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At the NAMM fest earlier this year, I was fortunate to stumble upon a hidden gem that caught my eye from BONE Custom Drums.
It was beautiful, just sitting there, waiting for me to try it out.
Sure, I thought, it looks nice, but how does it sound? After a few hits and paradiddles on the Mappa Burl Green BONE snare which was available for playing, I felt myself falling for it, hard.
It floored me, and I think I came back to it about 12 times after trying out others on the floor.
Nejc, one of the master builders of BONE Custom Drums, went into detail about the craftsmanship that goes into every drum they build.
For starters, Nejc (pronounced “Netz”) uses a hybrid Maple and African Mahogany formula shell that gives his drums a deep, resonant sound that is due to the quality of the exotic wood.
Nejc is both a master builder and a drummer. With a background steeped in drumming, and more than 15 years experience as a mechanical designer building yachts and jet skis, the transition to building drums seemed like a natural fit.
Nejc applies his knowledge about the underlying factors of wood crafting and the mechanics of sound towards each custom kit. In a nutshell, he knows how to build a quality drum.
Nejc and his team carefully developed the maple-mahogany shell specification to produce tones that resonate with attack and volume, and project a balanced amount of warm, low-end frequencies.
The shells are cut with precision using different ply-configurations for a unique, high caliber sound. The Mapa Burl Green BONE kick shells are 9-ply, toms are 7-ply, and the snare is 10-ply.
The Details of the Bone Custom Drum Kit
When I unpacked the kit, the first thing I noticed was how solid it felt. The drums were easy to tune and produced full tones immediately.
The overall sound was deep and dark, giving off an earthy vibe. I loved how the kit responded, projecting tones that ring into each other beautifully.
Starting with the tom, I liked how controlled and full the tom sounded. At 12”x8”, its 7-ply shell gives it a bright, pronounced, yet neat overtone which remained throughout the range.
The sustain didn’t buzz, and it didn’t need dampening except for recording. If I had to describe it in one word, it would be purity.
The floor tom is 16” x 16” with a 7-ply shell that gives it a distinctive, full sound. I was delighted with the depth of the tone I was able to get with this piece. The hybrid construction definitely contributes to the quality of sonic life it projects. It delivers both punch and power.
The snare is a thing of beauty. At 14” x 7”, it features a 10-ply shell, a medium-sharp bearing edge, and heavy-weight hoops. The snare has 20 single-point tube lugs for accurate, precise tuning.
The chrome lugs alternate from one side of the drum to the other to provide consistent tuning all the way around. The tuning range is excellent from low to high, never sounding messy or thin. Snare response was meaty and full, with excellent projection and plenty of sensitivity.
The 22” x 18” bass drum was tight and beefy, giving off a loud, focused and bright tone. I liked how heavy and impactful the kick felt. It had just the right amount of boom, so it sounded pronounced and was easy to distinguish, but not overpowering to where the other drums were drowned out.
Something else I noticed was how well the bass seemed to complement the snare. The snare was like the yin to the bass’s yang. The two played exceptionally well together.
BONE hardware includes fully-adjustable custom chunky 1.25” BONE aluminum air vents and badges, Gauger suspension tom mount, 2.3mm power hoops, and heavy-duty spurs and legs.
Let’s Talk about the Burl
Burls are the irregular patterns of brown spots on the wood which were formed by the entwined growth of a cluster of tree buds. The mapa burl effect gives the wood its “burly” appearance and is often seen in high-end woodworking and luxury furniture applications.
No two cuts of wood are alike, and I have to say, I am a big fan of the burls. I liked how they added a dimension of pattern that was entirely unique to the overall design of the finish.
To top it off, the sand and sea green burst color scheme was pure eye candy to me.
BONE uses a multi-step process to produce a glassy-smooth lacquer gloss that is hard and durable. Also, BONE partnered with Evans and Remo drum heads to create a distinctive batter and resonant head combination.
The drum set is easy to tune and produces full tones right out of the box.
Add-on drums are also available to allow for further drum set expansion.
Let’s Talk Price
The Mapa Burl Green BONE drum set stands out as a quality maple-mahogany hybrid with finely-tuned specifications and sound quality.
Its higher price point reflects the high-end mechanics and materials that go into its build. This is an excellent option if you’re looking to step up your game.
The Cons
The biggest con that I can see is not being able to test one of these beauties on a showroom floor in the States…yet.
At the NAMM show, I had the chance to try out the snare. I loved how the snare responded so much that it was enough to seal the deal for me.
Luckily, their website is easy to navigate, and Nejc and his team are prompt and available for any questions you might have.
All in all, I’d say if you’re willing to jump this hurdle, you won’t be disappointed.
Conclusion
The Mapa Burl Green BONE drum set is a fantastic find. It features a high-quality design built on solid engineering and sound dynamics.
The Maple – African Mahogany hybrid is tested and proven to produce warm, enveloping sound with astounding depth and power. Each piece is custom built, and the right combinations of shell material and thickness are applied for each individual drum.
The end result is a beautifully rendered instrument of quality that sounds as great as it looks.
The Mapa Burn Green Bone Custom kit is available from BONE Custom Drums.
