Following the footsteps of the much-talked-about Pure Purpleheart snare drums, are a complete line of custom drums made exclusively from this distinct hardwood. Deriving its name for its purple hue, the shells are even more dense than oak, and provide ample attack and punch. A sound unlike traditional drum-making woods, such as maple or birch, Pure Purpleheart drums can be custom ordered in any DW Custom Shop size and shell configuration. VLT (Vertical Low Timbre) Drum Shells In experimenting with different exotic woods as alternate shell-making materials, DW's Custom Shell Shop discovered that in addition to the different tonal qualities inherent in every unique type of wood, alterations in grain direction can also greatly influence sound. In a VLT shell, the outermost and innermost plies run vertically, rather than a traditionally horizontal configuration. The vertical grain places less tension on the shell, allowing it to vibrate more freely, resulting in the lowered fundamental pitch. It's perfect for those players who prefer a lower overall tone while still maintaining maximum resonance and attack.