When selecting your stave drum, one of the most important decisions to make is the wood type.  The wood species and its hardness help contribute to the overall sound of the drum, The hardness of wood is measured on the Janka scale. The higher the number on the Janka scale, the harder the wood.  Heirloom has a wide selection of some of the finest hardwoods woods to choose from. Carefully selected wood paired with your hoops and bearing edges help sculpt the sound of your drum. The following is a list of our stock species. For any woods not listed please contact us.

	Maple ~ (1450)  A domestic straight grained hardwood.  Well rounded tone and wide availability has made this a popular choice in instrument making throughout history. It has a clear almost white color that is a blank slate when it comes to finishing. Can exhibit bold figure including curl, quilt and bird’s eye.  Maple has a warm clear tone while maintaining brightness. One of the most common tonewoods for drums.
	Birch ~ (1260) A domestic hardwood with a close straight grain that is finely textured and uniformed.  Its color varies from a cream to a white. A birch drum has good mid and high ranges with a bright sound. The louder and brighter brother of Maple. Also very common tonewood for drum making.
	Mahogany ~ (830) A dense imported hardwood with open grain that creates warm, fat tones. Common in vintage shells.   Between the big three including Maple and Birch; Mahogany has the lowest tone of the three. Reddish-brown in color with streaky figure especially when quartered. Color deepens and darkens over time to a rich red-brown.
	Cherry ~ (950) A domestic hardwood with a straight, tight, satiny grain.  It has a light reddish brown (almost pink when first milled) color that darkens with age and when it is exposed to sun light. Pretty crisp and bright for being at the lower end of the hardness scale.
	Walnut ~ (1010) A domestic hardwood which usually has straight grain but can sometimes be wavy or curly.  Its color ranges from a light to dark brown with a purplish tint sometimes.  After exposure the colors tend to lighten to a creamier brown. Very open grain. A walnut drum creates warm tones similar to Mahogany with a bit more brightness.
	Zebrawood ~ (1575) An imported hardwood from Africa with a wavy ribbon interlocked grain. Aptly named for its bold “Zebra” stripes, its colors range from a white to a dark brown to almost black.  Its hardness coupled with the open grain help give this species a wide range as a tonewood. Crispy and loud yet very warm.
	Padauk ~ (1725) An imported hardwood from Africa known for its hardness and bold color. Padauk’s heartwood can range from bright orange to a deep rich blood-red. Usually very straight grained especially when quartered and shows almost iridescent qualities when finished. Loud and bright, its sound is almost a cross between a metal and wood shell. Finishes beautifully and sounds fantastic. A real fan favorite here.
	Bubinga ~ (1980) An imported hardwood from Africa also known as African Rosewood.  Has a fine straight interlocked grain.  Its color ranges from pink and red to a deep red brown, with a wavy grain at times. This is the hardest species we offer. Its sharp attack with deep rich tones put this wood in a class of its own. Now becoming very popular as a drum tonewood due to its unique sound qualities.
	Wenge ~ (1630) A dense heavy hardwood imported from Africa with an extremely dark brown almost black heartwood and very open grain. A very unique looking wood. Exhibit’s a warm, dark, deep fundamental tone.
	Lacewood ~ (1750) Also known as Silky Oak. While not actually an Oak, Lacewood is an Australian hardwood with beautiful lace-like grain similar to quarter sawn American Oak. Its medium reddish brown with slightly lighter “flecks”(lace spots). It’s sound is similar to that of Birch with a bright clear sound.
	Ash ~ (1320) A domestic hardwood with a light creamy to tan heartwood and open grain similar to Oak. Ash’s sound is somewhat of a marriage between Maple and Birch. At 1320, its hardness falls between the two as well.