Wooden Cross Hardware Drums: Customer Highlight January 2012

TIM NEWMAN…what a guy! On the outside, he is a typical every day drum lovin' “Joe”. But on the other hand, I couldn’t imagine working with a customer who is just so, well, for a lack of a better term, awesome! He’s laid back, knows what he wants, always eager to try and get every bit of uniqueness squeezed into a project, and is a good friend. He knows what he wants but is always open to suggestions I have for his projects. The way WCH does the step-by-step design process…at the end of the project, it is always the drum the customer wants. That piece of hardware that is definitely an extension of the drummer’s style and still a musically beautiful instrument.

Here is what Tim had to say about dealing with WCH when we started working together:

"Every step of the process, the hardware and design choices were easy and painless. This guy (Paul Hunt) knows how to give a customer exactly what they are looking for in custom made drums. You have virtual total control of all aspects of your customizing choices. I needed a piccolo snare to match a Sea Green Lacquer DW Kit I play out with every other weekend. WCH fit the bill perfectly. Affordable! I mean very affordable! Paul’s personal touch and customer contact was awesome! I didn’t feel like just another one of the masses buying drums from one of the big companies. I plan on going to WCH for all my drum building needs."

He has done just that. We have done the snare he mentioned in the review above, a customization of a standard off the shelf drum to something extraordinarily unique, and taken an old unfinished Slingerland copper shell and transformed it. As for drum kits…I worked with Tim on his Chicago Skyline kit. This kit was on display at the 2010 Chicago Drum Show. The night before the show, I drove to Tim’s house in Chicago with the shells he had shipped me. At this point, I had already done the edges, drilled the mounting holes for all the lugs, and finished the hoops with an Onyx stain and glossy clear coat. So, there we are in his basement, the night before the show, putting on the wrap, putting on the lugs, mounting the tom suspension systems, and drilling holes for the spurs. It went together beautifully.

From the custom wrap he had made (by Sic•Skinz) with a picture of the Chicago Skyline to the custom made Bass Drum Resonant head with his own signature made into a custom monogram (printed by Cazdude Designs). I only wish I had taken more pictures. Back to Tim; Did I mention he is a VP where he works (Blue Thunder Transportation)? But going way back, Tim used to jump in and follow the marching bands in the parades with his homemade band uniform that his mom made for him (age 5). He started private drum lessons with the Bill Mueller studio in Joliet at age 6 under the direction of Dean Minuth. A native of Illinois, Tim lives in Berwyn with his wife and two sons. His daughter has three kids making Tim a grandfather also. In the not so distant past, Tim attended a Future Drum symposium and is expanding his expertise in electronic drums with Roland V-Drums and a number of Alternate Mode Midi Controllers as well. Amateur home recording has also become a passion of Tim's. Tim has also enjoyed experiences from several bands over the last 30+ years. He’s played with The District 92 Grade School band from 1973 through 1976, Lockport Township High School Marching and Symphonic Bands from 1977 through 1980, then with Uncle Fester, The Recliners, Joe Batters, The Famous Nobodies, and with August Burn. All of which are from the Chicago area. His music inspiration is drawn from the masters, Neil Peart, John Bonham, and Bun E. Carlos, to name a few. Tim also participated as a big donor in the WCH Camp Riley drum kit. His drum shell donation helped make the whole project possible.

The next project for Tim and WCH…WCH is going to step out of the comfort zone and try to make Tim a killer Cocktail Kit. He has made some suggestions on the wrap he would like. He has the shells (minus one) already at WCH. Now we need to finalize the wrap choice (or finish) and check out the hardware options. I will be sure to write more about Tim and this project in the future. You know what? In line with a suggestion and idea from Tim…let’s see what kind of feedback I can get to make this cocktail kit really something else! WCH will be putting together some suggestions based on what Tim would like to see in this kit…you simply say “Yay”, “Nay”, or make your own suggestion. This may get started slowly, but as the build gets closer and gets started, it might turn into a daily (at least weekly) event and possibly into a giveaway of a custom snare…hmmm...you help design the kit, you custom design a snare, and then you might get one for free….sounds like a win-win situation! The finer details are pending and will be up in the near future.

I am also planning on using this posting as a basis for Tim’s new "solo" page at the WCH Website. It will also be a place to go and keep an eye on this emerging cocktail project. As well as future projects WCH will be working on with Tim.

Thanks for reading. I would appreciate any comments as well as any word of mouth advertising for WCH.

Paul Hunt
Owner/Builder