Build the instrument.
Serve the music.
Cipher Drums is a one-person workshop in Indiana building custom kits and snares one at a time.
I didn't start Cipher because I wanted to build a drum company. I started it because I was trying to get something back that I once had.
When I was a teenager, I worked at a local dry cleaners to help support my love of drums and percussion. I had my eyes set on a custom, professional-level kit and saved everything I could for that goal. My parents saw how badly I wanted that drum set, and somehow I was able to convince them to make a deal. I'd save every dollar I could and commit to practicing what seemed like a million hours, every day for a year. They covered the rest. By the end, that drum set had become my Christmas, birthday, graduation, and probably even my birthright all rolled into one.
It was a Noble & Cooley CD Maple kit.
It changed the way I thought a great drum set should look, sound, and feel. Long after I sold it, I never forgot what it was like to sit behind it.
The drum set that started it all.
Life eventually moved in a different direction. I sold that drum set to help buy an engagement ring, start a career, and raise a family. I never regretted that decision, but I always missed the instrument.
Years later, when I finally had the chance to play again, I bought a few used kits hoping to find that same feeling. They were good drums, but none of them quite measured up to what I remembered.
Instead of continuing the search, I started asking a different question.
What made that drum set so special?
That question led me down a path of learning everything I could about shell construction, bearing edges, wood species, finishes, and the countless small details that shape the character of an instrument.
Eventually I found a set of vintage Jasper shells.
I bought them thinking they would make a fun project.
Instead, they became the beginning of Cipher Drums.
A name with something underneath.
People often ask where the name came from.
It was inspired by the short film Cipher in the Snow. In the story, a "cipher" is someone overlooked or forgotten. That idea stayed with me long after I first watched it.
Over time, it became the philosophy behind these drums.
I don't believe the instrument should compete with the musician.
The logo shouldn't be the first thing people notice.
The finish shouldn't hide the beauty of the wood.
The brand shouldn't become more important than the music being created.
The drummer is who people came to hear.
My job is to build an instrument worthy of the music they're creating.
That's why every Cipher kit starts with the shell. The wood, the shell layup, and the bearing edges shape every decision that follows. The finish should add to the drum, not hide it. From a distance, the drums look clean and classic. Up close, subtle details reveal themselves over time and under stage lights.
One bench, in Indiana.
Every Cipher drum is built and finished in my workshop in Indiana.
Every build receives my full attention. That gives me the freedom to focus on the details that most people will never see but that I believe matter.
Shell flatness is checked on a precision granite surface plate with dial indicators. Bearing edges are cut and inspected carefully. Every step follows the same philosophy: measure when you can, don't guess when you don't have to.
Years of working in aviation reinforced something I already believed: good outcomes come from consistent processes, careful measurements, and attention to detail. That same mindset shapes every Cipher build.
Most of those details will never be seen by anyone but me. That's okay. They're there because I believe every drum deserves the same care, whether anyone notices it or not.
Building the kit I was looking for.
I'm not trying to build the most expensive drums in the world.
I'm not trying to build the loudest brand, either.
I'm trying to build the kind of drums I spent years searching for.
Drums that respect the natural beauty of the wood.
Drums that sound as good as they look.
Drums that quietly support the musician instead of asking for the spotlight.
I believe there's always something to learn and always a way to improve. Every build teaches me something new, and every lesson finds its way into the next drum. That doesn't mean I'm not proud of the instruments that leave my shop today. I am. It simply means the pursuit of building a better drum never really ends.
The best work is often the work no one notices. That's the philosophy behind every drum I build.
Cipher in the Snow.
Cipher was inspired by the short film Cipher in the Snow. If you'd like to see the story that shaped the philosophy behind this company, you can watch it here.
Watch the film →Ready to talk about a build?
Every drummer has a kit they've imagined. I'd love to hear about yours.
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