Aaron Mlasko, Owner/Retro-grouch
Mlasko American Classic Drums is a (very) small business focused on meeting the specific needs of drummers who can appreciate refined classic drum design. We offer made-to-order maple, ‘vintage mahogany’, ‘vintage maple’ and 70’s style acrylic drums, as well as snare drums in the same and various other materials. We also offer an extensive variety of services.
To begin with, Aaron has been playing drums since the age of 9. A self-described “sucker for a good song”, he knows what it takes to make drums on a tune sound good. his solid and vibey drumset playing and percussion have been heard on many recordings and stages all over. Bands you’ve likely never heard of as well as some you’d certainly recognize. Point is, it truly takes a drummer to understand the issues encountered by a drummer, and Aaron’s got you more than covered.
“How’d you get started doing that?…” In junior high school, Aaron acquired an old, heavily-used, cheap, import, mismatched red/blue sparkle-covered set purchased with paper route money. The contraption barely worked, so Aaron completely disassembled it, repaired/refinished it and built it back up. Not bad for a 14 yr old!… Over time, Aaron found himself working in various regional retail drum settings and repair departments in the early 1990’s. His attention to detail and intuitive problem-solving nature has been valued by clients from all walks of life. Countless sessions as an in-demand studio drum tech led to working as a live drum tech, as Aaron has toured over the years with Liz Phair (Mario Calire, drummer), the Wallflowers (Mario Calire), Tori Amos (Matt Chamberlain), YES (Alan White), Pearl Jam (Matt Cameron), Candlebox (Scott Mercado), The Presidents of the United States of America (Jason Finn) and others in multiple tours of the U.S., Canada, Europe, Japan and South America. His extensive skills are in demand by major players all over, and are available to you as well.
Aaron built his first custom drum in September of 1994. A natural progression from tweeking-out and refurbishing all other makes of drums, Mlasko Quality Custom Drums was born. The name was a tribute to his father’s custom home-building business, “Mlasko Quality Custom Homes”, in Lewiston, Idaho in the 1980’s. In 2010 we switched our focus from fully custom drums to strictly made-to-order classic designs and changed our name. Mlasko American Classic Drums has grown from a small grass roots drum boutique into a… well, small grass roots drum boutique. We don’t mind being small and have found that a lot of folks actually appreciate that. You will find our drums to be classier and vibey-er than the “competition” while still remaining comparably affordable. Aaron’s great appreciation for vintage drums coupled with a thorough understanding of what does and doesn’t work under a microphone and on stage will enable you to own and play something special!
“What makes your drums different than everyone elses?…” Mlasko drums built today have years of refinement behind them. We’ve learned our lessons independently, the hard way. You simply can’t do that overnite. Aaron prides himself in his ability to meet each customer’s needs individually and in person. Few builders of this skill level exist, and you can take advantage of it… just drop us a line or give us a call! We thank you very much for yr time and interest in what we do here and look forward to serving you.
