DW Drums founder Don Lombardi began devising drum accessories, such as seats and bass drum pedals, in the late 70’s, attracting the business of such superlative musicians as Frank Zappa’s drummer Vinnie Caliuta. He and John Good began crafting entire DW drum sets in the mid-80’s, eventually astounding drummer Tommy Lee who became a DW Drums endorser. DW hand crafts 21 varieties of exotic wood grain drums which come in their natural exquisite colors, or can be bursted or faded over with 46 lacquer colors. But more than the incredible aesthetic of DW Drums is their amazing sound, featuring unusual depth and resonance. Although DW Drums are costly, new sets starting at almost 3K, the general consensus among drummers is that they are simply superb. Read more about DW Drums and access press releases at http://www.dwdrums.com/. 

Friedrich Gretsch opened his first drum shop in Brooklyn, the year 1883. To this day, Gretsch remains a family enterprise, carrying on its’ reputation as a unique and classy maker of drums, using mainly maple, but also other wood varieties such as ash and birch, with die cast hoops and GTS suspension systems for toms. Throughout the 20th Century, Gretsch drums were played by many jazz drummers including such icons as Elvin Jones and Max Roach. Although Gretsch has a traditional jazzy look, they also construct multiple rock and funk drum sets, attracting more modern drummers than you could shake a stick at, including Charlie Watts of The Rolling Stones, Bill Rieflin of R.E.M., and Stanton Moore of Galactic. Prices span the spectrum on Gretsch drums, with entry level kits starting as low as $600 and advanced, primo kits costing upwards of $5,000. For more Gretsch info visit http://gretschdrums.com/. 

Pearl is one of the more modern and popular drum makers on the planet today. They have developed a technique in crafting their premium line of drums, The Reference Series, which involves using varying kinds of wood in varying numbers of layers, as particular to each drum—including toms, snares and bass drums—in order to create the most optimal sounding full drum kit possible. Endorsed by monster drummer Dennis Chamberlain, Pearl has a solid edge on the modern drumming market today. Founded by Katsumi Yanagisawa in Tokyo, the year 1946, Pearl has grown astronomically as a manufacturer not only of drums, but also flutes, as well as latin and timpani percussion instruments. Pearl drums are priced to match drummer’s needs; their beginner kits starting at around $600, and their top shelf, double-bass drum kits costing as much as $7,000. For more info visit http://www.pearldrum.com/.

Founded in 1909, over a century ago, Ludwig is one of the most vintage drum makers in the world. Played most notably by Led Zeppelin’s legendary drummer John Bonham, Ludwig drums have a profound place in rock n’ roll history. Although Bonham played the memorable classic amber Vistalite kit introduced in 1972, Ludwig offers eight other lines of drum kits including the Legacy Classic Silver Sparkle kit, which comes in 19 other colors, as well as a Classic Maple Series kit. All of Ludwig’s upper echelon drums are made of maple, sometimes mixing in layers of poplar, with prices running into the thousands. Their more affordable drums, such as the Element and Accent Series, feature mixes of gumwood and cherry, and can be purchased for under a thousand. Read more about Ludwig drums at http://www.ludwig-drums.com/, and see press releases at http://www.ludwig-drums.com/news/.

Zildjian is unquestionably the most superior and well-respected makers of cymbals on the planet. Their tradition of metallurgy in crafting cymbals dates back to 1623, when Avedis Zildjian pursued the art of alchemy in Constantinople, Turkey. Since that time, Zildjian has remained a family run business for fourteen generations, making it the oldest family run business in the world. Apart from its distinctive history, is the utterly supreme quality of the Zildjian cymbal sound. From rock/pop, to jazz/fusion, to Latin/World genres, there are simply more professional drummers that play Zildjian cymbals than those that don’t.  Zildjian offers hundreds of varieties of cymbals, from crash to splash, ride and hi-hat cymbals, and is constantly innovating to create new tones and effects in cymbal sounds. You can locate Zildjian cymbals at most any music shop that sells drum equipment. For more info, visit http://www.zildjian.com/.

