Highwood Acrylic Shell Drum Kit

Last time I saw acrylic shell drums in their full glory, the Bay City Rollers were still on Saturday morning TV and John Bonham was king. Sadly, at that time, I was just a wee lad and I was WAY more into the Bay City Rollers than Led Zeppelin. I was young, I didn't know any better...please forgive me.

One footnote...I do believe Pat Wilson from Weezer has rocked a set of old school acrylics in the not so distant past. But I could be mistaken.

Anyway, these are the new style acrylics. Unlike the vintage Vistalites, the shells are cast in one piece from liquid acrylic (apparently it's "medical grade" acrylic, too). In other words, they're not fashioned from several sheets of acrylic rolled and pressed together with a seam that ruins the continuity of the shell. One chunk of acrylic, with a bearing edge machined to a precision edge.

The result is a warmer sound, with deep timbre. I am intrigued. You should be too. They're hand made by a small independent company in the UK called Highwood Drums & Percussion. Worth a look see...not sure how you can get your hands on a set, though...persistence, I guess.