S-Hoop

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

S-Hoop

Type	Private
Founded	Louisville, Kentucky, USA (2004)
Headquarters	Louisville, Kentucky, USA
Key people	Rick Barrickman
Website	www.safehoop.com

S-hoops are a type of hoops (also called rims) for drums.

[edit] History

The S-Hoop, or Safehoop, was designed by Rick Barrickman in 2004. Shortly after launching the design, he was awarded a patent for the hoop and The Safehoop Company was official.

As opposed to regular die cast hoops or triple flanged hoops, S-Hoops feature an inward beveled edge which bevels down towards the drum head. This offers a larger stick-to-rim surface. This bigger surface reduces physical shock in the drummer's wrists when hitting rim shots, it reduces the wear of drum sticks and offers a fatter cross stick (or rim click) sound.

The "chamber" that's created between the beveled edge and the drum head gives a drum a significantly different sound. The beveled edge also protects a drum's bearing edge.

Some drummers describe this effect as "bringing a drum to life". It generally makes the sound of a drum more volumous, with added sustain, maintaining the drum's own sonical characteristics.

Most of the leading drum industry magazines, such as Modern Drummer and Drummer Magazine, reviewed the S-hoops with positive outcome. Many important people in the drumming industry endorse S-Hoop.