Paiste is a top shelf modern cymbal maker that first offered its cymbals in Germany, 1947, but truly established itself in 1981 with the opening of its company in the United States. Over the years, Paiste has invented new kinds of cymbals, such as the wavy-edged bottom hi-hat cymbal (1967), un-lathed, hammered cymbals (1980), and the downward turned edge on Chinese style cymbals (1983). Paiste strives for excellence with a wide range of cymbals made of combinations of copper, tin, nickel and zinc, which, according to their admixtures, produce unique cymbal sounds. With 11 main series of cymbals offered in hundreds of varieties of size, shape and tone, Paiste describes their overall cymbal sound  as conveying a “dark, mystic and deeply warm musical feeling.” They are endorsed by master drummers Nick Mason of Pink Floyd, and Larry Mullen Jr. of U2. For more info, visit http://www.paiste.com/.

Tama drums are one of the most successful modern drum makers. Founded in 1974, Tama drums evolved and became popular through the 80’s, during which time they began to be played by many professional drummers, including Stewart Copeland of the Police, and Tim Alexander of Primus. In 1994, Tama brought out its Starclassic drum series, which featured a thinner shell and deeper, more melodic and resounding tones. Recently, Tama added to its birch and maple kits by introducing a new Starclassic kit made of Bubinga wood, with slightly thicker shells and even deeper and fuller tones. Although a Starclassic Bubinga drum set costs over $2,000, Tama makes an entry level Rockstar kit for around $800. The birch and maple Starclassic kits progress in price up to the Bubinga, and Tama also has kits made with a mix of Bubinga and birch. For more info visit http://www.tama.com/.

Sonor drums, (pronounced “Sonar”), was established in Germany, the year 1907, over 30 years after its founder Johannes Link began building drums. Sonor excels at making drum sets with expanded formats in elaborate and progressive configurations, including many 6, 7 and 8 piece kits with multiple toms, floor toms, and/or double bass drums. Sonor is a niche drum maker with a universal appeal to a very wide array of sophisticated drummers, from progressive rock/fusion players such as  Gavin Harrison of Porcupine Tree, to Jeff “Train” Watts who plays with Brandford Marsalis, and Danny Carey of Tool. In addition to drum kits, Sonor also offers a full line of Latin and African percussion. Because Sonor drums are crafted in Germany, they are more readily available to European buyers, but can be found in specialty stores in the United States as well. For more info, visit http://www.sonor.com/.

Slingerland drums, on the market since 1928, fall into the vintage drum category. Although Slingerland was bought by Gibson Guitars in 2001, they remain committed to carrying on a long tradition of high quality jazz and rock drum sets. Played by the king of drums himself, Buddy Rich, Slingerland claims a unique place in music history that few other drum makers have. Their drums come in 3 main aesthetic styles: classic glitter, and both transparent and solid high gloss finishes, and are constructed mainly with maple wood. The majority of Slingerland drum sets come in the classic jazz 4 piece format, with one mounted tom on the bass drum, a snare, and a floor tom. Slingerland is renowned for their Radio King snare drum, which they claim is “the most famous and recorded drum in the history of modern music.” For more info visit http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Divisions/Slingerland/. 

Remo is the prominent maker of drumheads in the world. Founded in 1957, Remo has grown in synch with the expansion of music, bands and musicians themselves. With more drummers playing Remo drumheads than any other brand, Remo claims to be the most recorded drumhead in modern music history. Remo makes drumheads for virtually every kind of drumming, including drum set, world percussion, marching, and orchestral drums, and in many different styles such as clear, coated and fiberskyn. Remo drumheads are crafted primarily from mylar, a trademarked polyester film owned by DuPont, using variations of thickness and layers to create distinctly different sounds. Remo makes Latin, African and Middle Eastern drums with synthetic drumheads for drummers who want a lighter weight and easier to manage drum. Over the years, Remo has been recognized by many music organizations for their prowess in drumheads and percussion . To read more about Remo, visit http://www.remo.com/.

