<![CDATA[
<table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="10" height="151">
<tr>
<td rowspan="2" width="21%" bgcolor="#000000"><a href="index.html" target="_parent"><img src="sfdrumco_brass_badge.jpg" width="175" height="131" border="0"></a></td>
<td bgcolor="#000000" height="71">
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="4" color="#FFCC00">Welcome
to our "No Frames" web site for simple web browsers.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="4" color="#FFFFFF"><b><a href="index.html" target="_parent"><font size="5">CLICK
HERE TO VISIT OUR MAIN WEBSITE</font></a></b></font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#000000"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><font color="#FFFFFF"><a href="philosophy_noframes.html" target="_parent"><font size="2">PHILOSOPHY</font></a><font size="2"> | <a href="bass_drums_noframes.html" target="_parent">BASS
DRUMS</a> | <a href="snare_drums_noframes.html" target="_parent">SNARE
DRUMS</a> | <a href="custom_kits_noframes.html" target="_parent">CUSTOM
KITS</a> | <a href="finishes_noframes.html" target="_parent">FINISHES</a> | <a href="pricing_noframes.html" target="_parent">PRICING</a> <br>
<br>
<a href="purchase_noframes.html" target="_parent">PURCHASE</a> | <a href="contact_noframes.html" target="_parent">CONTACT</a></font><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><font color="#FFFFFF"><font size="2">
| <a href="faq_noframes.html" target="_parent">FAQs</a> | <a href="links_noframes.html" target="_parent">LINKS</a> | <a href="swag_noframes.html" target="_parent">SWAG</a> </font></font></b></font></font></b></font></td>
</tr>
</table>
<table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" height="68">
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="100%">
<div align="left"><font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="2"><img src="top_bg.jpg" width="100%" height="53"></font></div>
</td>
<td valign="top">
<div align="right"><font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="2"><img src="faq_header.jpg" width="330" height="53"></font></div>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<div align="center">
<table width="90%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="10" height="35" align="center" bgcolor="#CCCC99">
<tr>
<td valign="top" height="38" bgcolor="#EEE3B2"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman, Times, serif"><b><font color="#993300" size="4">Contact
us for additional information or product support</font></b></font></td>
</tr>
</table>
<table width="90%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="10" height="287" align="center">
<tr>
<td valign="top" height="147"> <br>
<b>Q: Do you offer discounts to the prices listed on your web site?</b><br>
<br>
A: The prices on our web site are the suggested retail price (MSRP). Contact
your local reseller to discuss any potential End User discounts off the
suggested list price.<br>
<br>
<br>
<b>Q: Why are your instruments expensive compared to some other custom
builders?<br>
<br>
</b>A: In today's market there are custom drum builders offering products
in a wide variety of price ranges. Unless price is the only feature of
interest to the consumer, there are a number of other features to consider,
including quality of parts and workmanship. The San Francisco Drum Company
product line does not include entry-level or mid-level instruments, so
it can be misleading to compare them to lower-end offerings.<br>
<br>
We use American-made materials and components (whenever possible) to avoid
using imported parts. We do not cut corners when it comes to the construction,
hand-sanding, hand-polishing, or final assembly of our instruments. All
of our labor is performed in the U.S. We encourage buyers to compare our
products to comparable products offering the same quality and craftsmanship.
You will find that our prices and lead times are similar, offering the
musician exceptional hand-crafted value.<br>
<p><b><br>
Q: Why do the different finishes options affect the price so much?</b><br>
<br>
A: The difference in price is based on the labor and materials required
for each specific finish. For example, our <a href="http://www.sfdrumco.com/sfdrumco_piano_black.html" target="_blank">Piano
Black</a> finish is not the same as a black poly finish applied in an
auto body spray booth - it is applied by one of the best finishers of
baby and concert grand pianos in the U.S.<br>
</p>
<p><b><br>
Q: What is your standard turnaround time for custom order drums?</b><br>
<br>
A: Our typical lead times are 120 days from receipt of order and deposit
from the reseller. Lead times can vary based on a number of factors,
so we notify the customer of the expected lead time when their order
is processed.</p>
<p><b><br>
Q: Why do your drums take so long to build?</b><br>
<br>
A: Our lead times are based on the amount of time necessary for curing
the drums and for hand-finishing, and are consistent with other high-end
