Craviotto Drum Company
TypePrivate
Founded1999 (1999)
FounderJohn Angelo (Johnny C) Craviotto
Headquarters
Nashville, Tennessee
,
United States
ProductsDrum kits
Websitecraviottodrums.com

Craviotto Drums is a drum kit manufacturing company, based in Nashville, Tennessee.[1] [2] [3][4] [5][6][7][8] [9][10][11]

History

Craviotto's first band in Santa Cruz, c. 1962

Craviotto Drums founder and CEO, John “Johnny C” Craviotto was born to Italian-American parents (mother from Florence, father from Genoa) in San Francisco, CA. Johnny began playing drums at an early age and he started playing professionally as a teenager. In the 1970s, a young Johnny Craviotto started off his musical career as a professional drummer playing with artists such as Arlo Guthrie, Ry Cooder, Moby Grape, Neil Young, and Buffy St. Marie. At this time, he had also become a collector of vintage drums and developed an interest in the work of early drum builders.[12][13][14][15][16]

Johnny Craviotto founded the company in 1999

Craviotto had the opportunity around 1979-80 to work in a boatyard with a master boat builder. As an apprentice and helper he began applying this technique to drum shells. So with the help of the master boat builder, Johnny began making one-ply drum shells. By 1984-85, Craviotto teamed up with Billy Gibson, drummer of Huey Lewis & The News. They launched a drum company, Select Drum Company (later changed to “Solid”) Drum Company.[17]

Craviotto developed a steam-bending technique which led to a partnership with Don Lombardi of DW Drums in 1993.[18] For about a decade beginning in the 1990s, Craviotto’s snare drums were available as part of Drum Workshop's catalogs.[19]

Around 1999, Craviotto started a new venture, which was to build drums from ancient, old growth wood recovered from sunken timber. He launched a limited-edition series of solid-ply drums made from 600-year-old wood rescued from the bottom of Lake Superior. These drums were adorned with hoops engraved by engraver, John Aldridge – the “Lake Superior Timeless Timber series.” Several years later, these were followed up with the Lake Superior Timeless Timber birch series of drums.[20] followed by The Lake Superior snare drum (1999). The logs were found by divers, who were searching for a treasure, and they were blocked by these logs. [21]

John Angelo Craviotto died on July 15, 2016, of cardiac arrest.[22]

In 2019, the company relocated to Nashville, Tennessee. The company hired Sam Bacco as the new Executive Vice President. With a history of being involved with other drum companies, Sam Bacco brought his expertise in quality drum manufacturing to Craviotto and enabled the company's aspirations to continue Johnny's legacy.

In 2021, Craviotto announced the company's first subsidiary brand of ply-wood shells, Diamond Drums. This particular product was the result of Sam Bacco's involvement in the company. Also in 2021, Craviotto trademarked the phrase "Ply Shells Perfected™". These drums feature Craviotto's Maple-Ply Shells, Gold Tone Interior Sealer, Straight-Shot Edges, Marquise Lugs, and Stick-Saver Hoops. In Q2 of 2022, David Victor (Craviotto VP of Marketing, Sales, Production, Web Design, Product Design, and Customer Service) confirmed through a Craviotto Owner Facebook group that Bacco had decided to leave the company. It was later announced that the company's focus would be shifted back to Solid Shell Drums and the Diamond Drums brand would be discontinued in 2022.

Drumset Lineup

Drum Kits

Solid Shell Maple, Matte Black Lacquer with Maple Inlay
  • Custom Shop drum sets: feature the signature, one ply shells. Custom Shop drums are available in a variety of wood species including Maple, Ash, Cherry, Poplar, Walnut or Mahogany. Custom Shop drums can be constructed of a solitary wood species, or wood species can be mixed & matched throughout the depth of the drum to create Craviotto's exclusive Stacked Solid shells. Craviotto offers three different bearing edges: 45°, 30°, or Baseball Bat (BB). Edges can be mixed and matched between the various drums’ batter & resonant sides to achieve different tonal characteristics.

These drums include a choice of either Craviotto's traditional machined brass, chrome-plated Diamond Tube Lug, or the Marquise cast lug. Finish options include natural oiled finishes, or lacquers available in a variety of solid or sparkle colors. Inlays are available in either maple, cherry or walnut. Custom Shop kits are outfitted with 2.3mm triple flange hoops standard, however wood hoops are available as well.

They are available in any configuration of sizes from 10” through 26”. Cocktail configurations are also available.

  • Center Stage kits: Constructed of the same signature solid shells as the Custom Shop kits, however are limited to Maple shells, with 45° edges, Walnut inlay, and limited sizes. Center Stage kits feature a single, center mounted cast lug. Preconfigured kits are available in the following configurations: 7x12, 12x14, 12x18, 7x12, 12x14, 12x20, 8x13, 14x16, 12x22, 8x13, 14x16, 12x24.
  • Center Stage drums are also available à la carte in the following sizes: 7x12, 8x13, 12x14, 13x15, 14x16, 12x18, 12x20, 12x22, 12x24.

