VALATONE
AVAILABLE TO BUY NOW...
ValaTone is Keough Drum Co’s interpretation of the classic brass snare drum, combining traditional craftsmanship, distinctive design and carefully considered details to create an instrument with a character all of its own.
Available in 14” × 5.5” and 14” × 6.5”, each ValaTone is individually handmade in England and built around a premium brass shell.
Available with both smooth or hand hammered shells, our Aged Patina finishes are created individually by hand. The natural variation of the process produces unique colours, markings and textures across each shell, meaning no two ValaTone patina drums will ever be exactly alike.
Every ValaTone features our signature Sentinel lugs and Classic 3-Pin Strainer, complemented by engraved internal lug washers and carefully selected snare wires and straps.
Each drum is individually serial numbered, dated, and carries a signed maker’s plaque inside the shell, creating a permanent record of the instrument and the person who made it.
Built individually rather than mass produced, ValaTone celebrates the small details, subtle imperfections and individuality that come with a genuinely handcrafted instrument.
The Sentinel Lug
The Sentinel Tube Lug is the signature hardware of Keough Drum Co, blending the timeless elegance of a traditional tube lug with the identity and precision of a modern cast design. Featuring solid brass tubes, precision threaded inserts, and a low-mass footprint, the Sentinel allows the shell to resonate freely while delivering smooth, accurate tuning and unmistakable Keough character.
Currently available in our signature Chrome & Brass finish.
Classic 3-Pin Strainer & Butt
Inspired by the timeless simplicity of traditional three-point designs, the Keough Classic 3 Pin Strainer combines familiar styling with considered modern engineering.
Designed as a complete system, the strainer is paired with a matching butt side, with independent adjustment at both ends. This dual-adjustment design allows the snare wires to be positioned and centred with greater precision beneath the drum, while also providing finer control over wire tension and set-up.
The smooth release-and-engage mechanism is designed to be simple, positive and dependable, while the clean three-pin layout gives the strainer a distinctly classic appearance.
Beautifully engineered, understated and functional — the Classic 3 Pin is designed to look as though it has always belonged on the drum.
Why the internal washers?
They’re not just cosmetic.
I’m a sucker for detail, so of course they look good, but there’s a practical reason they’re there too.
Most drum makers isolate external hardware such as lugs, strainers, brackets and spurs from the shell, yet inside that same shell, metal screws and washers are often tightened directly against the wood or metal shell.
Around eight years ago, I started fitting internal washers made from the same isolation material used beneath the external hardware. It creates a barrier between the metal fixings and the shell, protecting the wood / metal and completing the isolation on both sides.
It’s a small detail — and one you may never see unless you remove the drumhead. But to me, the details you don’t see matter just as much as the ones you do.
