In This Issue
What's New With Shorty
Good Deals
New Items
Special Offers
This Month's Tip
Drum Dictionary
Dear Shorty
Good Joke
Special Offers
Kenkeni $125.00
Smallest Djun
DD&S has plenty
of these on hand
Ksink ksink $45.00
Only 2 pairs left
If you cannot find something on the website, please email or call. We are so busy that some things just do not get onto the site.
This Month's Tip
It's a good idea to put a coat of wax on the rim of the drum before you apply a new head. The wax will protect the wood from the moisture left on the skin from soaking and will prevent the skins from sticking to the wood. Visit my blog for more tips.
Dear Shorty
"The drum I ordered came yesterday. My husband got the box before I got home from work. He was so excited to see a big box come from you. I let him open his drum even though our anniversary isn't until the end of the month and it was his gift. He absolutely loved it. He played it for a long time. It was like watching a little kid at Christmas. So the biggest thank you!!!!!!!! It is an absolutely lovely carved drum and the sound is fantastic. I swear the bass shook the floor. I just wanted to tell you my appreciation for such a fine experience. We look forward to our future orders." KT
We love your comments and ideas. Please leave a message in our guest book, give us a call 800-549-3966 or send us a note shorty@gaotskins.com
What's New with Shorty?
Wow, what a spring this has been! The containerwas delayed for the whole month of May! Finally it came to port and passed customs (the x-ray machine was broken). It's here full of Ivory Coast Djembes (full size and new sizes 11.5" X 21" and 9"(or 10") X 18"), goatskins, cow hides. drum bags, drum shells, a few djuns, and some special orders(now is the time to make special orders for the next container). Sadly some of our prices are going up because of the increase in wholesale costs. The American dollar is weak in the world economy, and the carvers must charge more in order to make a decent living. I've also just received items from Senegal. Watch the website for these new things. 
The Ghana Djembes are very popular. Currently the small ones are in stock. These are very light and easy to carry from place to place. We will be getting a new shipment of the larger ones again soon. My friend Clint Bach has made some very nice Ashikos that you can find on goatskins.com. Our redesigned drum straps are now 2" wide. Sandy has made some drum strap pads to help ease the load on shoulders. She also can make fabric drum straps (both are special order). I am having a great time making bells out of metal pipes. In May I visited Drum 
Camp in Little Switzerland, N.C. The drumming was great. Now we've just returned from the Bark Bash in 
Cape May, New Jersey. It was good to be with old friends. There I had so many drums to fix and so little time. I did find time to take Sandy for a walk on the beach though. 
Tennessee is so green now. Our small garden is growing fast. Sandy and I are so happy that we made this move that we renewed our vows to each other this June. Life is good!
Drum Dictionary "Dondo"
These two headed "waisted" drums hail from West Africa and are used by the Ashanti in Ghana and the Yoruba in Nigeria. They are among the oldest instruments used by West African griots (wondering minstrels). Talking drums can imitate the tonal sound of West African language. The drum is held under the arm and against the player's side. The player squeezes the middle of the drum with his/her upper arm while tapping on the head with a curved stick. The tighter the drum is squeezed, the higher the pitch becomes. The more relaxed the drum is held, the lower the pitch. Its message can carry for many miles. Note the resemblance to Djun Djuns.
Our talking drums come from Ghana
Good Joke
A little boy came home from school and excitedly said, "Mommy, Mommy a troop of African drummers gave a concert at our school today! Mommy, Mommy, I want to be a drummer when I grow up. Can 
I, can I?" The mother looked at her child, smiled and said, "Honey, you can't do both."
(Photos are drummers playing at the
Bark Bash)
Thank You!
Shorty and Clint Unloading
The Container
Clint and Liza Resting
After Unloading
Good Deals!
Goatskin Seconds
$8.00
* With hair and hairless
*Perfect for small projects
*Small imperfections
*Still a great product
*15 - 20" wide.
Frame Drums $20.00
16" and 18" diameters
Not in perfect condition
Sales for these are final
Ksink ksink $6.00
Each Piece
Sort of ugly but sound fine
Pair - $10.00
(spade shape only)
Set - $15.00
(club shaped only)
New Items
2" Drum Straps with clips $20.00
Drum Strap Pads $20.00
Reversible
(Special Order)
Talking Drums $48.00
Tweneboa wood & blue ropes
Clint's
Handmade Ashikos
$150.00-$225.00
White Pine
Sounds Great!
Djembe Drums
& Skins
African Drums
Sales, Tuning, Repairs
Shorty & Sandy Palmer
786 Graves Delozier Road
Seymour, TN 37865
800-549-3966
865-908-4227
865-908-2566
shorty@goatskins.com
sandyp@gaotskins.com
www.goatskins.com
Visit us at home or on the web!