DRUMANDSTAGE FORUM

SONOR SQ2 CONFIGURATOR QUESTION
The ultimate “what would push you over the edge?” discussion

If the Sonor SQ2 configurator added just ONE more spec option…

What feature would instantly turn it into an ORDER for you?

We’re talking about that one addition that would make you stop browsing… and start entering your credit card info.

What’s the missing piece?

• A shell material they’ve never offered?

• Vintage hardware options?

• Classic bearing edge profiles?

• Rare veneer or finish choices?

• Old-school badge or lug styles?

• Expanded metal shell offerings?

• Throw-off systems from past eras?

• Something totally new and experimental?

Is it about:
tone?
feel?
aesthetic?
historical throwback?
modern innovation?

Or is there a specific feature you’ve always wished Sonor would bring back?

If that option appeared tomorrow, what would you build first?
Shell type, size, finish — lay it out.

Let’s hear the spec that would make you order an SQ2 immediately.

Vintage Series shell, lugs, hoops, leg brackets, and badges so I could have a 14x14 floor tom built to match my kit. There is absolutely nothing vintage about a 14x12 floor tom. I'm assuming they did that to keep the 14 proportional to the 16x14, but I don't like the look.

I would really like to be able to configure a metal shell snare with lug and hoop options.

If/when they ever do that, I would ALWAYS have one on order!!!

Seriously

Sapphire blue sparkle.

As Mark mentioned, realistically, the one that would open my wallet would be being able to spec a metal shell drum, in this case, give me the options to spec a cast bronze drum in 4.25"

That aside, single biggest change, adding Vintage Series hardware and badging options (I think the script logo with twin mallets would look hot).

But blank canvas, if I was ordering an SQ2 kit tomorrow and VS lugs, or Signature lugs (with Tunesafe) were available, the current lugs would get a look in.

SonorBart wrote: Sun Feb 01, 2026 11:53 pm

There is absolutely nothing vintage about a 14x12 floor tom.

So true it hurts!

Been thinking about this for a bit... and it's a few things (most already mentioned)

1 - Seamless metal shell snare options, in particular - the ferromanganese shell.
2 - Rounded bearing edge option (on both wood and metal shells)
3 - Vintage series and Phonic/Signature/Lite lug option (even just on the snares like on the Phonic re-issues..?)
4 - Stick Saver hoop option (even if just on the snares)
5 - Vintage series tom and floor tom leg mounts (even on the h-bar mount they'd be lower profile than the existing round ones...)

#1 & #2 would likely get me to seriously consider placing an order for a 14x6.5 snare. Though I could live with the die-cast hoops, add #3 and #4 to it, and I'd be hard pressed not to drop the $ today...
#3 & #5 (possibly #2) would get me to start reviewing budget for the possibility of adding a 4th kit to my stable...

Could they do any of these - I think so:

#1 - potentially be contracted to Vukan and crew at Oriollo (Serbia) for the shells, as they're already making a high quality ferromanganese spun shell.
#2 & #3 - they already have the tooling and setup for the hardware and cutting the bearing edges.
#4 - only issue with this is the engraved "Vintage series" in the side of the hoops.
#5 - they already have the parts/tooling to add this, except possibly where it would get bolted to the H-Bar mounts....

The biggest issue I see (other than the ferromanganese shells) is the development time/expense to add these to the SQ2 Configurator. I know that adding even just a single new finish isn't something that can be done by just "upload an image and click a button".

I was told a few years ago by a pretty reputable source that Sonor had spoken to Joyful Noise about producing some ferromanganese shells for the 150th anniversary. Obviously that never came to fruition, presumably as JN shells are so pricey in the first place. Working with Oriollo on it would make much more sense, at least you're on the same continent.

DaveInNZ wrote: Tue Feb 10, 2026 3:06 pm

I was told a few years ago by a pretty reputable source that Sonor had spoken to Joyful Noise about producing some ferromanganese shells for the 150th anniversary. Obviously that never came to fruition, presumably as JN shells are so pricey in the first place. Working with Oriollo on it would make much more sense, at least you're on the same continent.

Just a fyi Joyful Noise doesn't make anything. They or he just assembles the parts afaik. There was an small expose on JN a while back and they were interviewing the suppliers as well.

Columbia Metal Spinning makes all the Joyful Noise shells :

JN also doesn't make any wood shells.

Oriollo is a better source like you say in the same region but more so in that they actually manufacture the shells but I would still rather Sonor went with a local German spinning company as it would just be a little bit more more their own thing instead of a Sonor with Oriollo shell etc..

The most authentic thing to do IMO is just get another machine to make the shells themselves like decades ago.