WARRINGTON, Pa. (WPVI) — In a small workshop in Warrington, one man is producing drums sought after by professional musicians. Chris Carr, founder of Bucks County Drum Company, handcrafts each instrument himself, creating what he calls a distinctly “made in PA” sound.
While most instruments are massproduced, Carr’s drums are built through a meticulous, handson process. “What I’m doing now is book matching,” he said while working with wood in his shop. “Cutting venire is tricky.”
Carr started the business in 2005, transitioning from cabinet making to drum building. “The reason I started making my own shells was because of changes in the whole industry,” he said. “What I do is multiple things at a time. I’m not just working on one order a time, but while I’m gluing shells for one thing… sanding these shells. And that’s how you get stuff done.”
He taught himself the craft. “I would buy shells by the parks, put my own finish on a make a drum. That’s how I learned. Taught myself how to do it,” he said.
Carr considers drummaking an art form. “The two most critical parts of any good drum set, especially high-end, is the integrity of the shell. Does it resonate on its own?” he said. “And also the barring edge. That’s where the drum shell meets the drum head. And if that contact point is not good. You’re going to get a less-than-quality sound.”
The work demands precision. At one point, inspecting a piece, he said, “I’m really happy… oh nope not happy. I’ve got a little tear… so we’re going to do it again.”
Carr once had helpers, but the workload proved demanding. “Initially, I had a couple of helpers come and go. It’s fun for a while and then they find out it’s real work, but there’s a really good people. They’re very helpful. And once I started implementing different shell designs, I didn’t need as much help,” he said.
His drums have been used by wellknown musicians, including jazz drummer Bernard Purdie and David Uosikkinen Ross from the Hooters. Drummer Kevin Soffera owns five sets. “They sing. They literally are a work of art in terms of drum set,” Soffera said. He added that “the tuning of them… as a drummer. They have to sound great, but when you teach these things they have to feel good,” noting he uses them “every day in the studio. Live. Teaching. Clinics.”
Carr sells some of his work in stores, but most orders come through the company’s website. The 59yearold Pennsylvania native said the local connection matters to him.
“It’s important for people to understand that pa is huge in historical culture, especially workmanship and craftsman… that’s why I named the company what I did. I grew up in Bucks County… Doylestown,” he said. “There’s a lot of history here, and craftsman, and I’m proud to be part of it.”
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