The RWE is
acknowledged as an attempt at reproducing the ubiquitous Seamus O'Kane drum in terms of the
sound that is being sought and the dimensions of the drum itself. Seamus claims
to have had dimensions tested scientifically and that his drums represent the
optimum dimensions for a bodhran. I do have my reservations about what defines
optimal and I suspect that dimensions come from efficient use of an 8x4 sheet of
ply, but they are top drawer instruments simply because his skins are brilliant.
This objective is
understandable given the global popularity of Seamus' drums and the fact they
are the defacto world bodhran 'standard', based purely on the numbers sold and
consistently good sound. If it is said that imitation is the sincerest form of
flattery then Seamus is being well-flattered here.
This cloning aspect
gives the opportunity for direct comparison which is rare in the bodhran world
but does make comparative reviewing much easier. It is also useful that I have
two examples of the RWE (one which I later found out to be a prototype
dragonskin) to compare against each other as well as the SO'K.
Construction
The RWE shell is
beautifully manufactured and finished, clearly Christian has great craftsman
skills. The red fiddleback maple veneer used for the outer and inner of the
reviewed drums makes for a most attractive package and the exterior is finished
with a black velvet strip and single line of tacks; I did smile at the use of a
black velvet band.
The RWE drums' external
shell size of 397mm is similar to O'Kane's 403mm; 135mm deep for the RWE and
143mm for the O'Kane. At 1/4" diameter variance we're pretty close as far as the
physical cloning goes. My vernier shows the shell of the RWE drum at 8.8mm, a
third thicker than the O'Kane drum at 6.6mm.
The interior of
both RWE review drums is
finished in the same attractive veneer as the exterior, with same quality
craftsmanship and finish evident throughout. There is an attractive black
satin-finish inner 'tack ring' (which allows the skin tacks to have a decent
grip in the shell) and a tuning ring in the same finish which is shaped to
provide a 'bearing' edge. This edge is a critical part of the drum as the skin
rides over it and defines the outer borders of the drums' playing edges as well
as the shape and construction itself being a determinant in a drum's sound.
The tack ring is
approx 7.5mm in width and somewhere over 50mm deep. The tuning ring is approx
15mm wide, 20mm deep and would appear to have the bearing edge about half way
across that, although I can't be precise without taking the drum apart. On the
outside of the skin, this translates to a 345mm wide playing surface at its
maximum diameter. The O'Kane with a 3mm tack ring and 8mm tuning ring and has a
373mm playing surface diameter.
If Seamus' drum has
the 'ideal' dimension then the RWE is over an inch smaller in terms of playing
area for the same external diameter. This difference can clearly be seen in the
angles apparent in the image above right. I assume that a part of this wider
tack ring is to allow room for the tuning heads.
A significant
difference between the RWE an
d the O'Kane is the RWE use of tool-less tuning. With Seamus' drum
the player needs a tool, usually a screwdriver, to tune the instrument. With the
RWE there are buttons on the top of each tuning screw that allow the player to
easily tune by hand without having to hunt for the tool.
This tool-less
tuning is a relatively new development in bodhrans, Rob Forkner of Metloef is the acknowledged innovator here and
the RWE borrows liberally from Rob's concept. The tuning system is made from
fine 4mm screws that pass through a black threaded block and meet the tuning
ring on Stainless buttons. It looks elegant and is smooth and accurate, although
I did notice a couple of the lugs slipping out of tune when playing initially.
This is not uncommon in drumsets, although I've never noticed it on any of my
other bodhrans. It is definitely an improvement on Seamus practical but somewhat
crude screws.
Appliqués
Both skins on the RWEs sported black tape
on the outer edges as we also see on Seamus's drums. Seamus tape is 0.06mm thick
and in the case of the RWE the tape is 0.11mm thick, almost twice as thick. Both
extend into the skin about 20-25mm beyond the bearing edge. The RWE taping feels
heavier and looks heavier on the drum, I think that this in part gives the
visual effect of the RWE having twice the amount of real estate between the
bearing edge and the outer shell; in the image left, the exposed bare skin area
is clearly less on the RWE. Given the smaller skin size of the Hedwitschak
compared to the O'Kane, there is proportionally more of the head covered with a
thicker tape. I suspect that this is a significant determinant in the sound of
the drums being different.
Skins
The skins
themselves are where the biggest differences arise between the three drums. They
are of course the most significant determinant in the overall sound of the
instrument.
It is hard to
generalise about how far an individual instrument can represent the standard
instruments of a maker because there are so many variables with the use of any
natural product. Seamus is pretty unique however, I personally have played many,
many drums of his in different parts of the world and there is a pretty
consistent standard in sound and playability. In hoping that your O'Kane
experience is something close to mine, I can therefore provide a meaningful
comparison and reference point for those instruments that can be measured
against that yardstick. Against that, I have played only a handful of RWE drums
which, for the most part, have been relatively consistent although the two
review drums I have had are very different from each other.
