Drummers comments

Comments

09/13/2005
I recently purchased your new Phat Boy snare drum and played it last night for the first time with my band. What an amazing sounding drum...I'm so excited to have a Zickos drum. My band mates love it too. I'll be your biggest supporter and talk about the product with anyone who'll listen. Thanks for the coolest looking and best sounding snare around.

Frank DeCicco
Band: Mush
St. Catharines, Ontario

05/10/2005
The only word I can think of is WOW!!! I received the drums on Tuesday. These are the coolest drums I’ve ever played. When I first spoke to you just about a year ago, I knew what sound I was looking for and you told me your drums were exactly what I needed. By golly they are! These mothers ROCK! Whether tuned tight or loose, the Zickos "phat" sound is unbelievable! The protrusion of sound is superb. There is a good chance I may not even have to “mike” them. As far as craftsmanship … flawless! I had a sound guy over last night and he was “floored” by the sound! His comment was, "I’ve heard of Zickos before, but never had the opportunity to listen to them...these are by far the best sounding drums I’ve ever heard”. That makes me very happy! Again, I want to thank you and your personnel for making the “Finest” set of drums ever!

Kurt Brown
Morgantown, WV

02/09/2004
I've had my set of 400's since the early 80s. I bought them used at my local music store in small-town northern Wisconsin, and they haven't lost *anything* in all these years. I love 'em.

I just wanted to relay a funny story. The other night the cable guy was over doing some troubleshooting, and as he walked in to my office, he stopped dead in his tracks and said: "That is a CLASSIC set of Zickos!" I was tickled, as most people aren't aware of Zickos drums. This guy was probably early- to mid-thirties (like me), and was just blown away at how good they looked and went on and on about a guy he knew who had a set just like them, etc. etc. !

Anyway, my Zickos have served me well and will remain with me for as long as I'm sucking air. Take care and thanks for a great set.

Joe Yira

08/10/2003
It's been a couple of months since you delivered my snare drum. I got to tell you, I love this drum. More important, everyone who hears it loves it--Sound engineers, band mates other drummers, everyone. This drum does it all. It's soft and sensitive when you want it to be and loud and cutting when it has to be. It doesn't matter if you tune it high & tight or low and loose, it will give you excellent tone all the time. Thanks for building a great drum.

David J. Marinello
The Howlin' Thurstons
New York, New York

01/28/2003
Received the Artistry Series snare yesterday.

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think we just discovered a new secret weapon in the war against terrorism.

Steve Cross
Santa Rosa, California

01/25/2003
I am a former student of Bill Zickos and still remember his drum solo "On The River Stix" (I still have the sheet music for it) and also a killer drum duet that he had also penned, which another student of his (Norman Weinberg) and I used to tear up. I was living in Prairie Village, Kansas at that time.

I bought my set of Zickos in the early 1970s from Driver Music in Oklahoma City and still have them as I type. Please keep up the great tradition of building fantastic drums. Peace.

Tony Girratono
Eastman, Georgia

04/18/2002
My wife bought me a Mach 5 series five piece cobalt blue kit for Valentines day. I have to admit, at first I didn't recognize the brand, and thought "Oh my God, am I going to have to tell her that this is not up to my standards?". Then I played them. WOW!! These drums SPEAK! They are incredible! These things sound and feel so great, I'm selling my Slingerland kit of 17 years! My sound man wanted to talk me out of it. Then he heard the Zickos kit, and did a hasty about-face.

Kudos, also, for having the guts to go against tradition, and really think through this new and unconventional design. You did alot of smart, yet simple things with this series that the big brands wouldn't dare risk doing. I hope it pays off for you, BIG! I just wanted to let you know how much I love, love, love them. I am an extremely satisfied customer! Please keep up the good work.

Phil Judt
Lincoln, Nebraska

08/26/2001
Bill as one of your students I well remember the development days of Zickos drums. I remember the day Ron Bushy of "Iron Butterfly" was in your store to look at your drums.(1968) .You tore out a 3/4 Jazz riff that was to be my next lesson and there was a knock on the studio door. This guy said, "Who played that"? and you looked at me and said, "He Did!" And Ron Bushy said, "Man, you are Excellent". Now this comes from the man that wrote "In-A-Godda-Da-Vita". You are such a "cool cat", Bill, thank you for everything! Peace.

Mike Hargis
Shawnee Mission, Kansas

10/29/2000
Hi John:
On Friday night, Oct.27th, I used my new Zickos 5pc. set at the NCI Club here in New Hyde Park, NY...with my group "TIME AND TIME AGAIN". Everyone in the band noticed the new classy drums as I set them up on stage. "WOW" was the catch phrase! The charcoal smoke color of the drums really looked cool, and the contrasting stainless-steel hardware enhanced the over-all "sunglasses" effect.

So what about the "sound"? The sound man there asked me, "Do you want to mike up the kit?" I said, "I'll play a lick...you tell me." I played for 30 seconds. He said "You don't need my help, those drums sound hot."

Anyway, the drums sounded great...my Mach 5 snare performed flawlessly (the throw off is the smoothest I have ever used). The drums are the most resonant I've played. The hardware was easy to position once I got used to the allen wrench...and which end to tighten and loosen. The bass drum spurs, for me, "don't get any better". While I'm at it, may I sing the praises of the Attack one-ply heads...they are the best, and well suited for that "phat" Zickos sound! I had a great time playing my new drums. Thanks again, John, your company "rocks"...and all that jazz!!!

Vincent Rosa (Big "V")
Blue Point, Long Island, NY

P.S. Drummers, the 16"x22" bass drum needs a min. 24"x14' (soft) case to go around the spurs...the 10"x12" and 10"x13" ride toms fit in the standard soft 8"x12" and 9"x13" padded cases; please check each company's case for max. fit before you buy!

