Noble Cooley Reissue

[Luckiduc13]

I received mine today and man are my feelings hurt. Has anyone else ordered or received one?

[Fred F. Griffin]

Re: Noble Cooley Reissue

Yes, I have received mine. Why are your feelings hurt?

Fred F. griffin

[33rdaladrummer]

Re: Noble Cooley Reissue

I still think the originals were made out of maple. That was the main reason I didn't buy one. The prototype I saw at Gettysburg Remembrance Day a couple years ago was very well-made. But to me, there's just a big difference between poplar and maple. According to their research, in the 1800s they used lumber from the tulip poplar that grew on the land they owned. But I think they should have based the reproduction on the surviving originals, rather than some notes from the factory. Maybe they used the poplar for their toy drums...who knows? But I'm kind of glad they didn't make any out of maple because it inspired me to make my own steambent maple shells!

[4VADRUMMER]

Re: Noble Cooley Reissue

I have to say I wasn't impressed with the drum I saw at Gettysburg a few years ago. For $800 I can buy enough wood to make 20 drums! The drums themselves are pretty solid but the thing that turned me off was the fact that Noble & Cooley didn't seem to care about getting imput from anyone but themselves. Any successful product is a result of not only the quality of production but also imput from the end users up front. Id like to see them make a run out of maple with real tacks and not those copper nail studs they decided to use. Good job at attempting to tackle this project, the somewhat right way, Noble & Cooley but if I had to give you a grade it would be a C-. Listen to the folks that have done the research in civil war period drums next time! Because you own a large company doesn't mean you know everything.

[4VADRUMMER]

Re: Noble Cooley Reissue

I have seen and played the snare Will Chappell made pictured above. Let me say it is BY FAR the absolute best reproduction drum I have ever handled! Hands down, Will has blew away all the big drum makers with his repro! If you want a drum done the right way that is top shelf and beyond anything you can get from anyone else you need to check out one of Will Chappells drums!!!

[33rdaladrummer]

Re: Noble Cooley Reissue

Id like to see them make a run out of maple with real tacks and not those copper nail studs they decided to use.

Well, the original Noble and Cooleys didn't have a decorative brass tack design so they did try to say true to the original with the copper cut tacks.

Here are a couple original Noble and Cooleys. Note that somebody put that rag in one of them when they "restored" it. To my knowledge, Noble and Cooley isn't putting rags (mufflers) in their drums.

[33rdaladrummer]

Re: Noble Cooley Reissue

I have seen and played the snare Will Chappell made pictured above. Let me say it is BY FAR the absolute best reproduction drum I have ever handled! Hands down, Will has blew away all the big drum makers with his repro! If you want a drum done the right way that is top shelf and beyond anything you can get from anyone else you need to check out one of Will Chappells drums!!!

Thanks, Eric. I wasn't trying to highjack the thread. Getting back to N&C...I think that Noble and Cooley has the goal of making the reproductions as true to the original as possible. When I asked them in person if they would make one in maple, their answer was no, that they are making it just like the original.

[Fred F. Griffin]

Re: Noble Cooley Reissue

Who would know better how to make a reissue Civil War drum than the company that actually produced them? I trust they would have the documentation and the resources to get the job done. My hat goes off to Noble and Cooley for taking on this project and staying true to their standards. I think the drum is worth every penny!

Fred F. Griffin

[33rdaladrummer]

Re: Noble Cooley Reissue

I feel like I'm beating a dead horse here, but there has to be someone on this forum who can look at the originals and look at the repro and determine whether or not they are made from the same kind of wood.

Maple is slow growing and has a fine grain. Poplar is one of the fastest growing hardwoods and thus has a coarse grain.

Here's the prototype repro made from poplar.



I would be interested in seeing photos of more Noble and Cooley repros. Two original Noble and Cooleys are shown in my earlier post.

Of course the Noble and Cooleys are well-made. But in this hobby, the accuracy of a reproduction is judged not only by the techniques used to make it, but also the raw materials.

I would say N&C has done a great job with the craftsmanship, but are the materials, i.e. the wood used to make the shell, true to the original?

Who would know better how to make a reissue Civil War drum than the company that actually produced them? I trust they would have the documentation and the resources to get the job done. My hat goes off to Noble and Cooley for taking on this project and staying true to their standards. I think the drum is worth every penny!

Fred F. Griffin

[4VADRUMMER]

Re: Noble Cooley Reissue

To each his own pard! Personally I'd take my $800 and buy an original, just like most the guys I know have done. Then again I guess if you got the cash, why not, Have at it. My point is there are better resources out there for historically correct reproduction drums at a much more fare price. How many drums did Noble & Cooley produce during the war anyway? Baltimore Maryland and Philadelphia Pennsylvania was where all the big military contract drum makers were located. Just my two cents, then again I've only been civil war drumming for 25 years so I have lots to learn.

[cprljohnivey]

Re: Noble Cooley Reissue

Wow... I'm glad I play the fife. All I have to worry about is ferral size, ferral shape, finger hole size, finger hole pattern, bore diameter, cork position... on second thought... how much you chargin for your drums Will?

I tell you what... if my son (now almost 3) shows any interest in drumming, a Will Chappell drum is what he's gunna get!

[Luckiduc13]

Re: Noble Cooley Reissue

Thought I would post a picture of the drum.

[Luckiduc13]

Re: Noble Cooley Reissue

What are yalls thoughts on this strainer? Jay Cooley told me today that George Carol is making them for him. If it were my company, I would look else where.

[33rdaladrummer]

Re: Noble Cooley Reissue

The strainers are made by an Amish man by the name of Emmanuel King at the Cattail Foundry in Gordonville, PA. They're $15 each if you purchase from him directly.

They compare favorably to the one on my John Lowell drum (attached), and this style strainer was the most commonly found on period drums. There were of course slight variations from maker to maker.


[QUOTE=Luckiduc13;218107]What are yalls thoughts on this strainer? Jay Cooley told me today that George Carol is making them for him. If it were my company, I would look else where.

[4VADRUMMER]

Re: Noble Cooley Reissue

Also, I've never seen an original with more than 6 strands of snare gut. Small detail I know but just saying..... I'd also go with a little thicker gut. The thin gut seems to be more prevalent on turn of the century drums from what I've seen. The drum doesn't look bad and I love the paint they used for the hoops. They should have sourced their rope through Will and got that kick butt hemp rope that is dead on to the original. Again, I mentioned that to them in Gettysburg in 2008 and it went in one ear and out of the other apparently. Looks like they are using that cotton cooperman rope that cooperman likes to call linen, yeah ..... Right it's cotton sorry to burst their bubble. Also, man how pretty a Maple shell would be! Poplar is just not a pretty wood when finished. It has a lot of grey runs in it. Have an artist throw an eagle on that thing and make it a kick butt eagle drum.