News: Ron Vaughn

Dateline January 4, 2010
Ron Vaughn Log Drums are ready for the 2010 season, and better than ever!
Soprano, Alto, Tenor, and Bass . . . SATB
Ron Vaughn Percussion is now in regular production of Ron's classic, full bodied, authentic Log Drums. These drums represent Ron's very latest version of his well known log drums with their rich, full, dark mellow tones. Pitches are as always with Ron's Log Drums: Bass pitches are G natural and B flat, Tenor pitches are C natural and E flat, Alto pitches are F natural and A flat, and Soprano pitches are B flat and D flat. Solid N. American Black Walnut tops, with powerful Russian Birch bodies. Elegantly finished and hand polished to a beautiful sheen. World Class Ron Vaughn quality, sound, and patina. Look for new images to be posted on our web site in the near future, and through Ron Vaughn dealers worldwide. And don't forget our new Log Drum mallets: medium for our Soprano and Alto Log Drums, and large for our Tenor and Bass Log Drums.
All Ron Vaughn Log Drums are also Flexmount compatible for excellent mounting and playability for performance.

Dateline January 1, 2009
Tambourine restorations a rapidly growing requested service for 2009:
Ron Vaughn Percussion is receiving a rapidly growing number of requests for restoring Ron’s classic solid shell tambourines to their original condition. These unique services include Ron’s original mounting system for high quality calfskin heads. The skins are mounted to the solid shells without any hardware, producing the classic, lightweight, beautifully balanced tambourines. Jingles can be restored to their original shape if they have been bent through decades of use, or they can be replaced with identical, authentic jingles from Ron Vaughn.

Dateline January 1, 2009
Woodblocks in 2009:
Ron Vaughn woodblocks continue to set the quality bar ever higher, after decades of continually refining the process. Ron’s original solid body, single slot woodblocks are the “best we’ve ever made”, says company owner Ron Vaughn. “I remember when I first introduced these great blocks to the industry back in the 1970’s at PAS in Knoxville, Tennessee. Players were cautious. The blocks sounded very good even back then, though they looked very different from other woodblocks of that time”.
Today, woodblocks generally reflect the same aspect ratios of Ron's once ‘outrageous’ looking woodblocks.

Dateline January 1, 2009
Exceptional Woodblock Tuning, 2009 :
In 2009, Ron Vaughn tuning is taken to new heights. Ron Vaughn woodblocks are exceptionally consistent, one to the next. This consistency allows players to more reliably add to their collection, whether they started them this year, or 25 years ago.

Dateline January 1, 2009
Steam Bent Solid Drum Shell Technology Growth, 2009:
In 2009 Ron Vaughn Percussion continues to aggressively develop Ron's decades rich path and technology development of continually improving steam bent solid drum shell production methods. In recent developments, steam benders have begun to join two separate solid shells by gluing the two pieces together to achieve larger drum shell sizes. 'Book matching’ wood grains is then required to try and make the two piece shell appear as a true one piece solid shell. This practice is required due to the gluing of the two shells together to achieve greater shell heights, (bass drums, toms, etc.).
This practice defeats the very purpose of solid shells, i.e., making a drum from one solid piece of wood that can resonate as a single body. When a glue seam is added radially it compounds the muting of the complete potential of the drum as the sound waves are interrupted by the un-natural glue joint.
As an example, this additional gluing is similar to the interruption of sound waves if you lay your hand across a guitar’s strings while the performer plays. The sound can’t travel freely along the length of the string. Or, in the case of drums, the sound cannot travel the length of the solid wood shell as it collides with the non-homogenous glue joint.

In 2009, Ron Vaughn continues to develop solid shell technology that allows for these larger, (longer), shell types to be formed from a single piece of wood. Ron's engineering of the mechanical components and technologies to produce such large, one piece solid shells is well into development and producing remarkable results. Shells of this sonic caliber have been appropriately named, 'Pure Solid Shells TM', or 'Pure Solids TM' by Ron.
Unique Woods from the World's Forests, 2009:
These' Pure Solids' TM require the unique harvesting of woods from around the world that posses the physical size and quality to complete the Pure Solid Shell. This harvesting is made possible through careful long-term relationships, and legal permissions that span decades for Ron Vaughn. Similar searches for woods of exceptional tone quality take place for innovators like Bob Taylor of Taylor Guitars, where wood selections are vital to producing beautiful tone in instruments, www.taylorguitars.com.
Sustainable sourcing is a critical part of this process, as companies like Ron Vaughn Percussion and others remain committed to creating ever higher quality instruments made from these remarkable, naturally occurring materials.

News . . . Archive from 2008
Ron Vaughn's new company promises and delivers: Fall, Winter 2008
Long time industry innovator and leader, Ron Vaughn, has introduced the latest in his Solid Body, Single Slot Woodblocks. This collection is offered only by Ron Vaughn dealers World Wide. The collection now includes additional pitches, even finer tuning, and pitch-specific tuning. Each block is designed to sound at a specific pitch. Then the color of the pitch is further tuned to create Ron's signature sound which has become so recognizable to players, conductors, and studio engineers everywhere. The highest pitched blocks now have additional pitches, (W1.3), as well as Ron's 'BIG BLOCKS', having added a large W-4.7 and the great W-7, extending the range of these fine instruments even further.

High Density Mallets also bring more innovation and change, raising the bar even higher within Ron's well established, highly trusted percussion instruments and equipment. All of Ron's classic instruments and designs are being reintroduced in this his latest and best work in his long and continuing successful career. New and innovative instruments and equipment are being added as Ron continues to forge his path of performance, innovation and excellence he began over 40 years ago. "Players enrich the path for us with their active requests and suggestions. I've always been fortunate to work side by side with great players and educators", Ron says. "We grow directly from these inspiring, long-standing and trusted relationships."

Many aspire to fine performance. Those who have the vision and discipline create meaningful musical contributions, whether in the classroom, on the local or world stage, in concert halls, recording studios, music festivals, and in every musical style imaginable. This rich cultural mix today of world music and musicians is unprecedented in our collective experience.

History, Today, Next . . . Solid Body Single Slot Woodblocks, High Density Mallets, Stainless Steel Flex Hardware, Flex Mounts, Multiple Percussion Flex Hardware, Solid Shell Recording Tambourines, Solid Shell Concert Tambourines, Temple Blocks, Log Drums, Rotating Studio Chimes, Brazilian Percussion, Hand Drums, Hand Percussion, Latin Bells, Solid Snare Drum Shells and Kit Shells, World Music Percussion and the Brilliant Future. Practice, prepare, always give your best !