Snare Drums

  • Custom Shop snares feature the handmade, in house one ply shells available in Maple, Ash, Cherry, Poplar, Walnut or Mahogany. Drummers are welcome to choose diameters between 10” and 20”, and any depth of their choosing (minimum 3.5”). Custom Shop feature Craviotto's machined brass, chrome-plated Diamond Tube Lug. Any combination of 45°, 30°, or Baseball Bat (BB) edges are available. Unless otherwise requested by the customer, Custom Shop snare drums come outfitted with a Trick GS007 throw-off, 2.3mm triple flange hoops, Remo Ambassador drumheads, and Craviotto's signature Diamond butt plate unless any specifics are specified by the customer otherwise.
Plaque on a "Private Reserve" snare drum
  • Private Reserve are Custom Shop snare drums that are made of particularly uniquely figured pieces of wood, or particularly rare species. Private Reserve drums are designed by Johnny Craviotto, and are marked with a red Private Reserve badge.
  • Johnny C. Series feature a Craviotto handmade solid Maple shell with 45° edges. Johnny C. Series snare drums feature a cast lug, Trick GS007 throw-off, 2.3mm triple flange hoops, Remo Ambassador drumheads, and Craviotto's signature Diamond butt plate. Johnny C. Series snare drums are available as a 5.5x13”, 6.5x13”, 5.5x14” or 6.5x14”.
  • The Super Swing features a 7x14” solid Maple shell with Walnut inlay and 45° edges. It features 8 cast lugs, and walnut stained wood hoops with die cast claws.

Collaborations with AK Drums Italy

In 2007, Craviotto Drum Company teamed up with Adrian Kirchler (AK Drums Italy) to introduce a series of limited edition, handmade metal snare drums. Models released were:

  • 2008: Diamond Series Nickel over Brass, featuring a fully engraved, nickel-plated brass shell. (50x) 5.5x14” and (50x) 6.5x14” were produced.
  • 2009: Copper Diamond Series, featured a raw copper shell. (50x) 5.5x14” and (50x) 6.5x14” were produced.
  • 2012: Masters Metal Brass/Copper, featured a hybrid shell with raw brass on the batter side and raw bopper on the resonant side. (50x) 5.5x14” and (50x) 6.5x14” were produced.
  • 2013: Masters Brass, featured a raw brass shell. (25x) 4.5x14”, (40x) 5.5x14”, (60x) 6.5x14” and (25x) 8x14” were produced.
  • 2014: Craviotto Black Diamond, created in celebration of the Craviotto Drum Company's 10th Anniversary. This drum featured a black nickel-plated, fully engraved brass shell. (25x) 5.5x14” were produced.
  • 2016: Craviotto Masters Bronze, featuring a raw bronze shell. (25x) 5.25x14” and (75x) 7x14” were produced.

Hardware

  • Marquise Lugs
  • Johnny C. Lugs
  • Diamond Tube Lugs
  • Diamond Cast Lugs

Artists

References

  1. ↑ "Craviotto Drums at Memphis Drum Shop".
  2. ↑ "Craviotto Drums at Drum Shop UK".
  3. ↑ "Craviotto Drums at Maxwell Drums".
  4. ↑ "Craviotto Drums at Just Drums Toronto ON".
  5. ↑ "Craviotto Drums at Guitar Center". Archived from the original on 2017-09-17. Retrieved 2016-06-12.
  6. ↑ "Guitar Center Interview with Drummer Josh Freese". Archived from the original on 2016-08-10. Retrieved 2016-06-12.
  7. ↑ "Craviotto Drums at Sam Ash Music".
  8. ↑ "Modern Drummer Magazine Product Review September 2015 Issue".
  9. ↑ "MusicRadar.com Product Review March 2008".
  10. ↑ "Lone Star Percussion Product Review of Craviotto Snare Drum December 2015".
  11. ↑ "Ringo Starr sitting in on Craviotto artist Chad Cromwell's solid shell maple Craviotto kit this past Friday night in Los Angeles with Joe Walsh.publisher=". Archived from the original on 2017-01-06. Retrieved 2016-06-13.
  12. ↑ "Neil Young & The Ducks - Johnny Craviotto".
  13. ↑ "Neil Young and the Ducks".
  14. ↑ "Namm Show 2010 Interview".
  15. ↑ "Neil Young Book a memoir of Life and Cars".
  16. ↑ "Moby Grape with Johnny Craviotto SF Great American Music Hall 1974".
  17. ↑ "Reverb Article on Select Snare Drums Billy Gibson and Johnny Craviotto".
  18. ↑ "Reverb Magazine -Article DW Craviotto Diamond Series Snare Drum".
  19. ↑ "Snare Drums Review Article DW Craviotto".
  20. ↑ "Drummer World Article on Lake Superior Snare Drum".
  21. ↑ "Not So Modern Drummer Article".
  22. ↑ "The World loses a drumming master with the death of Johhny C - Santa Cruz Sentinel 7/21/16".
  23. ↑ "Ronnie Vannucci - Modern Drummer Magazine Article -Craviotto Drums-January 23, 2009".
  24. ↑ "Jason McGerr- Mr. Movie Times -Craviotto Drums-January 23, 2009".
  25. ↑ "Chad Cromwell - Linkedin - Craviotto Artist".
  26. ↑ "Bernie Dresel - The Herald - Craviotto Drum Artist".
  27. ↑ "Chris McHugh joins Craviotto Drum Company-Drum Forum May 11, 2009".
  28. ↑ "Lesson Shark - February 26, 2013 - Jerry Roe - Craviotto Drums artist".
  29. ↑ "Dadarrio - Chris Tyrrell of Lady Antebellum - Craviotto Drums artist". Archived from the original on 2016-08-16. Retrieved 2016-07-09.
  30. ↑ "Scott Amendola- Gear - Craviotto Drum Artist". Archived from the original on 2016-08-17. Retrieved 2016-07-09.
  31. ↑ "Headliner Magazine - Issue 7 - Keith Prior drummer - David Gray -Craviotto Drums artist".
  32. ↑ "Paiste Magazine - Feature Chris Knight - Craviotto Drums artist".
  33. ↑ "Matt Wilson Drum Magazine December 26, 2009- Craviotto Drums artist".
  34. ↑ "Jerome Jennings - Craviotto Drums artist".
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