We know how important a drum can be to someone just starting out or a seasoned pro. For a lot of us our drums are an extension of our spirits, our expression, and our statements as beings in this universe. We want to make sure that you express yourself to your fullest potential and have the absolute best tools to do that. We hand make all of our drums picking out select lumber, the perfect heads (whether animal or synthetic), quality low stretch rope, and tested steel rings. Our drums use solid hardwood, and are not layered plywood's with veneers. We also take pride in continuing to learn about and develop new stains finishes, building techniques, formulas for calculating that perfect balance of sound from within the drum, and decoration.

Feel Good About Your Purchase:
For every drum sold we plant a tree with American Forests. Staved constructed drums use much less wood than traditional solid log drums. One tree will make many, many drums.
Being aware of the current condition of this planet, we do our best to conserve and be as resourceful as possible. We are proud to say that we are a company that cares about the environment, and make an effort to have an earth that our grandchildren can enjoy.

Rhythm House Guarantee / Return Policy:
We know you will be happy with your purchase. Our drums have beautiful tonal qualities and unique hand finishes. All of them are hand carved whether carved from a solid log in West Africa or built in our shop. You'll never find a production line, we take pride in our work and it shows. These drums will be sure to spark conversation at any drum circle and will last a lifetime. If for any reason you are not happy with the construction or sound of your drum, we will gladly receive it back for a full refund within 10 days. Custom built drums are dealt with on a individual basis. Some fees may apply, contact us for details. All of our drums are insured when shipped, and should damage occur in shipping it is your responsibility to retain all packing materials for inspection. We will file the claim, but often they request to view the original packaging.

Payment Practices, Times, and Custom Orders:
For our standard stock, or any drums in stock, we ask for full payment up front. We accept payment over the phone with any major credit card, can send an invoice to be paid online, accept money orders and checks (product wont ship until check clears) and of course cash. We are happy to work out payment plans for specific situations.
For custom drums or merchandise we ask for half the price up front, with the remainder and any shipping or taxes collected once the product is completed and you are happy with the photos and construction.
Reheads and any repair work is estimated until the item is physically inspected by us, and a final price given after inspection. Payment is expected on inspection or when we send an invoice if the drum was shipped in. We make special circumstances to receive payment on pick up depending on the situation.
You have 30 days to pay off the remaining balance on a drum or any custom work including reheads, once the work has been completed. Failure to pay the remaining balance or failure to pick up your item or give an acceptable shipping address gives Rhythm House Drums rights to the property. We are able, at this time, to resell or donate the item(s). Any amount previously paid will be consumed for restocking fees, material fees, storage fees, advertising, and labor.

The Woods We Use:
Our African djembes and dununs come from three main areas of West Africa; Guinea, Mali, and the Ivory Coast. The hardwoods native to these areas are what these drums are traditionally made from. Only the best djembes are carved out of woods such as Lenke, Khadi (hare, bala wood), Djalla, Dugura, and Iroko. Be aware of softer woods used especially with Ghana made drums, and with painted drums claiming to be mahogany. Softer woods tend to dull and mute the sound, and the mahogany is a plantation grade mahogany, which is genetically modified to grow fast... it is not an actually African mahogany. True African mahogany is much more rare and expensive.
Our Guinea and Mali djembe drum shells are top of the line, some of the best imported into the states. We work with one of the best djembe importers in the US (DrumSkull Drums) to provide excellent quality djembes at a more than fair price. These drums are near flawless in workmanship, dimensions, and stability. Because of the natural, organic nature of the djembe, wood can sometimes develop small hairline cracks or other slight imperfections which are generally not to worry about and are taken care of as soon as the drum is received by us. Any problem or potential problem in the shell will be noted with that specific drums page and the price will reflect it. Please note that this is not common with these top quality djembes, but does happen occasionally. We seek to Minnie these cracks or any other imperfections in our drums, and make sure the djembes are well oiled and cared for before they ship out. Keeping the djembe oiled will keep moisture at bay and give your drum a lifetime of use.
Our Ivory Coast djembes are hand carved out of solid Iroko wood. This wood is a bit softer than the other hardwoods from Guinea and Mali and slightly more prone to cracking if not well taken care of. We oil our shells as soon as they arrive and do our best to prevent any cracks. Any hairlines are noted and taken care of immediately. The Ivory Coast djembes are excellent drums for beginners to intermediate. The softer wood and smaller bowls lends to a softer sound, which is great in a situation like in the recording studio. Workmanship is not as pristine as with our djembes from Mali and Guinea, however the price point of these Ivory Coast djembes is hard to beat for the quality. Small knots happen occasionally and as long as they are filled and don't go all the way through the shell, it wont affect the life of the drum or the sound. If you are concerned about a drum with a knot or the quality of a specific shell we have for sale, we are always happy to share the exact characteristics of that drum. We maintain the quality of our djembes and will not sell a drum that has a potential flaw that will shorten it's life or affect the sound.
Our stave built djembes are made from hardwoods that are sustained by cost alone. The price we pay for wood goes toward maintaining a healthy balance of the forests from which they come. Rhythm House Drums uses a local sawyer whenever possible. Sawmill NC has excellent practices and maintains a large inventory of local hardwoods. All of our walnut and maple come from here, and when possible the trees harvested local.
Building a drum in a staved design isn't exactly traditional. A staved drum will have a more modern look. Our designs and methods allow this modern look while keeping the traditional feel and sound. We hand-shape the head and body and use traditional heading techniques. Staved drums are lighter and more environmentally friendly as they use much less wood than solid log drums and our construction techniques allow us to have minimal waste. Staved drums also have the ability to be made from exotic and rare woods for reasonable prices. A big plus to this method of construction is the ability to build custom drums. Everything from wood type to size, shape, wall thickness (all of which affect sound) can be customized. A staved drum is actually more stable than a solid carved piece of wood. Each stave is stable on it's own, having been kiln dried to specific tolerances, so warping is not an issue. With lots of sections of stable wood, you get a drum that stays true and wont go out of round, is less prone to cracking, and as mentioned before, is much more environmentally friendly.

Vegan / Vegetarian:
Our drums listed as vegetarian or vegan friendly use no animal products, including any glues, finishes, stains, waxes, and heads. Our vegetarian and vegan drums use synthetic heads from Remo which have been developed and perfected to sound natural, warm, and traditional. These synthetic heads will last longer than a goat skin, are weather proof and wont loose tone due to changes in the environment. We head the traditional Ivory Coast shells with these heads to create a unique animal; a djembe that is a natural wood (unlike the other synthetic djembes on the market) yet has no animal hide on the head. These are truly your best option for a synthetic headed djembe that sound almost as natural and warm as a traditional skin.

For more information about any of our drums or policies please e-mail us at info@rhythmhousedrums.com