Pork Pie Percussion

Pork Pie Percussion is an American musical-instrument manufacturer based in Canoga Park, California. The company specializes in drum kits, snare drums, percussion hardware, and related services including restoration, customization, and refinishing. It was founded in 1987 by drummer and craftsman Bill Detamore, who initially began making drums as a hobby before developing the activity into a professional manufacturing operation. The brand is associated with small-scale, craft-oriented production rather than the high-volume industrial model used by the largest international drum companies. Its California-made instruments are generally handcrafted and, in many cases, produced to order. Pork Pie drums have historically been sold with Detamore's signature and the date of manufacture, reinforcing the brand's workshop identity and emphasizing the individual maker behind each instrument. Pork Pie's product range includes conventional drum kits, acrylic-shell kits, snare drums, and drum hardware. Its Piglite series uses acrylic shells and is made in California. The Little Squealer series was developed as a more accessible mid-market range and includes snare drums as well as a four-piece drum set; these products are manufactured in Taiwan. The company's Big Black Brass snare drums are also made in Taiwan. This combination of domestic custom production and overseas manufacturing allows Pork Pie to offer both highly individualized instruments and comparatively more standardized products. Beyond new instrument production, Pork Pie has offered drum restoration, refinishing, and customization. Detamore's work has included projects for touring and recording musicians connected with acts such as Van Halen, Yes, Fleetwood Mac, Marilyn Manson, Blink-182, Guns N' Roses, and other bands. The brand's artist associations have also included drummers from Primus, The Eels, Lagwagon, Pennywise, The Ramones, Avenged Sevenfold, Band of Skulls, No Use for a Name, and other rock and punk groups. The name Pork Pie was taken from the New Zealand film Goodbye Pork Pie, according to Detamore. By 2006, the company reportedly had nine employees, reflecting its boutique scale. Pork Pie Percussion's positioning rests on American drummaking, visible craftsmanship, customization, distinctive finishes, and close association with working drummers. Publicly available reference material provides limited information about its corporate ownership, financial performance, executive structure, and current distribution footprint.

Pork Pie Percussion was established in 1987 by Bill Detamore, a drummer who began building drums as a personal hobby. The activity gradually developed into professional drummaking, with the company eventually becoming known for handcrafted instruments and custom work. Detamore has described the brand name as an allusion to Goodbye Pork Pie, a New Zealand film. The company developed around a workshop-style approach in which drums could be built, finished, or modified according to a player's requirements. Its instruments were associated with Detamore's personal craftsmanship: by 2006, Pork Pie drums were reportedly sold with his signature and the date on which they were made. The same period's description of the business identified it as a small operation with approximately nine employees. Pork Pie's main production identity has remained connected with California, where its Piglite acrylic drums and other custom or made-to-order instruments are handcrafted. The company has also used Taiwanese production for selected lines. The Little Squealer range was introduced as a mid-market offering and expanded from an initial snare drum into a four-piece drum kit and several snare variants. The Big Black Brass snare range was likewise made in Taiwan, while the Piglite range retained California production. In addition to manufacturing, Pork Pie has provided restoration, customization, and refinishing services. Bill Detamore's customization work has been associated with instruments used by musicians from a range of rock, punk, and alternative acts, including Van Halen, Yes, Fleetwood Mac, Marilyn Manson, Blink-182, Guns N' Roses, and Framing the Red. These services broadened the company beyond standard catalog products and supported its reputation as a specialist drum workshop. Pork Pie instruments have been used by or associated with drummers including Tim Alexander of Primus, Frank Ferrer of Guns N' Roses, Butch Norton of The Eels, Marky Ramone of The Ramones, Dave Raun of Lagwagon, Byron McMackin of Pennywise, Scott Raynor of Blink-182, and Jimmy Sullivan, known as The Rev, of Avenged Sevenfold, among others. The available reference material does not establish a complete current artist roster, ownership structure, employee count, financial profile, or detailed retail network. Accordingly, the brand is best characterized as a specialized American percussion manufacturer with a continuing presence but limited publicly documented corporate information.

• 2006

  Small workshop operation documented

  [1]Pork Pie Percussionen.wikipedia.org

  Reference material described the company as having approximately nine employees and selling drums marked with Bill Detamore's signature and manufacture date.

• 1987

  Company founded

  [1]Pork Pie Percussionen.wikipedia.org

  Bill Detamore established Pork Pie Percussion after developing drummaking from a personal hobby into a professional activity.

• Expansion of the Little Squealer range

  [1]Pork Pie Percussionen.wikipedia.org

  The Little Squealer offering expanded from a single snare drum into a four-piece drum set and four additional snare variants.

A boutique American drum maker combining California-based handcrafted and custom production with selected Taiwan-made product lines. The brand emphasizes maker identity, distinctive finishes, customization, and professional drummer use.

• Drum kits

  Custom and made-to-order drum kits

  Pork Pie's core California offering consists of handcrafted drum kits produced in a workshop-oriented model. These instruments are associated with custom specifications, individual finishes, and made-to-order construction rather than a single standardized configuration. The line represents the brand's most direct expression of American craft production.

• Acrylic drum kits

  Piglite

  Piglite is Pork Pie's acrylic-shell drum line. Unlike the company's Taiwan-made entry and mid-market offerings, Piglite drums are handcrafted in California. The transparent or translucent acrylic construction gives the line a visually distinctive appearance and places it within the specialist and performance-oriented segment of the drum-kit market.

• Mid-market drum kits and snare drums

  Little Squealer

  Little Squealer is a more accessible Pork Pie product family manufactured in Taiwan. The range developed from one snare drum into a broader offering that includes a four-piece drum set and four assorted snare drums. It extends the brand beyond its custom California production while retaining Pork Pie branding and design identity.

• Brass snare drums

  Big Black Brass

  Big Black Brass is a line of black-finished brass snare drums. The instruments are manufactured in Taiwan and form part of Pork Pie's expanded catalog of more standardized products alongside its California-made custom and acrylic drums.

• Instrument services

  Drum restoration, customization, and refinishing

  Pork Pie also provides specialist services for existing drums, including restoration, custom modification, and refinishing. Bill Detamore's work in this area has extended to instruments connected with major rock and alternative bands, making the service business an important part of the brand's craft and customization positioning.

1. 1Pork Pie Percussionen.wikipedia.org