It's almost impossible to be passionate about drumming without being passionate about your gear, from the cymbals to the stage and everything in between. That's where Drum Workshop Drums come in. Among the drummers at Sweetwater and the countless drummers who come to us for their gear, DW is one of those names that's synonymous with top-tier drums and hardware. When you consider their premium shells, tweakable pedals, impressive hardware, and other gear, it's no wonder many of today's top professional drummers choose DW.
Drum Workshop started off as a small storefront drum school in Santa Monica, California, back in 1972. They started making canister drum thrones shortly thereafter, followed by the iconic DW 5000 bass drum pedal. The sheer detail and excellent craftsmanship of these products made DW instantly popular, and the rest of the line quickly took off.
While that handbuilt quality and pride still go into every DW product, they've also continuously adopted the latest drum-manufacturing technology. Ultimately, the result is a level of absolute precision on top of a foundation of quality and detail. Anyone who's experienced DW drums and hardware can't help but admire them.
Over the past decades, drum technology has come a long way, and it's opened up new and exciting possibilities for DW. Whether it's their HVLT (Vertical Low Timbre shell with a horizontal outer ply) construction, MAG snare throw off system, Suspension Tom Mounts (STM), or any number of other proprietary designs, DW gear all starts from deeply rooted engineering concepts. However, advanced design software, 3D modeling, and cutting-edge materials have allowed them to push the envelope of drum and drum hardware in ways never before possible.
One of the things Sweetwater drummers love the most about DW is that they make drums and hardware that's appropriate for drummers at many points in their careers, whether they're weekend warriors or session drummers. Even DW's most affordable Design series sets, which are ideal for gigging drummers, offer many of the essential characteristics that make their higher-end kits so special.
At the other end of the spectrum, there's the DW California Custom series. A favorite among professional drummers, these kits feature some of the finest wood veneers available crafted into world-class shells. The final products are the result of decades of experience and industry-leading technology, all topped off with peerless finishes and hardware.
Sweetwater carries hundreds of DW products, and there are more than a few standouts. For instance, the DW 5000 is still one of the most popular kick drum pedals on the market. You'll find them in studios and onstage all around the world. DW's Machined Direct Drive (MDD) series pedals are also amazing. They offer discerning drummers classic direct-drive action with everything modern pedal technology has to offer. And pedals are just the beginning!
DW's hardware is also more than a little impressive. Even their most basic hardware offers upscale features such as locking clutch mechanisms, hinged memory locks, and sturdy reinforcement. In the end, whether you're talking about their most affordable drum key or their most elaborate Collector's Exotic kit, there isn't a product Drum Workshop makes that Sweetwater wouldn't happily recommend.
