How America's Oldest Drum Factory Stayed In Business For Over 160 Years

[Jules]

I have a longstanding issue with the claim that they are the oldest drum company in the world. And the opening line of the video is wrong, even though I don't suspect the narrator knew or intended it.

"Noble and Cooley makes its signature snare drums from a single piece of wood. It's been doing it this way since 1854."

Well, it hasn't been building its signature snare drum since 1854, so there's a flaw in the reporting right there. They were founded as a toy drum maker in 1854, and made snare drums for the Union Army during the Civil War for a few years. Then, they resumed making toy drums for the next 120ish years until actually moving in to the professional drum realm in 1983.

No doubt they are amazing at their craft, mind you. I wonder if they cringed when they saw the beginning of the video for the first time.

[James Fullier III]

.
Good points you made there and I agree..

I can give respect to their snares (although like you point out they have not been in production for that time period they mislead about) but they seem to intentionally blur the information about being the oldest company and drumsets because they don't make any drumset from scratch. They started the set's in the 80's and up until current day they are majority generic parts on the tom/kick except the lug. The CD Maple shell made by Nordic is not a proprietary shell ( only different thicknesses for toms floor and kick which anybody can get from Nordic ) , but the Horizon shell is proprietary but again.. not made by NC.

They use Pearl brackets and kick hoop claws and Yamaha reproduction spurs from some generic Chinese company. They are great sounding but still a jalopy of a product . they do incredible paint in-house however which is saying more than even Craviotto who doesn't lacquer their own drums afaik.

Canopus is another total jalopy of a drum with all generic parts except lug and also have outsourced shells. Sound good but not worth the money IMO due to nothing made by them and no proprietary parts except very generic looking lug.

These companies can use the excuse " oh it is just so expensive to get propretary design hardware " but that is valid for what.. maybe a decade ?? .. How long have they been assembling sets ? Both around 35 to 40 years.

[tcbetka]

Jules, did you mean "...they were founded as a TOY drum maker in 1854..." in your initial post?

[Jules]

Jules, did you mean "...they were founded as a TOY drum maker in 1854..." in your initial post?

I most certainly did! Funny how a one letter typo can completely negate the entire point! Good catch. Thanks!