Pro-Mark is a maker of drum sticks and mallets that was founded in 1957, by Herb Brochstein. Since that time, they have emerged as the main drum stick maker on the market, and feature the first oak drum sticks available in the United States, as well as a plethora of sticks made of hickory and maple. Pro-Mark is notably endorsed by spectacular drummer Neil Pert of Rush, although so many drummers play with Pro-Mark that you probably couldn’t fit them all into the state of Rhode Island! Pro-Mark constructs all sizes of sticks and mallets made for any kind of stick drumming or percussion imaginable. Pro-Mark is proud to state that they use only unendangered woods in the construction of their sticks and mallets, and are actively involved in reforesting efforts to replenish the trees they harvest. For more info, visit http://www.promark.com/.

Gibson began production around the turn of the 20th Century, expanding from banjos, mandolins and acoustic guitars to electric guitars in the mid-1930’s, and has come to be known as a forerunner in the art of true guitar craftsmanship. Probably the most esteemed Gibson model, the Les Paul, was first introduced in 1952. Gibson also developed a few semi-hollow body models towards the end of the 1950’s, and the solidbody Firebird model in 1963. In addition to Les Paul, B.B. King and Jimmy Page have endorsed Gibson guitars, while Page also has his own signature Gibson model. Gibson guitars aren’t cheap, to say the least; while a Sam Bush signature mandolin will cost you $9,000, traditional Les Paul guitars cost anywhere from $3,500 to $11,000. However, there are a considerable number of Gibson guitars that can be purchased for under $2,000. For more info, visit http://www2.gibson.com/.

Fender is a world renowned maker of guitars that really needs no introduction. First introduced in 1954, the Fender Stratocaster electric guitar, played by the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan, has forever immortalized Fender in the history of rock n’ roll. Featuring a solid body, and a vibrato bridge enabling guitarists to bend notes, the Stratocaster electric guitar was highly innovative for its time, and has drawn the long-time and endearing devotion of countless guitarists, and music lovers alike, over the decades. In addition to electric guitars, Fender also makes acoustic guitars, bass guitars and amplifiers for both guitars and bass guitars. The majority of Fender guitars are priced affordably, between $1,000 and $1,500, and entry level amplifiers can be bought for under $1,000. For all the latest on Fender products, artists and press releases, visit http://www.fender.com/.

Epiphone guitars date back to Grecian founder Anastasios Stathopoulos, who opened his first instrument factory in Smyrna, Greece, the year 1890. He and his family moved to New York city in 1903, where they continued their instrument manufacturing business focused on the production of mandolins, violins and traditional Grecian stringed instruments. In 1915, Anastasios died, leaving his business to his son, Epimanondas, who renamed the company ‘Epiphone’ by combining his nickname ‘Epi’ with the Grecian word for sound, ‘phone.’ Epiphone soon began to construct banjos, and in 1929 developed their first line of guitars. Over the years, they were a major rival with Gibson, and were eventually bought out by them in 1957. However, Epiphone continues to craft its own unique style of guitars, and have been popularized by The Beatles, as well as modern artists such as Lenny Kravitz. For more info, visit http://www.epiphone.com/.

Taylor guitars, founded in the 1970’s by Bob Taylor and Kurt Listug, became commercially available in various Los Angeles music shops in 1976. Taylor spent a few years getting their production off the ground, during which time they constructed only about 10 guitars a week, and sold even less. Eventually, their perseverance paid off and they expanded into the internationally recognized guitar manufacturer that they now are. Although Taylor is best known for their acoustic guitars, they also have developed a line of semi-hollow body and solidbody electric guitars. Taylor guitars have an impressive aesthetic, with beautiful wood grains, featuring mahogany, rosewood, koa, and cocobolo, in a variety of exquisite finishes, and fine attention to detail along the fret board and tuners. They are now endorsed by pop rock star Dave Matthews and acoustic guitarist virtuoso Leo Kottke. For more info, visit http://www.taylorguitars.com/.

