In a percussion instrument such as a drum, conga, bongo or the like, comprising a resonance body and a skin that is stretched over a top opening of the resonance body and has an imprint, it is provided that the skin (3) is transparent or semi-transparent and that an imprint (18) is applied to the bottom of the skin.

A drum shell for musical instruments formed of clear plastic material such as methyl methacrylate from hollow cylindrical sections joined together wherein a source of illumination is secured to the drum shell by brackets which are, in turn, secured to the drum shell opposite standard lugs for attaching the head of the drum and wherein the source of the illumination is an elongated tubular element or elements which are positioned inside the shell substantially adjacent the place where the sections of the shells are secured together.

A head of a drum or similar kind of musical instrument comprising a synthetic plastic sheet material containing surfaces with variegated color shadings to give the texture and appearance of a natural animal skin. A method of manufacture of the improved drumhead including the steps of fine sanding to produce minor surface scratches, and intensive sanding to produce deeper scoring or gouges in the top and bottom surfaces of the head. A coating of resin is applied to the surfaces and collects within the scratched and gouged areas to produce the variegated characteristics of a natural skin and manipulate the surface structure to provide vastly improved sound.

A kettle-shaped drum has an annular recess adjacently below the top end of its hollow body. The flexible drum head includes a peripheral rib disposed in the recess and engaged at the top by a bracket. A plurality of recessed tensioning screws that extend downwardly from the bracket are threaded into a shoulder beneath the recess to permit adjustment of the head tension. A framework for supporting a drum assembly includes a series of elongate frame members that are interconnected by a plurality of identical joints. Each component of the drum assembly is supported on a rod which is in turn received by a joint mounted on one of the frame members. The construction of the joints permits the frame members to be assembled in any desired arrangement and also permits universal positioning of the drum assembly.

A drum or other musical percussion instrument made of a seamless cylindrical shell of an integral synthetic plastic, such as a methyl methacrylate resin, with a tone or sound modulator associated therewith comprising a one- or multi-part panel of similar transparent plastic material mounted for rotation about an axis parallel to a drum head and intersecting said shell with clearance therebetween and between the panel and the head, or heads, of the drum to permit adjustability of the panel into various angular positions relative to the plane of the head in order to modulate the sounds caused by playing on said head.