Ludwig Drums had plenty of special designs on show. This standout Patrick Carney’s Salesman set in maple is based on sets from the 50s that used to show off all the available sparkle finishes of the drums, and are now collectors’ items. Patrick, drummer in The Black Keys, commissioned a set for a recent tour, and designed this limited edition reissue.

This Paiste PST 8 Reflector 18” Rock China has a strong powerful sound that really cuts through, and is designed for a raw, aggressive, yet bright sound. It featured on the kit that drum guru Craig Blundell was playing.

Craig was showing off his incredible custom Premier One Series kit. One Series are one-of-a-kind, and are handmade in England. Craig’s kit is called The Marshside and is made of hybrid shells of cherry and birch ply, with a zebrawood outer ply. The tom shells are 11-ply and the snare drum shells 14-ply. What’s really unusual are the 3.5” deep bass drum hoops.

It was great to meet Premier’s Head of Manufacture Keith Keough, who built up a following with his KD custom drums, used by bands such as The Whip, before joining forces with Premier.

Pearl had a load of new gear on show including its revived Pearl Export Series. These legendary kits have been updated and are now called EXX. They are made of blended poplar and Asian mahogany and feature new hardware too.

This Vision Series limited edition kit, birch in Garabato finish, certainly caught our eye.

Over at Natal Drums there were some great kits and demos, including a powerful show of technique from drummer, author and Kitmonsters contributor Rob Hirons. Take a look at Rob Hirons’ tips on developing your drumming.

We checked out the stunning Natal dark copper hand-hammered snare drum while we were there, which has a warm deep tone between wood and flat metal.

We spotted plenty of unusual finishes at the show, and this Pictograph set from Peace Drums stood out thanks to its Egyptian theme. It’s part of their DNA Series.

We’ve interviewed a load of drummers who use Tama pedals and it was good to be introduced to their newest Iron Cobra, the 600 series bass drum pedal. The “Duo Glide” means an easy switch between Power Glide and Rolling Glide, and it has a double chain action for power, with a light feel, as well as a new design of footboard hinge.

Part two of our look at drums is coming soon.