Manito Percussion is an independent custom hand drum workshop located in lush Athens, Georgia. We specialize in solid shell congas, bongos, bata, bombas, djembes and other drums. We also offer our custom stainless steel hardware,  a variety of skins for drums, and PreMounted drum heads. We unite art and science to create instruments that speak to the ears, eyes and hands.

Each SolidShell drum is precision handcrafted from sustainably harvested, local hardwood logs.  Our designs marry art, physics of sound creation, environmental responsibility and the natural beauty that only solid shells can offer. We believe beautiful music should exist in harmony with nature.

At Manito Percussion, we focus on creating the purest tones possible. Whether it’s our skins, PreMounted heads, or in designing and crafting our own solid shell drums, we spare no expense or effort to bring the finest tonal experience to your drumming life.

The insides of our congas and bombas are shaped with features to perfect the tones as well as to add a great deal of strength to the shell. From the bearing edge with its built in alma, to the textures and ridges which remove any bad overtones, to the Venturi shaped volume and bass boosting sound hole, every aspect of the resonating chamber is painstakingly sculpted for the sweetest tones possible!

We offer custom 304 stainless steel crowns, flesh hoops, tuning lugs, side plates and lug extenders to complete your own drum projects. Our hardware is not only superior in strength, but also craftsmanship and lustre.

Global relationships have allowed us to source the finest variety of skins. Our suppliers are keen and willing to adapt their clean, natural fleshing processes to suit the needs of our ever expanding drumming community. We focus on proper consistency of drum heads relative to the drum and very smooth playing surfaces. The results are clear tones, minimal overtone, volume, sustained open tones, well pronounced bass tones and crisp slaps. The range and quality of these skins have proven to excel in live and studio settings.