Frequently Asked Questions

How is it made?

I cut and assemble the Goofy Fish Drum Mini on my scroll saw at my workbench. The Goofy Fish Drum is Baltic birch and is cut by a laser. I assemble every single part of it by myself. Everything is hand-sanded. Working with small pieces, most tools I use are manual, including hand drills. The drum is then finished with a thin coat of shellac. I paint the eyeballs by hand and seal them as well. With the Goofy Fish Drum Mini, you can expect it to differ from what’s seen in images. Such as eyeball placement and slightly different shapes, due to this being handmade. The Mini is roughly 3’ in length, while the full-sized Goofy Fish Drum is roughly 6” in length.

What wood do you use? 

The full-sized Goofy Fish Drum is made of Baltic birch, while the Goofy Fish Mini is made from maple. Baltic birch is thinner than the maple I use, with similar tone characteristics to maple. Both woods are commonly used to make drums all over the world. For the Pro Version I use African Padauk to hold the drum skin in place.

What’s the sound difference between the types of fish drums we currently offer? 

The Goofy Fish Drum Kingfish has a fuller, more bass-like sound. It is also louder. 

The Goofy Fish Drum Mini Minnow has a more concentrated sound. The maple is thicker and of higher quality than Baltic birch wood, which plays a part in the sound being more condensed

The Goofy Fish Drum Big Tuna is a bit quieter because I have to lower the bamboo closer to the drum's face for the mallet to make contact. It is most compareable to the Kingfish tiered fish drum.

The Goofy Fish Drum Blue Marlin strikes actual drum skin. Synthetic. It is not wood on wood. It has quite an interesting sound to it and I suggest watching the video provided. The Blue Marlin is one of my first innovations with the Mo Nhip and I have many more to come.

How do the Goofy Fish Drums and Goofy Fish Drum Mini Minnow play differently?

The Goofy Fish Drum has more finger room to play, so if you have bigger hands, it may be better for you. Overall, it’s the best-sized fish drum for sound and all-around performance. 

The Goofy Fish Drum Mini is smaller. Fun for everyone of all ages above 5 and those who want an instrument even more pocketable than the original Goofy Fish Drum. It is made out of a higher-quality wood offering more durability.

Overall, the difference between these drums is based on sound and playability.