Reskins & Repairs

We’re open for drum reskins – contactless drop off and pick up!

Yes, we can reskin your drum!

When that fateful day comes and your drum goes ‘pop’ it can be a bit of a shock. Sometimes it happens silently in the night, other times it goes out with a bang. Don’t despair – it happens to every drum eventually. See it as an opportunity to get a beautiful new skin, maybe try a different sound and get a new colour rope if you fancy. On average we’ll have your drum back in action in 2-3 days .  Here’s all you need to know.

Djembes

12″-14″ Head Diameter
$185 = Standard goat skin off and on
$225 = Re-skin with new rope & oil (optional/if needed).
$250+ = Full refurb including new skin, rope, oil & crack repair*

10″-11″ Head Diameter
$140 = Standard goat skin off and on
$170 = Re-skin with new rope & oil (optional/if needed)
$190+ = Full refurb including new skin, rope, crack repair*

8″-9.5″ Head Diameter
$110 = Standard goat skin off and on
$140 = Re-skin with new rope & oil (optional/if needed)
$160+ = Full refurb including new skin, rope, crack repair*

Kangaroo Skin: 

Ask for a Kangaroo skin for a dry, crisp sound
These have a drier (shorter sustain) sound than the oilier Australian goat and really crack with high slaps.
Additional cost: $20 -30 depending on size of drum

Cow/ Yearling Skins for Djembe: 

If you prefer the warm unique pop of cow on your drum, just say the word – we have some awesome thinner yearling (young cow) and cow perfect for djembe.
These skins are a little harder on the hands than goat but are preferred by more and more professional djembe players these days.
Additional $15 -30 depending on size of drum

Overlap and Hair-on Skins: 

Decorative overlap where the skin is stretched below the rings. This can be done with the hair left on the edge of the skin for a wild look.
Additional $10 for hair on and $15 for hair off

* Please note in some cases where extreme damage to the drum is noted, extra charges may apply. We will discuss options with you before commencing work.
**We do great bulk repair deals too for bigger batches of drums. Buzz us for a quote on [email protected] or (03) 9525 3073
*** For over-sized djembes (over 14″) , please contact us at [email protected] or (03) 9525 3073

Vegan Skins 
If you’re looking for a weather proof, vegan option then try one of our polymer premium synthetic skins.
We upgraded our synthetic skin option late 2023 and are supper happy with the results.
Available in a range of thickness from thin – medium
Additional $20-50 depending on size of drum and thickness of skin

Extra Work

We’ll assess your drum as it arrives. If your drum needs it or you request it, we’ll oil the shell for free. If we find that there are issues with the drum which need to be addressed and may incur additional charges, we’ll call you discuss the options for your drum before we start our work. Extra work may include:

Hairline Cracks

Over time these can become more severe and eventually cause major issues for the shell. If repaired correctly the drum retains its structural integrity for life.
Price dependant on in house assessment.

New Rings: $10 – $18 per ring

Some drums have been made with rings that are poorly welded or too big. This can compromise the skin and lead to poor sound quality or breakage. To get the best sound out of your drum and for the skin to last the longest you need the rings to be the right size. See our ring pricing options here.

Protective Rubber Foot: 

Add a protective rubber base to the bottom of your drum.
Protects the drum from damage due to vibration and dropping onto hard surfaces.
Recycled bike tyre $50 (10-11″) or $65  (12-14″)
Floating Nail free rubber base $120

Other Drums

Bongos (5″-9″ heads)

Single head: $85
Both heads: $160

Congas

Single head: $150
Two heads: $285

Duns: One Head (use existing rope)

Kenkeni: $150
Sangban: $170
Dununba: $200
Whole Set: $490

Duns: Both Heads (includes new rope) 

Kenkeni: $260
Sangban: $300
Dununba: $360
Whole Set: $700

Kpanlogo

Standard size 9-11″: $240. We replace the entire head with fresh ropes.
We use medium thickness African cow skin for this.
New pegs: $7 each

Synthetic (Vegan) Djembes:

• Premium Synthetic reskins for djembes of all sizes. We use .4mm skin discs consisting of 3-ply laminate with a polyester centre that sounds as close to a natural skin as you will find. Prices start from $200 (13″ djembe with new rope $285)
• Synthetic sheet reskins suitable for up to 12.5″ djembes. Prices start from $180. (12.5″ djembe with new rope $265)
• We also stock Remo pre-fabricated heads. Suited specifically to 12″ djembes only. Price for reskin with new rope $255

Darbuka 

We have synthetic Galharet Elfan replacement heads from Egypt suitable for most standard size darbuka & sombaty. We also have replacments heads for our Eagle style darbuka
Darbuka / Sombaty Reskin $150
Please note: This does not include replacing rivets. All drums will be assessed on site before the work commences.

Something Else?

We can skin many drums: peg drums, lug/hardware drums, East African drums, Middle Eastern frame drums, American drums and more. Bring it in and we’ll see what we can do!

Rope

If your drum needs its rope replaced due to damage or if you simply want to freshen up your drum with new colours, we offer this service here at AD.

Verticals Only with Standard 4 or 5mm rope

10-11″ drum: $55 (4mm rope standard)
12-13″ drum: $65
14-15″ drum: $70

All Rope including Ring rope

10-11″ drum: $65 (4mm rope standard)
12-13″ drum: $95
14-15″ drum: $100

FAQs

How long will it take?

The process generally takes  between 3 and 7 days from start to finish. Some jobs take longer and high demand can affect the wait time. We will provide an estimated finish date upon assessment.

Reskin or Replace?

If your drum is hand-carved, of good quality, or has sentimental value then it is well worth re-skinning. If the drum is a cheaper machine-turned Indonesian or Indian djembe, or a smaller drum with a head of 10″ or less, we recommend replacement as it is either cheaper to get a new one, or only an extra few bucks for an upgrade to a brand new drum! Check out our Indo Series.

What kind of skins do we use?

We use premium goat hide, or cow if requested. We stock a variety of quality hides in a range of colours and thicknesses.

What if I don’t live in Melbourne?

No worries – we re-skin drums from around the country. Send your drum to us and we’ll reskin it and send it back, adding return postage to the total.
If you’d like to go ahead, let us know you’re sending your drum in. Please include your mobile number and return address, as well as the desired sound and/or skin/rope colour(s) of your choice. We will let you know the drum has arrived at our HQ and give you an assessment and quote. Once the drum is finished, we settle payment and send it back to you via AusPost!

Does the price include shipping?

No. We will send you a quote for shipping once we see the drum and assess the required work.

The sound and the Finish

Let us know what kind of sound you’re looking for so that we can find the perfect skin for you. Alternatively, have our drum maker to balance the skin to the drum.

Drum Maker’s Choice– We choose the best skin for the shell.
Beginners – Thin-Medium. Easier to find sounds, easier on the hands.
All-Rounder – Medium skin, balanced to the shell for good all round range.
Soloist – Thin or Thin-Medium for volume and clear high ends.
Thick – Favoured by experienced players with tough hands and well developed technique. Offers rich, deep tonal ranges.

Warranty

Our reskins are covered under our 5 month graduated warranty, so you can be confident that we stand behind our craftsmanship.

Talk to us about your drum

(03) 9525 3073
[email protected]
African Drumming, 252 St Kilda Rd, St Kilda, VIC 3182