Hosbilt to launch new designs, manufacturing

After his split with Premier Music International Ltd. (PMIL), Craig Colquhoun – founder, product developer and owner of Hosbilt – will launch a new range of products, including drums and heads, using advanced carbon fibre design and construction.

 

He said that an agreement has been secured with Aquarian Drumheads of Anaheim, California, to produce a new line of “Hosbilt World’s Edition” bass and tenor heads. The designs were used already in the Grade 1 Spirit of Scotland Pipe Band’s drum section in 2008, and are now an Aquarian “Signature Series.”

 

Colquhoun revealed that he has completed a manufacturing agreement with Rocket Shells of Sacramento, California, to manufacture a new range of bass and tenor drums in time for the 2010 pipe band competition season, using designs that have been in development for the past three years.

 

The new drums use a carbon fibre re-enforced composite construction of the tension system and the shells, making the drums “virtually a non-destructive design that will stay in tune and totally be controlled from a tone perspective,” according to Colquhoun. He added that the drums will be “impervious” to weather conditions.

 

“These drums coupled with the new heads will lead the way for the future of the mid-section sound,” Colquhoun added. “It’s time to give bass and tenor drummers, instruments that are fully controlled both tuning and tone-wise.”

 

For those with existing Hosbilt drums, the instruments can be retrofitted with the new Hosbilt carbon fibre hoops and turnbuckles, allowing them to use the new tensioning system and heads, while keeping their shells. Colqhoun said that the new hardware will “breathe life” into older Premier-made drums that have tensioning system problems and warped wooden hoops.

 

The new drum technology will come at a price, though. Colquhoun indicated that the price of a 28 x 16 bass drum, as an example, will be more than what bands are accustom to paying, but said that it would still cost less than $2,000.

 

“It’s time to show the pipe band world that Hosbilt has been brought back as a stand-alone Canadian company,” Colquhoun said. “My goal is to advance the sound of bass and tenors yet again.”

 

PMIL, which announced a “boardroom restructure” in August 2009, continues to offer “Professional Series” drums allegedly using original Hosbilt designs. According to Colquhoun, Hosbilt discontinued its licensing agreement with Premier after Colquhoun identified manufacturing and quality control problems.

 

“PMIL continues to make considerable investment in product design and manufacture of pipe band drums and ensure that build quality is world class,” said PMIL spokesperson, Sven Parris.