As a tribute to Noble & Cooley's Civil War era drums, they’ve decided to launch an all tulip wood ply kit, the same type of wood that they used to make marching drums for the Union army. This wood was also used in their 150th Anniversary snare drum which also received an incredible response. Tulip is a somewhat softer wood with smooth a vintage-style tone and a bit of attack. For this offering, Noble & Cooley have chosen a 30-degree bearing edge with a rounded counter cut which delivers a beefy tone with articulation. Like the CD Maple, these shells have graduating thickness shells (7 ply rack, 8 ply floor, 9 ply bass) providing the best possible sustain throughout the the range of drums. At this time, Noble & Cooley are the only company to use this wood expanding their sonic palette and giving player's a unique sound.

Here then is an overview of some of these features and their effect on drum tonality.

PATENTED SUSPENSION SYSTEM: The unique under lug suspension system we offer has a significant impact on the overall sound of our drums. The system creates a "virtual axle" between the two outside mounting lugs. All contact between the mounting hardware and any resonant component of the drum shell or rim is eliminated. This increases both sustain and decay of the drum. The weight of the drum is completely isolated from the tuning rim and head. In addition to the sonic advantages of our suspension method, head changing is greatly simplified and actually convenient. Because the mounting rim is attached to the underside of the lug rather than the tension rod side, drum heads can be changed without complete disassembly of the entire system (very useful if a head needs to be changed on stage or in the studio.)


SYMMETRICAL VENTING: When a drum is hit, the air inside that drum must be able to escape in order to allow the head to resonate. Most drums have a single vent hole placed somewhere on the shell. More often than not, the placement of that hole has more to do with manufacturing convenience than with any tonal considerations. Not so with Noble & Cooley. We researched the impact of venting. We found that multiple venting holes, placed correctly, made a difference not only in the sound of the drum, but also in the feel. Symmetrical venting lends the drum a more consistent rebound at various locations on the head. We also place the vent holes in line with any other holes that need to be drilled in the shell (lug mounting, e.g.). This reduces the inhibiting effect that drilling has on shell vibration. In a nod to aesthetics (and looking good always counts!), we designed our lugs in such a way that allows the vent holes to be completely out of sight.

LUG LOCKING: Noble & Cooley has found a simple, transparent solution to the common and bothersome problem of drum detuning. The lugs are fitted with delrin inserts that create a cold form around the inherent thread imperfections of any given tension rod. This effectively locks the tension rod in place virtually eliminating the usual drum detuning that stick impact creates.

These are a few of the design features of the Union Series. Of equal significance is the custom nature of the kits themselves. As an artist, you can realize your own voice by specifying the particular drum sizes you want, by choosing our die cast hoops on some drums, flanged on others. It is completely up to you, the player. Your drum kit will ultimately be as unique as your playing style. And that is the point, after all else is said and done!

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