WELCOME TO MY GOBLET SHAPED DRUMS STORE.

I do not have a physical shop / store but you may arrange to visit me to see and try out any drums. I live in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England. Please CONTACT ME to arrange a visit.

I HAVE THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES OF ITEMS FOR SALE:

✹ DARABUKAS EGYPTIAN ✹ DARABUKAS TURKISH ✹ DARABUKAS SYRIAN ✹
✹ CLAY ✹ WOODEN ✹ SOMBATI ✹ DOHOLLA ✹ EXTERNALLY TUNED ✹ REMO ✹

Please click on the links above or below to visit the relevant store.

A QUICK GUIDE TO GOBLET SHAPED DRUMS

"Goblet Shaped Drums" is the generic name for small drums played with the hands, often on the lap. There are several types, they are manufactured in different countries and they can be made from different materials. The terminology can be confusing to the newcomer so here is a quick introduction. In Egypt these drums are generally called TABLA ( this is confusing as there is a drum from India called Tabla which is a completely different drum to this one ) So I tend to use the common name DARABUKA which is used in many countries, you will find variations of this word e.g. Darbuka, Derbeki, Doumbek and endless variations of these spellings. Then there are different names for the different sizes these drums come in which are listed below:

Please scroll the different models below and click on the link to visit the relevant store:

DOHOLLAS

The largest size produced, the Doholla is mainly used as a supporting drum in a percussive ensemble. It produces the deepest bassiest sounds of all the drums and can come in several sizes, the "Super-Doholla" being the biggest.

SOMBATIS

Relatively new on the scene, the Sombati sits in-between the Doholla and Darabuka in size and has all the deep bass of a Doholla and high treble sounds of a Darabuka, usually very heavy. The choice of most professional players in Egypt nowadays.

DARABUKAS

The standard size and most commonly found version of a Goblet shaped drum. Often used as a soloing drum. I have put them into regional categories - Egyptian and Turkish made.

CLAY

Goblet shaped drums were originally made from organic materials, clay terracotta for the shell and an animal skin affixed to the head. The skins are often Goat but the finest ones are fitted with fish skin, from large flat fish. The heads need to be exposed to a source of heat to stretch them to make them sound the best. Please note you will need to heat the skin heads on all these drums to make them sound their best.

WOODEN

Goblet shaped drums were originally made from organic materials, usually clay terracotta for the shell but they can also be made from Wood and an animal skin affixed to the head. The skins are often Goat but the finest ones are fitted with fish skin, from large flat fish. The heads need to be exposed to a source of heat to stretch them to make them sound the best. Please note you will need to heat the skin heads on all these drums to make them sound their best.

EXTERNALLY TUNED DRUMS

Some Turkish and Syrian drums have an external tuning system, this causes a more angular sharper edge to the head / rim area which can be a little more challenging to play.

REMO

REMO are an American company specialising in copying traditional world percussion items using modern approaches to materials. For example their Doumbeks are made from Acousticon shells which are formed using wood-pulp and resin. They also develop new Doumbek drum heads from various materials, their Skyndeep models being a particular favourite for Goblet Shaped drums.

  • FAQ

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    F.A.Q.

    Q: "I am new to this or I am buying for someone else and I do not know what to buy. I know that a lot of these type of drums are very poorly made - how do I know yours are any good ?"

    A: I have been playing these drums for over 25 years. I have played hundreds of them in my time. I own many drums made by many different makers in my personal collection. I hand pick ALL the drums I have for sale - I refuse any which I would not be happy to use and perform with myself. Some of the drums I have personally picked out in person in Egypt and Turkey, others have come to me by other means. If necessary, I "renovate" drums which I know to be good drums and replace the heads, work on the drum shell as well as refreshing their external appearance, to bring them to their best. All these drums will sound different to each other due to many factors and all you need to do is decide what sound you like and which ones appeal to you visually and what your budget is. If you know what it is you are looking for and are unable to visit me to try them out - I have filmed many of the drums so you can see and hear them. If you are unhappy for any reason with your drum I will refund you the cost of the drum as long as the buyer pays for return postage and the drum is in the same condition as sent.

  • Payment

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    As I usually only have one example of each drum at any one time, I prefer to create a personalised invoice for each order which will reflect the P+P charges for each order. So there is no option to "Buy It Now"

    Payment can be done through PayPal, Bank Transfer or Cheque.

    Choose a preferred payment option and then please contact me via the Contact Page to let me know you want the item reserving and how you wish to pay. I will then send you either a personalised Paypal Invoice, the bank details for a transfer of funds or details on where to send a cheque. N.B. orders can only be dispatched once payment has cleared.

  • Postage

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    Postage is extra to the price of the drum and will vary accordingly, there is no set charge per drum as some are heavy than others and I am not trying to make extra money on the P+P - I will calculate a fair and accurate postage quote for you.

    N.B. for orders outside of the U.K. - postage of heavy items like Darabukas can be very expensive adding around £50 - £150 to the total cost, please think seriously if you can afford that before asking me to work out postage costs.

    For UK orders; a darabuka is approximately £15.00 per darabuka.

    You may arrange to visit me to try out any drum ( I live in North Yorkshire ) - use the Contact Form to discuss this with me.

  • Specials

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    I have a large collection of drums for performance and recording. From time to time I pass on these drums for sale as I add new ones to my collection. This will be indicated in the description of the drums.