Playing Surdo is so easy now - you are officially unstoppable:
new lightweight Samba Reggae surdos by IZZO
To play a large instrument like the surdo is plenty difficult. No need for any extra hassle, time for super light!
The times of heavy surdos are long gone, lightweight surdos for people with back problems, young sambistas, groups with strong choreographies: the Linha Leve follows the trend of ultra-lightweight construction and with slimmed down hardware is an ideal model in the sizes 16" and 18".
Features
✔ lightweight construction
✔ matt finish, black hardware
✔ Solid constuction
✔ clean threads
✔ matt aluminium look keeps the price low, as it is cheaper to produce than a polished finish
✔ grooves reinforce the static of the drum body
Pros
✔ extremely lightweight
✔ low price
✔ good for people with back problems who need to pay attention to every gram of the instrument
✔ suitable for young sambistas who are not yet able to carry heavy drums
✔ good for long parades and performances
✔ choreographies & show dancing easier due to low weight
The 'keep-in-minds' of lightweight construction
Like everything, light weight comes at a price. We have put together the most important facts for you to point out the dos and don'ts of lightweight surdos Whether it is still an option for you - hopefully you will be able to answer after reading:
✘ Extremely lightweight surdos like the Linha Leve are generally less robust than heavier models.
✘ Thinner aluminium sheets and generally less materials (hardware) weaken the statics. Aluminium grooves counteract these weak points, but clearly thick-walled surdos are more stable.
✘ Normally, drum hardware is solid and heavy. Lightweight construction means cuts have been made. The rods are thinner, the nuts shorter and therefore have less thread available to hold the tension the rim underneith the head is very narrow.
✘ The Linha Leve can't be tuned extremely high, the shell is too thin to compensate for high resistance.
✘ The shell seam is folded, not welded, which has a positive effect on the price, but is also less durable.
✘ weaker sound due to thinner resonance body.
TIPS & TRICKS
Compared to the regular surdo series by Izzo, the shell of the Bahia Light Linha Leve model uses a thinner aluminium sheet and light-construction hardware. This is great to save weight, however, you might find the sound outcome less powerful. If weight is very important to you and you want to max out the sound of your surdo, try using a double-layer head for more sound stability. This surdo size is designed for the high dobra voice, which typically sounds ultra-dry. The heads that come with the surdo are perfectly suited for this purpose. In order to get an even drier sound with even less sustain, we have seen drummers in Salvador stick soft foam stips to the inside of the shell that slightly touch the head from the inside and filter out all unneccessary overtones.