Ayotte Drums
Encyclopedia
Ayotte Drums is a custom drum
company based in Bedford, Quebec
, Canada. It was founded in 1982 in Vancouver, BC by Ray Ayotte, who was forced out of the company after losing majority control to his investors. Ayotte is especially well-known for their use of wooden drum hoops, instead of diecast zinc or flanged steel hoops. However, Ayotte does offer steel hoops as well. The company's lug assembly is also unusual. Using a cut-away lug housing, the traditional tension rod intersects perpendicular to a T screw with a nylon plug insert, which once tightened with an allen wrench makes movement of the tension rod virtually impossible, thus ensuring the drum will stay in tune longer. Ayotte's TuneLock tension system is guaranteed to be indestructible under normal use.
In the early 1990s, Ayotte produced a limited semiprofessional line of maple drums dubbed "Drumsmith", available in a limited selection of colors and sharing the same lugs as their custom line. The most distinctive visual cue between the Drumsmith line and the custom operation lies with the bass drum hoops, which for the Drumsmith line were offered only in a natural lacquer.
Also in the 1990s, Ayotte began producing their most often-requested sizes and finishes in the custom line in advance, rather than wait for a specific customer order. Made in the same facility, by the same craftsman, with the same materials and machinery, the Ayotte Pro line is simply an expeditited form of their custom line.
In the later half of the 2000s, Ayotte began offering a new small-scale line of drums, the Velvet series.
Ayotte products are praised often on drum-related forums across the Internet for their sound and build quality. However, the company itself is infamous for their lack of customer service. Wait times for individual Ayotte drums can take many years. One example of a replacement wooden hoop took 7+ years to be delivered after being ordered. In recent months, reaching Ayotte Drums has been very easy compared to earlier years with the new staff, which promises a potentially great growth in resolving these issues. *In even more recent months, the company has removed it's website and stopped replying to all e-mail and social media messages. It is unclear if Ayotte Drums still exists today as a company.
Ayotte Drums determined, in 2007, a more efficient factory with a reliable manufacturing staff was necessary to facilitate the anticipated changes arising from probable markets shifts in distribution and demand. The search for an appropriate location began in spring 2008. This required two years including three provinces and more than twelve sites to complete the search.
The factory was moved to Bedford, Quebec in September 2010. Ayotte Drums can be contacted by phone at 450-248-1110.
and Jeremy Taggart
of Our Lady Peace
. However, most of those artists have gone on to endorse other companies who were more willing and/or able to support them.
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
company based in Bedford, Quebec
Bedford, Quebec
Bedford is a town located in the Montérégie region of southern Quebec, Canada. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census was 2,612. This small community is just a half hour's drive from larger cities such as Burlington and Montreal, and is the home to southern Quebec's largest boy scout troop.-...
, Canada. It was founded in 1982 in Vancouver, BC by Ray Ayotte, who was forced out of the company after losing majority control to his investors. Ayotte is especially well-known for their use of wooden drum hoops, instead of diecast zinc or flanged steel hoops. However, Ayotte does offer steel hoops as well. The company's lug assembly is also unusual. Using a cut-away lug housing, the traditional tension rod intersects perpendicular to a T screw with a nylon plug insert, which once tightened with an allen wrench makes movement of the tension rod virtually impossible, thus ensuring the drum will stay in tune longer. Ayotte's TuneLock tension system is guaranteed to be indestructible under normal use.
In the early 1990s, Ayotte produced a limited semiprofessional line of maple drums dubbed "Drumsmith", available in a limited selection of colors and sharing the same lugs as their custom line. The most distinctive visual cue between the Drumsmith line and the custom operation lies with the bass drum hoops, which for the Drumsmith line were offered only in a natural lacquer.
Also in the 1990s, Ayotte began producing their most often-requested sizes and finishes in the custom line in advance, rather than wait for a specific customer order. Made in the same facility, by the same craftsman, with the same materials and machinery, the Ayotte Pro line is simply an expeditited form of their custom line.
In the later half of the 2000s, Ayotte began offering a new small-scale line of drums, the Velvet series.
Ayotte products are praised often on drum-related forums across the Internet for their sound and build quality. However, the company itself is infamous for their lack of customer service. Wait times for individual Ayotte drums can take many years. One example of a replacement wooden hoop took 7+ years to be delivered after being ordered. In recent months, reaching Ayotte Drums has been very easy compared to earlier years with the new staff, which promises a potentially great growth in resolving these issues. *In even more recent months, the company has removed it's website and stopped replying to all e-mail and social media messages. It is unclear if Ayotte Drums still exists today as a company.
Ayotte Drums determined, in 2007, a more efficient factory with a reliable manufacturing staff was necessary to facilitate the anticipated changes arising from probable markets shifts in distribution and demand. The search for an appropriate location began in spring 2008. This required two years including three provinces and more than twelve sites to complete the search.
The factory was moved to Bedford, Quebec in September 2010. Ayotte Drums can be contacted by phone at 450-248-1110.
Notable endorsing artists
A number of drummers endorse or have endorsed Ayotte drums, including Jon Fishman of PhishPhish
Phish is an American rock band noted for its musical improvisation, extended jams, and exploration of music across genres. Formed at the University of Vermont in 1983 , the band's four members – Trey Anastasio , Mike Gordon , Jon Fishman , and Page McConnell Phish is an American rock band...
and Jeremy Taggart
Jeremy Taggart
Jeremy Ronald John Taggart is a Canadian drummer, best known for playing with Our Lady Peace since 1993.-Early life:Taggart was born in Toronto, Ontario and has two brothers and one sister. Music was a central part of his youth, as his parents were also musicians, and Taggart learned to play drums...
of Our Lady Peace
Our Lady Peace
Our Lady Peace is a Canadian alternative rock band that formed in Toronto, Ontario in 1992. Headed by lead vocalist Raine Maida since its formation, the band additionally consists of Jeremy Taggart on percussion, Duncan Coutts on bass, and Steve Mazur as lead guitarist...
. However, most of those artists have gone on to endorse other companies who were more willing and/or able to support them.