Dunnett Classic Drums
The Dunnett Classic Drum Company is a Canadian drum and percussion design house and manufacturing company.
Founded in 1990 by Ronn Dunnett, the company specializes in manufacturing snare drums made from exotic metals and woods. The company is particularly notable for perfecting the use of Titanium as a shell material for drums.
The George Way drum company is a division of Dunnett Classic Drums.
Ronn Dunnett developed and patented a number of drum related inventions including the adjustable air vent, swivel-lever snare drum throw off with quick release snare attachment and a wood-metal hybrid batter hoop.
Dunnett has worked extensively with some of the world's most famous drum manufacturing companies including Slingerland, Ludwig-Musser, Gretsch and Drum Workshop.
Famous drummers who own Dunnett snare drums include Carter Beauford (Dave Matthews Band), Dennis Chambers (Santana), Neil Peart (Rush), Andrew Borger (Nora Jones), Shawn Crahan (Slipknot), Joey Jordison (Slipknot), Kurt Dahle (The New Pornographers), Will Calhoun (Living Color), Bob Rock (producer), Jeff Campitelli (Joe Satriani), Ron Bruner Jr. (Stanley Clarke), Dan Adair (Nickelback), Simon Phillips (Toto).
Special Projects
Dunnett Classic has played a major role in assisting other major drum companies with special, limited EDition projects.
Drum Workshop Titanium Snare drum
Dunnett Classic designed and manufactured what is arguable one of Drum Workshop's finest metal snare drums. The DW Ti was a 6.5 x 14 Titanium model that was originally offered with a Dunnett tube lug design that paid homage to DW's trademark round lug. The DW Ti also featured one of the first minted badges and the Dunnett R Class snare throw off. Production was limited to apprx. 100 drums sold in the U.S. and Canada and another 30 drums in Japan before being discontinued. It is one of the most collectible drums ever produced by DW.
Ludwig "The Chief" Titanium Snare drum
Several years before the passing of William F. Ludwig II, Dunnett approached Ludwig with the idea of creating a special snare drum to honor Mr. Ludwig who was known as "The Chief" by his friends, family and among industry colleagues. Dunnett had been working on an extremely thin titanium shell design and the Ludwig Supraphonic snare drum lent itself to that design. Two models were offered, the first being a 6.5" x 14" model in polished titanium. "The Chief" was fitted with The Famous imperial lug and a special badge that was designed by Dunnett that featured a 3 dimensional portrait of William F. Ludwig II and bore his signature. In 2009 a 5.5 x 14" version of "The Chief" was introduced at the 2009 Winter NAMM show in Anaheim.
Stanton Moore Signature Titanium Snare drum
Close friends since they met in 2004, Ronn Dunnett worked with famous New Orleans drummer Stanton Moore to create a signature snare drum that would bear his name. The drum was originally slated to be a Gretsch drum company product, however a conflict of interest meant the drum would be produced under the brand name "The Stanton Moore Drum Company". The drum was a 4.5" x 14 Titanium shell with steel single flange hoops and a minted badge that was modelled after the famous water meter cover of New Orleans. The drum is currently distributed by Bosphorus Cymbals.
John Bonham Tribute Kit
In 2007, Ludwig issued a limited edition kit in John Bonham's memory. The stainless Steel shells were manufactured by Ronn Dunnett / Dunnett Classic Drums. These stainless steel kits are the same as the one Bonham himself used on the last Led Zeppelin tours in the 1970s. Additionally, Ludwig currently offers various "Zep Kits" in their Vistalite, Classic, and Accent lines, with 26" bass drums, a 13" or 14" tom mounted on a snare stand, and 16" and 18" floor toms. Subsequently Dunnett was commissioned by Bonham's son Jason Bonham to build a special carbon fibre kit.