Drum kits
The Sonata Custom drum kit catalog is especially focused on portability. We all know how complex logistics can be for drummers, but now your options are more diverse than ever. From kits with limited sound versatility but that fit in a car trunk to kits with standard features that fit entirely in a regular suitcase.
Compact drum kit
This drum kit can be stored in a simple carry-on suitcase. In fact, the suitcase itself is part of the kit! Many of us have gone to a jam session with our bandmates only to end up as spectators because there was no drum set. Now you can comfortably bring it yourself!
The Sonata Custom compact drum kit includes a single hi-hat stand, to which a clamp for a crash-ride and another for a 10″ snare are attached. The suitcase itself is used as the bass drum, and its wheels are locked with two wooden pieces, one of which serves to attach the bass drum pedal. As if that weren’t enough, the kit also includes a 6″ rototom mounted on a stand specifically designed to attach to the suitcase handle. The kit is completed with a practical telescopic drum stool.
At first, it might seem a bit intimidating to fit all the gear back into the suitcase, but don’t worry. Detailed instructions are provided with the kit to guide you through the process. With a little practice, everything can be packed away in just a few minutes. It’s worth mentioning that, despite the technical limitations, I’ve chosen not to modify the suitcase in any way. This way, if it gets damaged during a trip or if you simply want to change its look, you can pack all the gear into any other standard carry-on suitcase.
Nesting kit
The drums are designed to fit inside each other, with all shells, except for the smallest one, made in two halves that can be reassembled using butterfly latches. This design allows you to transport the entire kit in the same space as the bass drum. By choosing the right sizes, even the snare drum can fit inside the bass drum.
To create one of these kits, it’s essential to carefully choose the right sizes so that everything fits perfectly. In the pre-configured kits available in the store, everything is already thought out, but at Sonata Custom, we focus on personalization. That’s why I encourage you to create a custom kit tailored to your specific needs using the custom product form. The customizable aspects of the kits include: number of tension rods per drumhead, diameters and depths, color, and finish. In the case of the toms, you can also choose the mounting system.
However, there are some rules to follow. For example, when choosing the diameters of the toms, you need to consider how they will be mounted in the kit:
- For toms mounted with floating suspension, the difference should be at least 4″ (for example, 8″, 12″, and 16″).
- For toms mounted with a bracket screwed directly to the shell, the smallest size difference you can have is 3″ (for example, 10″, 13″, and 16″).
- The difference between a floor tom mounted with legs and the bass drum must be at least 4″ (for example, 16″ and 20″).
The available diameters are 8″, 10″, 12″, 13″, 14″, 15″, 16″, 18″, 20″, 22″, 24″, and 26″, so the options are varied. For example, a minimalist kit could consist of a 10″ rack tom, a 14″ floor tom, and an 18″ bass drum. If you want to have all possible toms at your disposal, you could create a kit with 8″ and 12″ rack toms, a 15″ suspended floor tom, another 18″ floor tom with legs, and a 22″ bass drum. You can even create two kits, with double bass drums and 7 toms.
- On the other hand, the difference in depths must be at least 1″. Although a tom is labeled as 10×8″, the actual total height will be 9″ due to the hoops.
- If you want to include a snare, you need to add its depth to this inch. For example, in a bass drum with a depth of 18″, you could fit a 16×10″ tom and a 14×5.5″ snare (keep in mind that the snare also adds 1″ to the depth of its shell).
- When adding a snare drum, it’s important to consider that the diameter difference should be at least 4″ to fit the snare mechanism.
For example, inside a 20×18″ bass drum, a 16×10″ floor tom and a 14×5.5″ snare drum can fit perfectly, stacked one on top of the other. If you're open to using a smaller snare, or even a piccolo snare, the possibilities increase. For instance, inside an 18×14″ bass drum, you could fit a 14×10″ floor tom and a 14×3″ piccolo snare. Of course, if you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out. Creating one of these kits is complex, but the reward is well worth the effort.
Standard drum kit
If what you're looking for is a custom standard kit, you can have that too. The customization options are essentially the same as those for the nesting kits.