SHELLS

INDIVIDUALLY ENGINEERED TO MAKE YOU SOUND (AND PLAY) BETTER.

Derived from the shell blends of the sonically optimized Reference Recipe, each Reference One drum shell is comprised of thin premium wood layers. The resulting EvenPly shells beautifully capture every nuance of your unrestrained drumming voice.

A Lighter, Thinner Shell

30% thinner plies create a shell with enhanced sustain and resonance.

Sonically Proven Performance

Prime Maple, Birch, and Mahogany panels from our Masterworks vault.

Nuanced Near Field Sound

Increased resonance, bottom end, and tone from the heads to your ears.

It Starts with Superior Shell Technology.

Using the worlds first high temperature hydraulic curing system, Pearl’s SST method was developed to craft a multi-ply, bonded drum shell with single-ply resonance and strength. This proprietary technique begins with hand-selected premium hardwoods chosen for their unique acoustic attributes. Each layer is milled to precise thickness and bonded into 2-ply panels. Our trademark overlapping scarf joint seams are added to ensure a perfect air-tight fit. The wood plies are saturated with Pearl’s exclusive “AcoustiGlue”, which permeates every pore and dries to the exact consistency of the wood for optimum resonance.

Finally, the plies are formed in high-temperature molds with 1000 PSI of hydraulic pressure; producing the ultimate air chamber for optimal resonance, extreme strength, and superior tone. All shells are tested for flatness and roundess before drilling and assembly to assure supreme head-seating and tuning.

The Acoustic Properties of Reference Shell Woods.

The Reference Recipe draws from each wood's acoustic strengths.

By blending panels from three time-proven hardwoods, each drum can perform to its intended task at optimal capacity.

Shell Woods

Maple

Maple's rich lustrous lows and evenly-balanced mid and high frequencies have made it the preferred hardwood for wide sonic range and acoustic balance, and the most accepted premium drum shell material. Its fine grain and smooth, even texture also make it an excellent canvas for transparent finishes.

Birch

A straight grained wood with a fine, even texture, Birch is known for its strength and resilience. It provides a lively interior springboard for sound waves, which in turn creates a noticeable increase in the higher frequencies. This makes it the perfect interior for smaller tom-toms. Birch’s tightly bound network of cells also promotes a perfect balance of mid-range frequencies, with a smooth transition from the lower register to middle register

African Mahogany

African Mahogany is a relatively “soft” hardwood that dramatically boosts lower frequencies. This bass boost effect is likely due to its loosely packed cellulose network, creating a natural resonator for powerful lower frequencies. This predisposition for powerful lows and bass response makes it a logical tonewood for larger toms and bass drums and smooth sonic transition into the mid-range frequencies.

Tonally-Optimized Blended Shells

Accentuating the Pure Nature of Each Drum.

Reference One 8" and 10" drum shells combine Maple and Birch for more attack and higher pitch. The 12" tom (the 'Middle-C' in the Reference One tom scale) is composed of 6 plies of Maple for added body. 13" tom and larger Reference One toms feature added Mahogany interior plies to increase lower pitch and accentuate Maple's tonal warmth.

Bass drums feature a thicker fusion of Mahogany and Maple for the ultimate bass frequency response, proving that it’s not about compromise with Reference One. It’s about every drum in your kit performing at its optimal capacity.

NEW HARDWARE

R2 AIR TOM SUSPENSION SYSTEM & GYROLOCK-L TOM HOLDER

A giant leap in drum resonance physics, the R2 Air Tom Suspension System improves overall tone by delivering true, uncolored sound from each rack tom, creating a transitional bridge to floor toms. Combined with Pearl's first L-Arm, the GyroLock-L, R2 Air creates the world's most adjustable and tonally pure drum mounting platform.

Totally Balanced Floating Tom Mount.

Pearl's R2 Air Tom Suspension System uses an exclusive Dual Arc design to relegate mounting weight to the actual center of the tom. Its complete floating isolation platform is split across two corresponding points at the top and bottom of the drum for total sonic balance and consistent tone at any mounting angle

R2 Air is available in a choice of Pearl's traditional 7/8" tube arm (for horizontal mounting placement) or our new GyroLock-L 12mm arm (for vertical mounting placement)

DamperDisks Included.

Included with the R2 Air are Pearl's totally unique DamperDisks, which allow you to customize the amount of sustain to a shorter note instead of using gel mufflers or tape. Use one DamperDisk for mild sustain reduction, and add more to any of the four pivot points reduce it further. Each DamperDisk can be placed between the bottom Radial Mount Plate and lugs to have a greater effect on the amount of sustain reduction.

ResoDisk Floating Contact Points.

Each corresponding point features lightly cushioned rubber ResoDisks, that not only separate mounting hardware from the shell, but enhance the prime sound of each drum to unite the total drum kit into a seamless, singular instrument.

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Pearl Reference One 6.5x14" Snare Drum (Played by Omar Hakim) (Red Burst Stripe)