uneven skins

[BMac]

I've been lurking in the shadows in this conversation curious about a matter now seemingly confirmed. My favorite skins come with "BC" written on them in pointy letters with a Sharpie. I've acquired those skins from Volcano Percussion and from Earthshaking Music (a store in Atlanta, GA, ask for "moo skins"). Apparently, many of our skins come from the same source through various routes.

I find myself wondering whether drum makers like Tom (of Volcano) and Matthew (with whom I've never done business) make money worth bothering selling these skins. Do they want our business on skins, or do they take up skin distribution as a duty connected to drum making? Earthshaking Music, on the other hand, is a store per se. They don't acquire the skins for use on their own drums. They acquire them apparently only to sell them.

I'm not trying to redirect anyone's business to the store I've mentioned, I just wonder whether getting skins from drum makers in reality is supporting them as Buckoh suggests (and he suggests a very low price by the way). Are we just bugging these drum makers do you think? Are the makers afraid they'll disappoint their drum customers if they don't provide skins on demand? Or do they need this as a side line getting a little extra needed business from players that haven't even bought their drums? I don't know ... but I've felt weird about getting skins from a drum maker from whom I'd never bought a drum. Am I just thinking too hard?

Any thoughts on that guys?

Cheers,
BMac

(Oh yeah ... as for cutting skins with a sabre saw ... been there ... done that ... good gosh what an odor ... freaking horrible smell!)

[buckoh]

BMac, I've had exactly the same thoughts. I've bought some drums from Matthew and had one of his repaired. He probably doesn't make much off the sale of skins. I don't feel like I'm getting a 'good guy price', I think it's his price to everyone. When he repaired my 11.5 Ritmo he installed a new skin for 40.00 on top of the repair price (which was a bargain, even though I have done good drum repairs). Buck

[pcastag]

I don't think any retailer or conga maker makes enough money off selling heads to really call it a business, they probably do it as a covenience for their customers. Bill can get you specific thicknesses when you order, in addition his price for a whole cow skin is pretty cheap, last I recall it cost me about 120 or so and I got at least 5-6 skins out of it.
PC