From http://groups.yahoo.com/group/djembe-l/message/14083

Message 14083 of 15185 | Previous | Next [ Up Thread ] Message Index

Msg #
From: Walter Alter <limejello@e...>
Date: Mon Jun 23, 2003 7:10 pm
Subject: Re: [Djembe-L] Ashiko dimensions and bass

Hi Peter,

I've been through a number of design sizes in making my ashikos over
the past few years and found that a 24" length with about a 12" head and
4" foot gives the best sound and weight. It looks like you made your
drum a bit skinny, easy to do if yer not a math wiz. I wouldn't shorten
your drum much, maybe enough to make the foot about 4", but wait until
the head wears in and becomes a bit bassier with age and stretching as
they usually do. Also, have someone play the drum while you lilsten
from different parts of the room to see how strong the bass really is.
Room acoustics and being in the playing position have a big effect on
the perceived amount of bass. My stave ngoma is 4' long with a 10"
head and 4" foot and has a monster reverberating boom box bass. Bass is
a function of body size and shape as well as head size.

Lemme advise that you snag the DrumCalc freeware program that a drummer
programmer designed, available on the web. The program calculates stave
dimensions and angles for ashikos and stave djembes. To get the
dimensions on my current drum size, I use a 24" X 3/8' stave that is 2"
wide at the top and 1" wide at the foot with an 11 degree angle on the
glueing edges. I hope you plan to make more drums. I make and play
then sell my ashikos & they get better with each one.

Walter

>I've just finished making my first ashiko, and need a little advice on
>cutting it down to size. Right now the head is about 9 inches (a bit small
>due to a calculation error) and the length about 30 inches, which makes it
>look very tall and skinny. The inside diameter of the bottom is about 3
>inches (same calculation error). The tones and slaps sound quite good to
>my ear, but the bass is nearly non-existent. I'm wondering if shortening
>the drum, which will also widen the bottom hole, will make the bass
>better. Or maybe the bass will improve once the skin is worked in? I'd
>like to cut the whole drum a bit shorter just to make it look better, but
>hoping someone can help me choose the right amount to cut before I fire up
>the chain saw.
>
>Thanks
>Peter
>