KJ Sawka Becomes Hammerax Hybrid Endorser Clearwater, FL December 7, 2010 Hammerax has entered into an exclusive endorsement agreement with solo artist and Pendulum drummer KJ Sawka to endorse the Hammerax Hybrid brand. KJ is known for his extreme dexterity, utilizing blast beats and other dance beats previously reserved for machines. KJ is one of the most innovative drummers I have seen, says Hammerax president John Stannard. I m very excited to see how he incorporates these new products into his set. KJ s new Hammerax kit consists of multiple Boomywang brand hybrids, a 24 H Gong, Crash Course, Meanie, Dustbowl, Grind Course, and Glass. Pendulum is currently on tour in the UK promoting their latest album Immersion. They will be supporting Linkin Park on their A Thousand Suns North American Tour starting Jan 20, 2011. KJ joins a list of prominent Hammerax endorsers such as Marco Giovino (touring with Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin fame), Omar Hakim (Mariah Carey, Michael Jackson, Madonna), Pat Mastelotto (King Crimson, KTU, Stick Men), Terry Bozzio (Missing Persons, Frank Zappa, Jeff Beck), Walfredo Reyes (Santana, Lindsey Buckingham, Jackson Browne), Will Calhoun (Living Color, Mos Def, Herb Alpert), Evelyn Glennie (Solo, Bjork) and Jim Keltner (Eric Clapton, Mick Jagger, Ringo Starr).
Hammerax Warranty on Cymbals and Hybrids Increased to 4 Years Clearwater, FL December 2, 2009 Hammerax has surprised musicians since its debut in 2006 with shocking and lush cymbals and hybrids. Cymbal lines such as Liquicy and Indigo are known for darkness and deep wobble. Drummers at first wondered if Hammerax cymbals would hold up under intense playing. The results are in- zero returns in over 3 years says John Stannard, Hammerax President. Our cymbals are hammered thousands of times and are made of a special alloy heat treated in a unique process. Rolling happens while a cymbal is flat, but is only the beginning- this hammering method continues throughout the cymbal making process on a 3-D scale, adding strength, volume, and richness, says Stannard. Hammerax has also passed the 3 year mark with no cable related returns on its lines of hybrid percussion. Hammerax surprised the percussion world with the shocking sound textures of brands such as Boomywang, Culebra, Glass, Meanie, Dustbowl, and Lash first released in summer 2006. The suspension cable appears to very thin but is profoundly strong, stated Stannard. The strength comes from the use of a special type of Spectra fiber cable - a product of Honeywell." Spectra is an extended-chain polyethylene fiber and has one of the highest strength-toweight ratios of any man-made fiber. Spectra fiber is, pound for pound, 15 times stronger than steel, and has a specific strength that is up to 40 percent greater than that of Kevlar. Specific performance is dependent upon denier, filament count, and specific tempering and drawing methods. "When we started using it we realized the cable was so strong that we had to use absolutely fresh razor knives just to trim the cables. It is also very slippery- you need to tie multiple knots. Other than direct drumstick impact at the entry hole, or heating the product over 160 degrees, it seems to just last and last. This extra strength allows the real voice of the instrument to come through as if it were floating." Hammerax cables are also modular. They replace quickly by slipping them into the wood frame, but so there has been no need for the company to send out the free replacement cable packs. The bottom line proof has been in the field testing by drummers and percussionists.
This move to a 4 year warranty represents one of the longest limited warranties in the industry. Hammerax has been granted and has filed multiple patents on its products.
