Keplinger Shaker Light

Gregg Keplinger is a rare hybrid of drumming talent and percussive artisan. Early in his career, Gregg toured Mexico straight out of high school, worked with the house band for a circus, haunted the halls of his jazz-drumming hero Elvin Jones in New York, and worked closely in-studio and on stage with a young Matt Cameron during Soundgarden's "Superunknown" glory days and continued on with Matt to work with Pearl Jam.

After finding a 1930s Ludwig 6.5x14 steel snare with an otherworldly tone and a price to match, Gregg followed in the footsteps of the elite class of drum craftsmen to which he now belongs - he improvised and innovated. Sourcing stainless steel from an industrial pipe manufacturer in Seattle, Gregg set to building the first of many custom snare drums, and thus the "Keplinger" vision - for hefty metal-shell snares, and percussion with an industrial personality - was born. Fittingly, Elvin Jones was the proud recipient of one of "Kep's" first snare drums.

Gregg's instruments are truly for players, by a player, and each shows Kep's utilitarian sensibility and bears its maker's individuality.

Solid, dynamic, handcrafted and unique - that's what "Keplinger" means.

Please note: Keplinger shakers are all handmade, and no two will be the same. What you receive may be different from what is pictured, though we will always try to keep our photographs concurrent with what is in stock.