Martin guitars has a long and enduring history of arguably the finest acoustic guitar craftsmanship in the world, dating back to 1833 when C. F. Martin, Sr came from Germany  to New York City and established his business. Soon thereafter, Martin adapted to the widespread demand for mandolins, banjos and ukuleles by producing them as well as guitars. In the 1950’s, with the advent of TV and an expanding media,  Martin guitars were popularized by many stellar artists, among them Woody Guthrie, and the king of rock himself, Elvis Presley. In recent years, Martin guitars have been endorsed by legends like Dave Crosby, and Andy Summers of The Police, as well as more avant-garde players such as Trey Anastasio of Phish. Martin constructs 6 and 12 string guitars with 12 and 14 frets, in multiple sizes, using varieties of diverse woods including rosewood, maple, mahogany and spruce. For more info, visit http://www.martinguitar.com/.

Ibanez guitars, named after a Spaniard by the name of Salvador Ibanez, were introduced to the world by the Japanese company Hoshino Gakki in the 1930’s. In 1957, Ibanez offered its first electric guitars which, because they were initially thought to be copycat models of more popular and established Fender and Gibson guitars, they struggled for many years to gain respected recognition for in the guitar world. However, over time the Ibanez brand caught on, and in the late 1980’s they received a very fortunate stroke of luck when Steve Vai—former guitarist for Frank Zappa, and guitar mastermind in his own right—began playing and soon endorsed Ibanez, claiming his own signature model, the Ibanez JEM. Since then, Ibanez has become the instrument of choice for many hard core rockers, including Joe Satriani, and Korn guitarist Munky . For news on Ibanez’s latest offerings, visit http://www.ibanez.com/.

Behringer is a 20 year old audio and digital equipment company featuring items such as amps, monitors, mixers, speakers, subwoofers, and microphones—all essential aspects of any musicians’ performance and recording endeavors . They also produce a few musical instruments such as digital pianos and electric guitars. Now based in Hong Kong, China; Behringer was founded by a Swiss musician and aspiring sound engineer named Uli Behringer who also had an intense interest in electronics and, by age 16, had assembled his first synthesizer. From the outset, a main goal of Behringer was to provide quality electronic products at reasonable prices that musicians could afford. It appears they have succeeded in this area, as well as that of exceptional audio equipment quality, as they were reported as the 14th largest musical products manufacturer in 2007. For more info, visit http://www.behringer.com/.

Akai Pro entered the music instrument market in 1984 with a selection of digital technologies, recording devices and synthesizer keyboards. They began producing MPC’s (music production centers) in 1988 that incorporate drum machine samplers, pads and multiple track sequencers, achieving an endlessly multi-layered overall effect, used not only in hip-hop but in funk and rock formats. They also produce laptop performance keyboards, and multiple models of keyboards fused with MPC’s, such as the MPK88 Hammer-Action USB/MIDI Controller, a fully weighted 88 key keyboard with 16 MPC pads that each access four banks of sound. Akai Pro’s digital sampling technology was used initially by artists such as Prince, and Dr. Dre, but also more recently by avant-garde jazz/funk musicians such as John Scofield. Akai Pro has recently linked up their new SynthStation with i-phone and i-pod, transforming them into “portable music production studios.” For more info, visit http://www.akaipro.com/.