Hammerax Nice Brand Heavy Cymbals Launched Clearwater, FL November 11, 2010 Hammerax has released a line of loud, brilliant bell cymbals, designed for mounting independently, or upside down above cymbals. The bells are available in 6, 7, 8, and 9.5. When mounted in the upside down mode, Nice brand allow plenty of room to hit the bell of the large cymbal below due to the deep shape. Virtually all prior small bells on the market were just pressed cups with a flat edge. Nice cymbals feature deeply hammered grooves instead of lathe grooves. These deep grooves add bright color to the sound the main goal here was to create a pure sound which can cut through in many styles of music. This is not a mere cup but a true cymbal formed completely by hammering. The weight is very heavy but the tone is pure with a long sustain, if struck hard, said John Stannard, Hammerax president. We aimed right from the start for the Nice brand to be more than just a pressed cup. We knew it had to have a proper bow and center cup. We tested many different profiles and cup combinations to get the best tone. Nice cymbals can also be mounted individually, or even opposing each other, two at a time or stacked like a bell tree with felts as separators. Nice cymbals are already on tour with several major acts- mostly notably Robert Plant s Band of Joy with Marco Giovino on drums. Another great feature of Nice is the pricing. These instruments are priced at very reasonable points considering the true handmade cymbal quality, says Stannard. 4 year Limited Warranty. Made in the USA. Available immediately.
Hammerax Indigo Brand Flatrides Clearwater, FL November 15, 2010 Hammerax has announced the release of four new Flatrides. Sizes include 16, 18, 21, and 24. Indigo brand Flatrides will feature patent pending micro-cups in the center area of the cymbal. The micro-cups serve several functions. They increase the richness of the cymbal while still allowing stick definition. Micro-cups are also rakeable, allowing for onehanded roll FX. In the past, Flatrides tended to have a dead area near the center. The innovation of using the patent pending micro-cups in the center eliminates this dead spot by tightening the center. They also allow for a broader range of soft to loud tones. The center area can now also be struck in several ways to create bell sounds, but without reducing stick definition. The 16 is very dry and subdued, while the 18 has a fuller sound, but still very controlled. The 21 has a big, rich sound, which can be bright if needed yet still plenty of stick. The 24 offers a giant palette of colors from a woody stick to a bright center bell sound. The 21 and 24 have several different ride tones. We are extremely pleased with these new Indigo brand Flatrides, said John Stannard, Hammerax President. They are bright, yet rich full of stick and highly useful in both straight-ahead and innovative music settings. Indigo is a registered trademark. 4 year Limited Warranty. Made in the USA. Available immediately.
Bashiri Johnson Becomes Hammerax Hybrid Endorser Clearwater, FL December 20, 2010 Bashiri is a prolific multi-instrumentalist who has added his highly sought after style to countless records, films, television, commercials and games. Bashiri will bring a profound energy to the Hammerax team, says Hammerax president John Stannard. Bashiri s new Hammerax kit consists of a variety of bronze hybrids and FX. Some of the artists/projects Bashiri has recorded and/or performed on include Whitney Houston, Donald Fagen, Madonna, Steve Winwood, Rolling Stones, Celine Dion, Rancid, Angelique Kidjo, Gloria Estefan, Paul Simon, Barbara Streisand, Spice Girls, Miles Davis, Ray Charles, Michael Jackson, Queen, Eric Clapton, Sade, Kenny G, Lionel Richie, Kenny Garrett, Aretha Franklin, Sting, Mary J Blige, Gypsy Kings, Bob Dylan, James Taylor, Nina Simone, Jay Z, Stevie Wonder, Beyonce, Mariah Carey, Luther Vandross, Gatorade, Pepsi, Mission Impossible, Hitch, The Score, and The Bodyguard. Bashiri has written and/or produced songs for Lionel Richie, Francis Mbappe, Saida Fikri, LP, Kashif, Papa Susso, Nicole C. Mullen, and The Shift Movie. Bashiri joins a list of prominent Hammerax endorsers such as Marco Giovino (touring with Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin fame), Omar Hakim (Mariah Carey, Michael Jackson, Madonna), Pat Mastelotto (King Crimson, KTU, Stick Men), Terry Bozzio (Missing Persons, Frank Zappa, Jeff Beck), Walfredo Reyes (Santana, Lindsey Buckingham, Jackson Browne), Will Calhoun (Living Color, Mos Def, Herb Alpert), Evelyn Glennie (Solo, Bjork), Jim Keltner (Eric Clapton, Mick Jagger, Ringo Starr) and KJ Sawka (solo, Pendulum). Hammerax will be unveiling dozens of new products at the 2011 Namm show (Booth 2430) being held Jan.13-16 in Anaheim, CA.