custom drum manufacturers. For example, our shells are pretreated with
a custom mixture of tung oil and polymers and this requires a minimum
of 30 days to cure. Our hand-finishing of both the inside and outside
of the shell adds significant hours of labor. By setting lead times
appropriately, we are able to ensure that our lead times are consistent
and don't result in unwanted "surprises" such as additional
delays or lack of communication with the customer. Our goal is to provide
excellent customer satisfaction, service, and support.<br>
<br>
<b><br>
Q: Do you offer additional finishes besides the ones on your web site?</b><br>
<br>
We can provide any commercially available wrap finish when specified
on your order. Unfortunately we cannot provide other finishes outside
of our standard offering.<br>
</p>
<p><br>
<b>Q: All I see on your web site are very big bass drums. Do you make
smaller bass drums?</b><br>
<br>
A: Although we typically make the Civic Center model bass drums to be
the classic, larger sizes of the <a href="http://redhotjazz.com/kojbinfo.html" target="_blank">past</a>,
we will make a Civic Center model bass drum all the way down to 18"
diameter. Our Fillmore and Bernal Beat model drums are also offered
in any diameter from 18" all way to 28".</p>
<p><br>
<b>Q: I like the clip-on spurs used on your bass drums. Do you make
these? Can I order these direct from you?</b><br>
<br>
A: The clip-on spurs we currently utilize are made in the USA by Danmar
Percussion Products. You can order these directly from any of our authorized
resellers.</p>
<p><br>
<b>Q: Can I order a Civic Center bass drum with modern shell-mounted
spurs instead of the standard clip-on spurs?</b><br>
<br>
A: By following a traditional thin shell design philosophy with the
Civic Center model bass drums, we feel the shell is too thin for mounting
standard shell-mount spurs. We also do not install any other shell-mount
hardware for toms or cymbals for our Civic Center bass drums. We suggest
vintage-style attachments that clip onto the counter hoop for mounting
small accessories to the Civic Center bass drums. Please note for a
bass drum with shell-mount spurs and cymbal mounts, we recommend the
Fillmore or <a href="http://www.sfdrumco.com/sfdrumco_26nat_closeup.html" target="_blank">Bernal
Beat</a> model bass drums which utilize a thicker shell construction.</p>
<p><b><br>
Q: Why do you offer 12 lugs on your bass drum?</b><br>
<br>
A: We offer 12-lug placement on our Civic Center model bass drums to
provide maximum tuning capability when no muffling is used. It also
helps compensate for the variable surface tension that can occur with
an animal skin head. Antique <a href="http://redhotjazz.com/kingocjbinfo.html" target="_blank">photos</a>
often show drums with 12 (or more) lugs. The reduction of lugs in modern
drums is often to reduce manufacturing costs.<br>
</p>
<p><br>
<b>Q: Where can I purchase the larger size replacement heads for large
diameter bass drums?</b><br>
<br>
A: Any one of our authorized resellers can order large size Evans, REMO,
or Aquarian heads for your bass drum.</p>
<p><b><br>
Q: What is the "axial insert" feature of your lugs. Why is
this important?</b><br>
<br>
A: The solid-machined <a href="http://www.sfdrumco.com/sfdrumco_lug_options.jpg" target="_blank">lugs</a>
that we use feature a threaded <a href="http://www.sfdrumco.com/sfdrumco_wmp_closeup_04.html" target="_blank">insert</a>
that receives the tension rod. This insert rotates on an axis parallel
to the surface of the drum, permitting the tension rod to move closer
to or further from the shell without misalignment. The result is a unique
solid tube lug that prevents thread binding of the tension rod when
tuned. Check out our drums at your local reseller and you will find
consistent tension between all the lugs.<br>
</p>
<p><br>
<b>Q: Can I order other model snare strainers than the one I see on
the web site?</b><br>
<br>
A: Other strainers are available through special order. Please note
any specific requirements on your quote request.</p>
<p><br>
<b>Q: Do you offer other rims beside the stick savers?</b><br>
<br>
A: We can custom-order other rims for your drums as long as we feel
the quality of the third-party component is at least of equal quality
of our standard rims. Common custom requests we accommodate are antique-style
single flange hoops with clips or wooden rims.<br>
<br>
<br>
<b>Q: Are custom plating options available for my lugs besides chrome?</b><br>
<br>
A: We can offer custom plating options for our lugs. Please note your
specific requests on your drum order.<b><br>
<br>
<br>
Q: What supporting hardware and stands do you recommend using?</b><br>
<br>
A: Your local reseller can help you determine the supporting hardware
that is best for your specific needs. We can always offer suggestions
if you have specific questions. Please note that we always advise customers
to avoid drilling our toms for mounting brackets. This will void the
instrument's warranty and will reduce the resale value of the drum.
