Sonor History

Sonor is a German percussion manufacturer. From early in the 20th century, Sonor drum sets and hardware are both revered and notorious for being constructed in a very durable, painstaking, and therefore, unusually heavy manner. They have a reputation for being very expensive but are the weapon of choice for many studios and professional musicians. In the 1980's Sonor's tagline was "The Rolls of drums." This was an allusion to the perfectionist (and expensive) way they constructed their drum shells. They made very thick and heavy shells that were beech wood, with an innermost and outermost ply of furniture-grade veneers, such as Rosewood and Bubinga. They also created a snare drum cast from solid metal that tipped the scales close to 100 lb. Nicko McBrain of Iron Maiden was one of the most prominent Sonor artists of the 80's, along with Steve Smith of Journey and jazzman Jack DeJohnette.

As the 1980s progressed, the market began to stray away from thick heavy shells and Sonor started slimming down its shells with a line called "Sonorlite." This marked a shift in philosophy that dictated a drum shell should resonate like a violin or guitar body. The thinner the shell, the lower the fundamental tone.

Sonor drums have several unique design features, including under-sized shells (a similar concept to a violin bridge - designed to enhance response), a unique vertical/stave drumshell design, and tension rods which are round and feature a slot instead of the tradional square style. And Sonor continues its incredible quality by importing the more affordable Force series kits from China. Regardless, they meet the same exceptional standards as pro models. Sonor introduced the designer X-Ray Acrylic drums. This marks the first time in 20 years Sonor offered acrylic drums. Sonor's exotic finish and tonal quality are still coveted by amateurs and professionals alike. Used Sonor drums are collectors items. Current Sonor artists include the Austrian-born king of drum clinics Thomas Lang.