08/28/2000
Just wanted to drop you a line to let you know that the snare is out-rageous!...right out of the box!
I have finally found my sound!!! The sensitivity...the tight sound...the fat sound...this snare has it all. Man, thank you for helping me make the decision to go Zickos. I will use it at two shows this weekend. I guess you knew I'd love it.

Vincent Rosa (Big "V")
Blue Point, Long Island, NY

06/04/2000
Hi Bill Zickos, Its your drum son, Dan Tomlinson (drummer w/ Lyle Lovett). Hey your web site is terrific! Your drums look great and I'm am sure they sound killer! Bill, I want you to know that you were the best teacher that I have ever had! (And I have had way to many, Ha!) Over all your teaching methods on playing covered all of the spectrums and idioms of MUSIC! Plus all of your knowledge regarding philosophy and the study of the spirit, is way cool!

Bill, you have really helped shape my career and life! Also thanks again for looking after me when I was young, wondering where in the heck my parents were! Yea, its obvious that you are an incredible person! Its also a given that incredible people make incredible products! I'll call soon!

Best Wishes, Love Dan
PS.Thanks for being;
PHILOPROGENTIVENESS!

04/14/2000
Hey David,
My tech and I gave the new kit it's first tuning ever late last night and.......This kit sounds great!!!!!!! It's brighter than wood, which I like cause they have more life too 'em, and very consistent. Bear heads work great with this kit!!!! I can't wait to go into the studio with it so I can send you some stuff to hear.

The snare is awesome! It has a great crack and a very WIDE dynamic range. And the snare response from ppp to fff is excellent.

It looks beautiful too. My wife and I pulled it out of the box and we're like, "wow". The smoke color works great with the hardware. I guess to make a long story short, I love it!

Thanks for everything and I'll talk at ya soon,
Charlie Waymire

11/29/99
Just wanted to let you know that I love the drums! I went ahead and played them Friday night (Nov. 19) after tuning them to what "my ear" wants to hear and everybody thought they were the best thing that they've ever heard. People kept coming up to me all night and commenting on how much they liked the new set. Our sound man had a very easy time adjusting to the new sound, too. I can only say that I've never been happier with a set of drums and I've owned a bunch of them!
Bill Vann

09/22/99
Thought I would drop a line and let your fellow Zickos Drum owners know something

I have known Bill Zickos since the late 60's. I still have sheet music that says 1967 on it!!!

I heard and saw the first set of Zickos Drums ever made and thought, "It sounds like thunder and lightning". Now approximately 30 years later, I just picked up a new snare drum know as the "Stealth" style. With one major difference, when I ordered this snare drum back in March of 1999, I had talked about the Stealth snare and getting lugs with the black anodized look. When I opened the box to see this new Zickos snare I was astounded. I could not believe my eyes at how beautiful this instrument sounded and looked. Immediately I noticed that these are not the black lugs that we had talked about. They looked like stainless steel lugs which would have been fine also. And yet. something was still very different.

Within one hour of returning home with this new trophy I noticed it had a certain "glow" about it. I knew then I would not sell the drum for more than twice what I paid for it. I also realized within that hour that since I had been to the factory to see these treasures being made there was still something "more" about this Zickos drum. The sound of this particular drum is extraordinary. I have heard and seen others come and go for years and I tell you this, this new drum is the most beautiful drum I have ever seen or heard. You see, I had called Bill and he said "yes" he had switched to polished aircraft aluminum lugs at the last moment. You might say this model is like the "ultrasonic Stealth" Zickos snare. It is so light and responsive at low volume where the "true" test is really taken and then when you open up on it the result is something so amazing that stays with you all the way to "al coda".

I can speak about the fine hand made craftsmanship, and that would be true. I can speak about the glamorous clear shell and the delicately hand polished quick release lugs, and that would be true. What I will speak mostly about is the sound. I have been playing a Sonor rosewood snare for more than 10 years and found it hard to beat because I liked that wooden sound.....Forget it. This new Zickos snare is simply "the best". The dynamics, the clarity, tome and depth are all magnificent.

Fellow Zickos drum owners: Greetings. Congratulations. And guess what!?..."Eat your hearts out!" This drum may well be one of the very best Zickos drums ever made. This is "The snare for the New Time". If you have other drums to spare, sell them!! If you can get one like this, BUY IT!! Don't think about it, just BUY IT!!

Fantastic job and thanks William Zickos.
James DeRigne - drummer for "The Unbound" on Tapestry Records

09/01/99
I purchased a set of Zickos drums back in 1975. I played professionally for several years with them. I now only play part time but they are still going strong. I have a Ludwig piccolo, my son has a Tama piccolo, and a Pearl steel snare. None of these snares can compare to the the Zickos, no matter how it is tuned, high and tight or loose and deep. I now use Remo Pinstripe heads, a great combination with the acrylic Zickos shells. I am excited that you put up this web site. I will be ordering a few more toms to add to my 5 piece set. I have wanted to add toms for several years but did not know where to find you. My drums get a lot of attention where ever I go. We opened a show in Heber Utah for Shane MacAnally in July. His road crew had a blast working with my set. They loved the tight, fat sound of the bass drum. They said that they haven't worked with a set this clean for a long time.

Later,
Aaron

08/29/99
I haven't seen you for a long time and am glad to hear you guys are still with it. My drums are twenty five years old and I still love them and play frequently around Columbia and the Lake of Ozarks. I love telling the story about how I got my drums from you. People always compliment our drums and can't believe they are as old as they are.
Good luck, keep it up!

Thanks
Rick Nickelson