The Yamaha Corporation is one of the largest and most diverse manufacturers of musical instruments in existence today, with entire company divisions devoted to keyboards and pianos, acoustic and electronic drums, acoustic and electric guitars (including other stringed instruments), brass and woodwinds, orchestral and marching percussion, and a large assortment of music accessories and software products. Founded in Japan, 1887, Yamaha evolved through the decades, establishing itself in the United States in 1960, and eventually gaining a truly global foothold in the marketing of musical instruments. Made primarily of mahagony, maple and birch, Yamaha drums set a high standard for other drum makers to achieve. Played by drum god Steve Gadd, these drums have incredible sound and durability. Yamaha keyboards and pianos are also world-renowned, endorsed by the likes of jazz phenomenon Chick Corea. To truly experience the stellar sensation of Yamaha instruments, however, a trip to the local music shop is in order. For more infor visit http://www.yamaha.com/.

Founded almost 30 years ago in New Brunswick, Canada; Sabian is an impressive maker of cymbals with an avid following including hall of fame drummers Jack DeJohnette and Neil Peart. With four main categories of cymbals—modern, vintage, creative, and focused—Sabian offers  a full spectrum of hundreds of options for any drummer, including ride, crash, splash, china and hi-hat cymbals. They also offer a slew of gongs, bells, triangles, and other cymbal-related percussion instruments. As an added benefit, Sabian provides a cymbal refreshing service, to refurbish heavily used cymbals or to re-install rivets, for only $40. Sabian maintains a fresh, interactive relationship with its fans by offering  “The Most Warped Drummer” contest in which drummers can upload videos of performances which are voted for, winners getting all-paid packages to the Warped Tour and an opportunity to meet professional Sabian endorsing musicians. For more info, visit http://sabian.com/en/.

Roland is an internationally acclaimed manufacturer of electronic musical instruments, including keyboards, synthesizers, digital pianos and organs, an entire line of electronic drums, effects pedals for guitar and bass, amplifiers, drum machines, multi-track digital recorders, and an amazing selection of electronics support and computer interface products. Founded in Japan, 1972, Roland has developed an excellent reputation and universal acclaim as one of the most dependable and innovative producers of electronic musical instruments available. The fact that they maintain superior quality while producing such an enormous quantity of electronics is itself mind-blowing. Endorsed by pro drummer Omar Hakim, Roland’s V-Drum series offers a full line of electronic drums capable of producing, storing and recording thousands of sounds in multiple layers. And with musical prodigies such as George Duke playing Roland keyboards, you can rest assured that with Roland you are getting the highest quality product on the market. For more info visit http://www.rolandus.com/.

Korg makes electronic musical instruments, with a focus on a very broad array of keyboards, synthesizers, digital pianos and organs, as well as guitar and bass tuners, effects pedals, and multi-track recording equipment. Founded in Japan, 1962, Korg has grown into a megalithic international corporation serving musicians worldwide, and is recognized as a top notch leader in the area of electronic instruments and support products. Their instruments are not only stylish, but fully equiped with the capacity to create, program and store whole universes of sound. At the 2010 NAMM show, Korg introduced the Wavedrum, a percussion synthesizer that pro drummers like Steve Smith have incorporated into their acoustic drum set. Advanced Korg synthesizer keyboards are played by many professional musicians, including the ever-adventurous Herbie Hancock who enjoys the Korg OASYS due to its deeply dimensional and comprehensive  capabilities. Fo more info on all Korg products, visit http://www.korg.com/.

Casio is an electronics devices manufacturer founded in Japan, 1946, with an entire branch devoted to musical instruments. As such, Casio designs a variety of keyboards, including portable keyboards; workstation keyboards with a full range of piano styles, tones and rhythms; keyboards with lighted keys that help aspiring pianists learn how to play; digital pianos with grand piano tones; digital stage pianos; and digital cabinet-style pianos. Made famous for its production of watches and calculators, Casio introduced its first keyboards in 1980, which, priced for beginners, has gained a large clientele. Casio is currently a sponsor of the Billboard World Song Contest in which 12 grand prize winners will receive a Casio keyboard worth $400. Although Casio is moreover aimed at amatuer and aspiring musicians, and not professionals, their products serve a large population of players who are hungry to learn about music. For mor info, visit http://www.casio.com/.