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CATIE’S ARROW

@catiesarrow

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Drums
Build • Restoration • Repair • Modify
Amesbury, MA. - Est. 2008
.:.
Proceeds aimed to aid in the war against substance abuse and addiction. 💜

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“A mother is a son’s first true love, a son is a mother’s last true love.”

To celebrate my fellow birthday brother today, if you’re reading this, Chris, I thank you for allowing me into your circle in the most random and beautiful of ways all these years.

Thank you for entrusting me to make something for you that will always hold your Mum’s spirit close and hopefully inspire you to play all the notes your heart ever wants to play. This one was a special one and today seemed fitting to share this.

Here’s to you and the beautiful woman who gave you life.

HB forever.

C^A by @catiesarrow

Spoons and forks on pots and pans.

C^A by @catiesarrow

Working on mysteries without any clues.

C^A by @catiesarrow

Inner circle.

My obsession with interiors has always been a very healthy one.

Perhaps it’s one of those things that tends to live in that place of, “…at the end of the day, if only I know what goes on to get it to this level of attention and care, I’m 100% okay with that.”

Or, maybe I just want someone to remove a lug a lifetime from now and like what they see when the beneath is revealed.

Both accounts champion the time invested.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

They say, “it’s what’s on the inside that counts.”

Is that true, the insides? Is that what matters? The within?

Maybe that’s the default echo that finds you when you’re not very good looking or one that can’t dress to impress.

I’m not winning any beauty contests over here anytime soon, so, yeah… that’s probably true. Alas, we keep focusing on the little things.

Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more.

Back to sanding.

C^A by @catiesarrow

Give more than you take.

C^A by @catiesarrow

Learn the lesson. Leave the event.

C^A by @catiesarrow

Heavy in many.

C^A by @catiesarrow

Three on the tree.

C^A by @catiesarrow

Here’s one from the summer that I never shared.

Gretsch 16” floor with a brutal flesh wound on the reso side. My guess is she was likely played as a single header since birth or used as a truck chock.

Material removed to clear the trauma. Shell trued, edged, sealed, and sent back with love. Original lug placements were left alone as a series of baby steps assured enough clearance for proper tuning and dynamic range serving as my compass.

Little passes // dry fit // rinse // repeat.
In the end, we got there.

Best part of this job was the manner in which it found me.

.:.

Since the start, I’ve been fortunate to meet some incredibly talented people that work in the drum trade either as a player, a builder, or both. I’ve befriended, been inspired by, collaborated with, and have continuously learned from some amazing folks progressing the art from within this craft.

When a fellow builder refers you with complete trust to another drummer, it’s one of the best boosts you can receive on the journey. Jordan Gauthier, is that guy.

Jordan is the brains, brawn, and creative force behind @ycdrumcompany out of Waterloo, Ontario. A mighty talent and artist who in my estimation, sits at the big kids’ table of drum creation, full stop.

He’s a gifted builder, class-A touring tech, business owner, lifelong puck stopper, and all-around sweet dude (the Canadian thing helps, I suppose). Check out his footprint if you haven’t already. The man kills it!

Being recognized by an artisan who you respect is a tremendous feeling. Being sent work in effort to help a high calibre player like a Connor J. Denis: who’s a monster player and legit drum nerd in his own right, was just the icing.

Thank you Jordan for the lift, thank you Connor for the trust, and thank you Jeffrey for the introduction.

.:.

Here’s to more growth, more lessons to learn, and more fun working on these things in the upcoming lap. I’m sure I could’ve posted much more in 2025, but that’s a work in progress, as I struggle to hug social media, still.

All in all, it’s been a wonderful year in the shop. The best one by far. My sister would be smiling.

C^A by @catiesarrow

Chop suey.

Bass drum abbreviation for local killer and all-around sweet guy, Max Sloan, who I met at DCP. 18” depth at 22” round to start, so, yeah… four inches need to exit stage left. It’s just that simple. Ya’ gotta’ go.

Approaching only the batter side on this one, which shifts everything more evenly towards the fade line. Aesthetically it looks better. My childhood memories at Sam’s Barber Shop in Lynn, Massachusetts are smiling somewhere right now.

Round over batter profiled for enhanced fatness and warmth, with a girthy attack and punchy projection achieved at this depth (stay for the video at the end).

Reso side edge was left alone.

Relief cuts added to both hoops for better seating.

Lug placements were drilled to accommodate the oversized spuds on the backside of each casing. This occurs only at the depth needed to nestle the casting within the shell wall. The mounting screw thickness that graduates below, arriving midway through the pass, is drilled at a narrower gauge. Think of a wine glass. It’s a single cavity with two diameters at work. Takes longer to do but offers better tolerances for zero play and a super snug fit.

Traditional depth at 14” is easier to schlep with some weight shaved, while leaving a friendlier footprint on stage from here on out. Bass drums also look cooler at that depth, and when we all die, that’s what folks will remember you by. “How deep was his kick drum?”, they’ll say.

Everybody wins.
Everybody hurts.
Sometimes.

C^A by @catiesarrow

In a clapping mood.

C^A by @catiesarrow