Questions re. specs for a Cajun Bass drum

[Larry Litwin]

I'm planning to build a Cajun Bass drum in order to save some money putting a drum set together. I'm sure I can do the construction - but ... information on size and materials is scarce. I was thinking of 1/8th inch ply for the front and back, and 1/4 inch for the sides. Would 1/4 inch all around be better? Or 1/4 inch front and back and 1/2 inch sides?

Then there are the dimensions. Does 24" square front & back with 6" or 12" sides sound reasonable? Other dimensions?

Thanks for any help you can give.

[David Falkner]

I'm planning to build a Cajun Bass drum in order to save some money putting a drum set together. I'm sure I can do the construction - but ... information on size and materials is scarce. I was thinking of 1/8th inch ply for the front and back, and 1/4 inch for the sides. Would 1/4 inch all around be better? Or 1/4 inch front and back and 1/2 inch sides?

Then there are the dimensions. Does 24" square front & back with 6" or 12" sides sound reasonable? Other dimensions?

Thanks for any help you can give.
I built a Cajon years ago and used 1/8" BB for the sound board (front). I had some 3/4" Birch plywood from another project and used it for the sides/top/back/bottom. I don't recall the dimensions but I basically made it tall enough so that when seated my legs felt natural and not hanging because it was too tall or scrunched up because it was too short. Seems like it was about 12" to maybe 14" square (looking down on the top).

We needed one at church but it turned out we already had a couple in the student area. They have now 'acquired' the one I built because they say it sounds so much better than the commercially available ones they have.

I'm wondering, though, since I'm in Louisiana; is a Cajun just a Cajon that sounds like it was built in South Louisiana? ;) :D

[roger wiegand]

For what it's worth, here's what Wikipedia has to say about constructions of a cajón drum. (They come from Peru, and AFAIK, have no connection to Louisiana or the Cajun traditions.)

Sheets of 13 to 19 mm (1/2 to 3/4 inch) thick wood are generally used for five sides of the box. A thinner sheet of plywood is nailed on as the sixth side, and acts as the striking surface or head. The striking surface of the cajón drum is commonly referred to as the tapa.[1] (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caj%C3%B3n#cite_note-1) A sound hole (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_hole) is cut on the back side. The modern cajón may have rubber feet, and has several screws at the top for adjusting percussive (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percussive) timbre (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timbre).

[Maurice Mcmurry]

Larry, That will be a fun project. My Nephew is an audio engineer. He collaborated with his Grandfather and built a Cajon. I will get some pictures and details next time I see them. If I wanted a wooden bass drum to complement a kit, I wound build something like a Mahler Box. The Mahler Box I built for my son eventually had the kick beater punch through the plywood. Here is a miniature Mahler Box with a pickup. It requires an amplifier to function in a kit.

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[Larry Litwin]

Sounds like the sides (and ? non-striking surface) can be pretty thick. That would make something with a 20-24" square face pretty heavy. But 1/4 inch might be strong enough for sides and 1/8 inch non-striking to lighten it up. Now I'm worried that an 1/8th inch striking (foot pedal) surface would be destroyed pretty quickly. So either I build with replacement in mind or use something thicker - which might make volume drop below acceptable. I reallydon't want to deal with an amp.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

My nephew used a plan he found on the web.
https://courses.physics.illinois.edu/phys406/sp2017/Student_Projects/Spring15/Joshua_Lanzona_Physics_406_Final_Report_Sp15.pdf

The wood bass drum that our son beat on started life as a homemade suitcase. It was approximately 28" long X 18" wide X 10" deep. The rim was 5/8" plywood, the top and bottom were 1/4" 3 ply Lauan Mahogany plywood. Our son stood it on end and attached a pedal to it. He tuned it by carving away the face veneer and some of the core veneer with an angle grinder and 24 grit disc. When he got down to less than 1/8' thickness the thing made a fairly decent novelty bass thump. He left a full thickness island in the area that the beater struck. Eventually that portion punched through.
There is a recording of a song or two that have the wood kick drum. I will post those if I can find them.
This Video is about a more legitimate Mahler Box.


https://youtu.be/wTDqmOFlD8g?si=DCcV9FBRzYcYckah

[Larry Litwin]

LOL - it might be a wee bit hard to keep a bass beat going with that hammer/box.

[Keith Outten]

There are several threads here at The Creek on the topic of Cajon Drums.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

Larry, That will be a fun project. My Nephew is an audio engineer. He collaborated with his Grandfather and built a Cajon. I will get some pictures and details next time I see them. If I wanted a wooden bass drum to complement a kit, I wound build something like a Mahler Box. The Mahler Box I built for my son eventually had the kick beater punch through the plywood. Here is a miniature Mahler Box with a pickup. It requires an amplifier to function in a kit.

510152 510153

Experimentation is your friend. A Cajon has several tone ares. A slap right in the middle is the bass area. Bass needs to move a lot of air. Thump around on various material of various sizes until you hear something you like.

One of the threads Keith Outten mentioned,
Built a Cajon... (Box Drum) (https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?212608-Built-a-Cajon-(Box-Drum))


The wood block and kick pedal sound sample,

https://youtu.be/izDlidwSr2o

[Larry Litwin]

There are several threads here at The Creek on the topic of Cajon Drums.