Instead, we recommend suspension-style mounts. This offers flexible
choices in hardware products over the life of the instrument and also
preserves the integrity of the instrument.<br>
<br>
<br>
<b>Q: The inside of the drum is very smooth. Is that a clear spray finish
on the inside of the shell?</b><br>
<br>
A: Although it may appear as a spray finish, what you are seeing and
feeling is the result of polymers and hand labor. Finishing this surface
is a time-consuming process of hand-sanding and burnishing the shells
using multiple grits of sandpaper and polishing papers. Afterwards the
inside surface is hand-polished with a final coat of antique tung oil
and later on with carnauba wax (the shells are polymerized prior to
sanding).<br>
<br>
<b><br>
Q: Why do you hand-sand and polish the inside of the shells? All the
drums I have owned were unfinished inside.</b><br>
<br>
A : We believe that finishing inside the shell enhances the fundamental
tone and increases projection, making it worth the additional effort.
We saturate our shells with a custom mix of antique tung oil and additional
polymers that seal the wood and stabilize the grain. We believe this
is key to creating a durable thin-walled shell. The multi-step process
of hand-finishing and detailing that follows is craftsmanship not found
in many of today's mass-produced drums, and we believe that it also
ensures a lasting life of service for the musician.<br>
</p>
<p><br>
<b>Q: Why are the snare beds on your drums so deep?</b><br>
<br>
A: We believe the deeper snare bed results in a wider range of adjustment
of snare sound, a wide variety of controllable snare sounds that stay
consistent from low to high volumes, and allows for better adjustment
of "sympathetic buzz".<br>
<br>
<br>
<b>Q: What kind of bearing edge options can you offer for my custom
drums?</b><br>
<br>
A: Our bearing edge has a unique combination profile that is part of
our design and contributes to the classic sound of our instruments.
This vintage-style bearing edge was inspired by many classic American
drums. So to preserve the value of our instruments we only use this
unique bearing edge design.<br>
<br>
<br>
<b>Q: Can you re-cut the bearing bearing edges on my old drums?</b><br>
<br>
A: We do not offer repair or refurbishing services of antique drums
to the general public. We recommend one of many vintage drum shops that
offer such services.<br>
<b><br>
<br>
Q: Do you offer other wood shell options than maple?</b><br>
<br>
A: We have built prototypes of other wood combinations, but currently
only offer maple because of its proven track record for both tone and
longevity. Our research on instruments over 40 years old showed that
in general, the all-maple shells held up exceptionally well over time
as compared to mahogany shells, which were brittle and cracked under
stress.<br>
<br>
<br>
<b>Q: I have a specific list of shell sizes, third-party lugs and other
parts I want on my next new custom drumset. Can I get a quote from you
for how much and how long?</b><br>
<br>
A: Unlike the builders who offer "build to your specs", we
only offer limited customization (modified shell depths, optional reinforcing
rings, etc.) to our standard product lines. If you are looking for a
"one-off" design of your own, we suggest that you contact
one of the many fine drum makers who specialize in building individual
unique drums.<br>
</p>
<p><b><br>
Q: Your website is great! Why don't you sell your products directly
over the web?</b><br>
<br>
A: We sell exclusively through Authorized Resellers in order to provide
the best local service to our customers worldwide. We are always available
to discuss any special needs.<br>
<br>
<br>
<b>Q: There is not a re-seller in my local area. Do you sell direct?</b><br>
<br>
A: Our list of Authorized Resellers is constantly expanding. Please
contact us directly if you cannot find a reseller in your area, and
we will be happy to connect you with the reseller closest to you.<br>
<br>
<br>
<b>Q: Do you have a brochure about your products?</b><br>
<br>
A: We will be happy to mail a small brochure to you about our instruments.
Please send your request <a href="contact_main.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br>
<br>
<b><br>
Q: How do I obtain a quote on a custom kit configuration?<br>
<br>
</b>A: Feel free to contact us any time for a custom quote. We will
provide the quote to your local reseller, who can then provide you with
the detailed quote.<br>
<br>
<b><br>
Q: I like the polishing cloth that was included with my instrument.
Can I order another from you?</b><br>
<br>
A: Many of our resellers stock our polishing cloths. If you are unable
to locate a replacement product, please contact <a href="contact_main.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br>
<br>
<b><br>
Q: That's a cool logo! Do you have other "swag" besides your
t-shirt?</b><br>
<br>
A: We plan on offering additional wearable items and accessories, however
at this time, our extremely comfortable, 100% cotton, screen printed
in USA T-shirt is available in sizes S, M, L, XL, and XXL.<br>
<br>
<br>
<b>Q: I really like your drums! Do you offer any endorsement arrangements?</b><br>
<br>
A: We are always interested in discussing potential endorsement arrangements
with professional musicians playing music in our representative genres.
Please contact us directly to discuss potential endorsement arrangements.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<br>
<br>
<table width="90%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center">
<tr>
<td>
<div align="right"><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color="#996633">©
2004 - 2005 San Francisco Drum Co.</font></div>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<p> </p>
</div>
</body>
]]>