays drums.)
[img]http://www.bermudaschwartz.com/images/kit070505.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.bermudaschwartz.com/images/mfn3.jpg[/img]
They marketed marching drums to schools (and OEM'd the McCormick's Ultralite drums) because they were very light, and and younger players could carry them more easily. The "sound holes" were meant accentuate the attack on the field, although with a cutaway concert tom, there was already plenty of that. But as evidenced in the photos above, not every drum got that treatment.
I think they were also doing it in their 2-headed toms at the time, which made more sense, and it was my suggestion that they put a hole in the kick shell to allow using an internal mic while preserving the look and sonic integrity of the reso head. So AFAIK, the concept of a vented kick started with me around 1986. :)
[img]http://www.bermudaschwartz.com/images/impvents.jpg[/img]
Bermuda
Bermuda is that a aluminum trim ring around the holes? Nice touch if it is and better than plastic I'd think. Cool drums too thanks for the history lesson on them.
The trim is just plastic auto trim. I remember wanting some for another project, and got something almost identical at Pep Boys. :)
Good to know thanks. I bet it's a lot easier to work with than aluminum. Those are some nice kits you have too!
Excellent thread and photos. Nothing like getting schooled by the pros!
Unrelated, but if anyone likes or needs the lugs on those Impact drums, I have tons of them - brand new, for sale.
There was an Impact in Canada, which was a bit of a headache for the US company who also had distribution there. No relation though.Bermuda
Thanks Bermuda for the up date. 2 drum company's with the same name , that's not good. Now i know why the canadian impact drum company went down , too bad the looked well made.
Actually, three companies with the same name...
There was an Impakt electronic drum company in 1975 or 76, they had a Portland, Oregon address, but I don't know if the pads were made there.
I used to have a set, in a big flight case, and got rid of them 20 years ago because I needed the space. I don't know if they actually worked. But I do have the literature that came with them. :)
Bermuda
I'm glad that Impact is still making bags. I think they're terrific, especially the hardware bag I bought around '96 that is still going strong(I'd really only heard of them because of Jon's endorsement). I don't see them much in stores. Who is their distributor now, or are they online only?
Dan