T
hinness of the
skin is something that is a feature of contemporary bodhrans, a direct effect of
Seamus' decision to use lambeg skins which are
thinned to the greatest possible extent without damaging the structure of the
skin. They also undergo a 'secret' processing as part of the lambeg process that
makes them incredibly strong. Bodhran makers then take these lambeg skins and
apply their own secret processing methods to impart flexibility. If done
correctly the effect is a beautiful warm 'buttery' sound straight out of the
box. I had asked Rolf to pick me drums that would have this sound and were thin
to enable me to achieve pitch bends which are a part of my own playing
style.
The first drum I
received turned out to be a prototype dragonskin drum and had the most
incredibly thin skin, paper thin almost. It felt different from any lambeg skin
that I had ever played, drier and more fragile. There was a good low bass note
as might be expected from a thin skin, but I felt that it lacked body and attack
when compared to the O'Kane (and subsequently the other RWE). There was
certainly plenty of flexibility in the skin and it was possible to achieve
amazing pitch bends from it. Watching others play it, I could see their hand
pushing close to a couple of inches out from the skin's rest position, I've
never seen such an amount of 
play in a lambeg skin. I would not fancy this drum
after 2 years of playing as I suspect the skin will go flabby and slack. I've
not played one of the new Dragon skin drums, but I am assured that they are no
comparison.
On the upper
register of the drum, it had the right kind of pitches available but once again
it lacked body and bite when compared to its sibling, and particularly when
compared to the O'Kane. Part of this, as is also evident in the second drum, is
I think due to the heavy taping on the skin; but the skin in my opinion was just
too light and provided insufficient resistance to achieve the types of sounds
that I was after. This drum I imagine would work well under amplification where
the body and attack could be added in through EQ on the desk, but for acoustic
use I found it to have too lightweight a sound. Plenty of low bass frequency but
lacking timbral presence.
It was only after I
had the drum for a while that Rolf revealed to me that it was in fact not a
lambeg skin but one of the new dragonskins that they were assessing.
I had taken the
drum to a Different Drums practise
shortly after receiving it and Stephen Matier was playing it. His O'Kane has
been played to death over the past decade and has several holes in it, he was
looking for a new drum and eventually purchased this one as a backup
instrument.
Overall, I was
disappointed in the sound of this particular drum, Rolf's explanation cleared
that up for me. My reaction was useful for the prototyping process
apparently.
After a bit of
to-ing and fro-ing I eventually received a proper RWE. This definitely felt and
sounded more like what I was expecting. The tightness and 'oomph' of the bottom
end was enhanced by comparison with the earlier drum, there was a sensation of
much more physical presence. The top end was brighter, more definite and
absolutely had more articulation. This was much closer to the drum that I had
been led to expect from the reviews I had heard from others. In comparison to
the O'Kane it was definitely closer to the sound that I was used to,
particularly in the lower timbres. Clarity in the top is still a little short of
the mark, I suspect mostly from the heavier taping, but it definitely is in the
ballpark
Conclusion
The real RWE with the Lambeg skin is a
really nice drum, probably one of the top half dozen instrument models in the
world at the time of writing. The construction, finish and the attention to
detail are beautiful and it clearly reflects the work of a skilled and
knowledgeable craftsman. Drum making however is about more than sweet
engineering and is a magical art of subtlety and nuance. Of course, setting
oneself up to be compared to Seamus' dermatological alchemy is an momentous
task. The RWE's only failing for me in the drum itself comes in the
attempt to overtly recreate the classic O'Kane instrument, a drum that so much
reflects the maker's years of passionate engagement and the many 'secrets' that
only Seamus possesses. It's getting close mind you, but it's not there yet. I am
reminded of a classic Seamus phrase regarding a different drum maker "I taught
him everything he knows...but not everything I know"
Technically I can
see several areas that I feel would benefit from small changes if I may be so
bold as to share those opinions;
I have now played this drum
numerous times in both cold and hot rooms and with different types of beaters.
It reacted well in both conditions, this was most likely due to the 
(RWE)
In
response to my enquiry to purchase a RWE for review I eventually received two
RWE drums within a few months of each other. I shall feedback on them both
Although it later transpired
that one was a prototype. I did receive the drums at a reduced
price, thank you Rolf and Christian for that. The construction of both the RWE
drums was identical as far as I could tell and the only difference lay in the
skins. In terms of the shell and construction review I shall treat both as
identical.
Reviews 