From some of the posts in this thread and general misgivings, I've decided that the striking face would not hold up to a foot pedal. So I've eliminated a cajon bass as a possibility. I'll rig the pedal to strike something so I can practice and keep my eye pealed for a used bass or large floor tom that could be turned on it's side.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

From some of the posts in this thread and general misgivings, I've decided that the striking face would not hold up to a foot pedal. So I've eliminated a cajon bass as a possibility. I'll rig the pedal to strike something so I can practice and keep my eye pealed for a used bass or large floor tom that could be turned on it's side.

Good plan. The bounce back that a traditional drum gives is important. I have a stack of shells that I have been instructed to give away. Free for free. pickup only in 65203.

Or go ahead and make a drum! They are fun projects.


https://youtube.com/shorts/Qkpw0D7Nkms?feature=share

[Maurice Mcmurry]

Larry, Another idea is a vintage Samsonite suitcase.

I asked our son about a recording of the wood bass drum. That should be forthcoming. I will need to digitize a cassette tape. He has peers who keep their drum hardware in a vintage suitcase. The suitcase is then turned on end and the kick pedal attached. The band Bombadil sometimes preforms with a suitcase kick drum. I am sure it is mic'd and has effects.


https://youtu.be/sIKdSwOfI4o?si=9hwgBeCGAxNm8R5m

[Larry Litwin]

I put together a floor tom from parts I bought. It wasn't real inexpensive, but it sounds good. The shell and hardware for a bass is pretty spendy. For now I think I'll use the used PDP (DW PACIFIC) 400 Bass Drum Pedal (https://notes.guitarcenter.com/T/v610000018bca66a288b8ba42434b5c56d0/b774b7e73b7449dd0000021ef3a0bcc4/b774b7e7-3b74-49dd-86dc-017dc2170272?__dU__=v0G4RBKTXg2GsgpbaAzoyJ0CJxIrMZ BljclY4cWJ6ile0=&__F__=v0fUYvjHMDjRPMSh3tviDHXIoXcPxvDgUUCCPvXMWoX_ 3eaFHlkq5FQ7hdXOPJr7u0i5ECa-JrvGT8n7RqHyyKyn8wFNU95lx_BDnVL6GpzB0qp7w5twYiJtox TqHoZ8eiBS5o8DWw7zX4E3k1egGjOJqFRPSChQgZhZAOrnbXr7 dSG99UHJWhpJD7o_uWOg8i8O4ZTPSdmJSXON6maDpi5JpR4irn K0_EuU_09GmZMGndoKmVrNoZdbfTffncNfoSEVLp97icm1wYgp-fU2jmh8Yt_Kk6NXtKCetGaAubLEeh0W7IzZmaPH68koPezwwH3 oESzGGYuj8-hUcUAylJSLSz8wTyz54UskhHnGD6zRcBpatHsc_qjKnDpvfwjs O3k4lh7y7OfRVvkf1_tw_hfk7mJ0wvtc7A) I bought and a practice pad I'll build. Going to be a pretty long time before I consider letting someone hear me play.
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[Larry Litwin]

Thanks. The vidoe was interesting. Very creative.

[Larry Litwin]

65203 is a very long way from me. Otherwise I would be interested. I made a floor tom from parts I bought. Fun project and it sounds good. Not sure I saved any money though. Parts for a bass would be pretty spendy. For now I'll use a self built practice pad with a used pedal I bought. If I ever get to the point where I find a group to jam with I'll reconsider something for a bass.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

Here is our thrift store mini kit. It was a little kid size toy set. I wrapped the shells with Ash veneer and added the vintage redwood small toms + the homemade big tom. I have one more medium tom waiting (and waiting...) to go on the lathe.

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[Larry Litwin]

Looks good. Here's a pic of my kit. Floor tom & bass made from purchased hardware & shells. Snare a used Gretch, Mounted tom a used Pearl. High hat used 14" Meinl. And finally the ride a 20" used Zildjian I. 512223

[Maurice Mcmurry]

Yay! That looks great and will be fun! I am going to get ours up out of the basement and near a window for a while. It is time for the once a year drumstick turning, for stocking stuffers. Our drummer boy likes Vic Firth 5A's. I copied them in Black Locust last Christmas. I have Red Elm to try this year.

[Larry Litwin]

I use Vic Firth American Custom SD1 General's on the practice pad (round tip, thick & heavy). I like them for playing but hate the way thay make the ride cymbal sound. I like the Vic Firth Freestyle 5A's for playing. I had an idea looking at some chair back spindles. I'm thinking about turning a stick with a small ring just ahead of the lead finger and an egg where the palm is. It would make the tip lighter and keep the stick from slipping - I hold sticks too loose. Right now I use O-rings so I can feel and keep them in the position I want.

[Larry Litwin]

Tried to post yesterday but it got lost. I also like Firth 5A's. Especially the Freestyle model. I have some Firth American Custom SD1's (heavy & short taper, round tip) that I use for the practice pad. I'd love them on the set but hate the sound they make on the ride.

I had a strange idea looking at some spindles on the back of a chair. I'm going to make a pair with a small ring just in front of where the index finger rests and an ?egg shape/oval? swelling under the palm. I think it might give more bounce to the tip and keep the stick in place. I hold them (too) loose. Right now I use several O-rings between the index and next finger so I can keep the stick from slipping. Not sure I want to use some of my exotic wood till I make some and see how they work & feel.