Fact about sound which varies depend on the each finishing manner.
People may think that a lacquer finish is for high end products and its sound will be good. We have been skeptical about this idea based on our research over years. Particularly in the thin shell. we have our original theory was that by covering the shell. we can pull out a different sound element in addition to reinforcing the shells. We can find a similar example in a guitar having different wood materials combined to create an original sound character.
Therefore. we believe that the finish. such as a covering or lacquer. influences the final drum sound greatly. At present. CANOPUS provides a "covering", "lacquer", and "oil" finish. Each has distinctive sound character. The Color chart on this page indicates the sound character of each finish. as well as our color catalogue. Please note the difference in the sound depending on the finish.
Nitrocellulose for Our Lacquer Finish
The generally accepted lacquer materials are polyester. polyurethane, acrylic. nitrocellulose and so on. We decided to use nitrocellulose lacquer for our drums because it allows us to have a wider tuning range from low to high and pull out the best potential of the shell. When compared to the other materials. it takes a longer time to dry and extra attention to create the mirror finish. We believe that nitrocellulose is the only material that can pull out the natural resonance of the shell. as Many of the vintage guitar makers use this material. Compared to other lacquer materials. it is more likely to have a grain depression over the years and can cause cracks on the surface. Still. with this. the lacquer material and the shell will be harmonize and the user can enjoy the process of the growing. "resonant" sound over the years. We dared to choose nitrocellulose lacquer because we believe that our musical instrument is not a mere product to sell. but a state of art.
In the process of lacquer painting. there are three steps. They are sealing. second coating and final coating. For the sealing process. urethane "sanding sealer" is most common for quick drying and easier handling. But we chose to use nitrocellulose for the sealing step to get the best sound. The thinner lacquer is the better sound. However. we use an even thicker layer of painting for our recent drums in response to requests by most users and dealers.
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