Jeremy Berman’s Q Drums Are Going Out of Business

The Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum features a collection of objects that are both functional and incredibly beautiful. From the Seydou Keita-meets-Cartier Bresson fine art appeal of the blue plastic lifesaver-shaped vessel that a young boy is tugging behind him, to the more utilitarian creations that allow people in rural Africa to convey adequate quantities of water from their water source, the exhibition has something for everyone.

In 2008 Jeremy Berman founded Q Drum Co and began building drums from shell materials that no one had dared to use before, such as galvanized steel and copper. In short order, he had earned himself a reputation as a drummer’s drummer and a craftsman. His kits were renowned for their sounds and looks that were unmistakably different from anything else on the market.

A longtime custom drummer, he cut his teeth at OCDP and went on to build kits for the likes of Travis Barker, Adrian Young, Nine Inch Nails’ Ilan Rubin and Muse’s Dom Howard, while also establishing himself as a top drum tech, a gig that took him around the world.

In 2022 he was diagnosed with Stage 4 stomach cancer, a condition that has brought his career as a drummer to a halt and the drum community to rally around him. As he battles the disease, he’s now working to raise money through his GoFundMe page for treatment and living expenses.

Q Drum Co will be shutting down for an undetermined amount of time. In a recent Facebook post, purchasing manager Roger K confirmed that the company will be halting new orders for the time being. He pledged to fulfil any orders that have already been placed and urged anyone who has concerns to contact them directly.

Berman’s Q Drum kits feature a range of metals and wood reinforcement hoops that create a sound and look that’s unique and strikingly different from any other kit on the market. The company’s bass, rack and floor toms can be made out of brass, stainless steel or copper and are often honed with a high-end finish that gives them an even richer tone.

The drums are manufactured by Kaymac Rotomolders and Pioneer Plastics in South Africa and can be used in a variety of ways. The longitudinal shaft or central hole – through which a rope can be tied – allows users to roll the container along rough terrain while keeping water away from the ground and out of rocks and other debris that could puncture it. It’s the perfect solution for rural African communities that struggle to convey adequate amounts of water from their sources, with most families in such villages having to carry the loads themselves. It can also help following natural disasters to bring clean, safe drinking water into affected areas. Those in the mining industry find it useful for transporting liquids such as fuel, hydraulic fluids and water through restricted spaces underground or on inclined slopes.