Kress Drums

Bodhrans

KRESS DRUMS has made quality tuneable "GURT MINT" bodhrans for many years. Unless you know exactly which bodhran you are interested in the following points may be helpful to you.

The skin

There is general agreement among players that goatskin has the best qualities. We use goatskin for all of our bodhrans and calfskin only for the very large frame drum (44" diameter). The medium weight skin used affords a clearer tone. Two skins are also mounted on some bodhrans for a mellower tone.

Diameter of the Rim

The smallest "GURT MINT" bodhran is 121/2" (320mm) has a surprisingly good tone for its size and is tuneable. It fits into a rucksack when travelling. The 161/2" (420mm) is easier to hold especially where the rim is not very deep. The 18" (460mm) allows for a greater range. These two are the sizes most often encountered on stage or in a session. Kress Drums also makes a 20" and a 24" bodhran and has made a 34" bodhran for a commission.

Depth of the Rim

As a general principle if you add depth to the rim you add timbre of tone. Personal preference is important. Ciaran Boyle, past All-Britain and All-Ireland Bodhran Champion plays a "GURT MINT" 18" which is at 90mm not very deep. On the other hand John Jo Kelly of Flook has played a 161/2" very deep 8" (200mm) "GURT MINT" bodhran and both Ciaran and John Jo with their own styles of playing produce the most accomplished sounds. The answer is probably the instrument is the right one if it works for you.

The choice of depth within the "GURT MINT" range is 90mm, 120mm, 150mm, 180mm and then there is the very deep rim with 200mm (31/2 - 8"). The last two have access holes through the rim for the players hand to manipulate the sound and pitch of the skin.

Cross, Bar or nothing

The cross gets in the way of playing. If you have a bar it's good if it is flat to distribute the pressure on the back of your hand and it should be detachable to give you a choice to play with or without a bar - and this is how I make them. The very deep-rimmed bodhrans with access holes come without a bar unless specifically requested.

Tuneable or non tuneable

The skin of a bodhran is organic matter and absorbs or releases moisture. With a tuneable bodhran you can compensate for the change in pressure on the skin. You can also tune a bodhran to a given pitch, The non-tuneable bodhran is not always ready to be played and you may have to resort to using a bit of water when too tight or a hairdryer (from a distance) when too floppy or give up!

Decoration

By this stage you probably have a good idea of what you want from your bodhran. What it actually looks like is a matter of taste and has no influence on the sound of the instrument. "GURT MINT" bodhrans are not finished in varnish but in several layers of quality oil.

The following decorations are currently on offer:
Click on the image or the description to see a detail of the instruments

• Black rim.
• Georgian Mahogany.
• Large Celtic design.
• Inlay with green edging.