Editing Sonor (section)

==History==
The company was founded in 1875 as a [[percussion instrument]]s manufacturer.<ref>[https://www.sonor.com/company#history History of the company at official website]</ref>  One of the oldest existing models of drums manufactured by Sonor is a 1942 Johannes Link Parade Snare, a very heavy [[snare drum]] with an aluminum shell and thick tension rods.<ref name=museum>[http://www.sonormuseum.com/genesis/WWII.html Sonor Museum]</ref>

[[File:2006-07-06 drum set.jpg|thumb|left|A drum-set made by Sonor, [[cymbal]]s by [[Meinl Percussion|Meinl]] and [[Paiste]]]]
In the 1980s, Sonor's tagline was "The [[Rolls-Royce (car)|Rolls]] of drums". The drums were made of very thick (13&nbsp;mm) and heavy shells that were [[beech]] wood, with an innermost and outermost ply of furniture-grade veneers, such as rosewood and bubinga. [[Nicko McBrain]] of [[Iron Maiden]] was one of the most prominent Sonor artists of the 1980s and 1990s, along with [[Mikkey Dee]] of [[Motörhead]], [[Steve Smith (musician)|Steve Smith]] of [[Journey (band)|Journey]], [[Phil Rudd]] of [[AC/DC]], [[Danny Carey]] of [[Tool (band)|Tool]], [[Thomas Haake]] of [[Meshuggah]], [[Glenn Kotche]] of [[Wilco]], [[Gavin Harrison]] of [[Porcupine Tree]],  jazz/fusion artist [[Jojo Mayer]] and jazz legend [[Jack DeJohnette]].

Sonor invented the modern screw thread drum-construction and the metal snare drum in the early 20th century.<ref name=museum/> William F. Ludwig got this idea in his early years back in Germany from Sonor and began to use it later in Chicago.<ref name=museum/>

As the 1980s progressed, the market began to stray away from thick heavy shells and Sonor started slimming down its shells with a line called "Sonorlite" and "Hilite", a step more towards the idea a drum shell should resonate like a violin or guitar body.  The thinner the shell, the lower the fundamental tone.

Sonor drums have several design features, including undersized shells (a similar concept to a violin bridge - designed to enhance response), and tension rods that are round and feature a slot instead of the traditional square style (though recently Sonor made square heads standard, with slotted heads available as an option). Recently, Sonor re-introduced the designer X-Ray Acrylic drums, the first time in 20 years Sonor offered acrylic drums. These shells are made from seamless, extruded acrylic and feature acrylic hoops.

In 1953, the Orff instruments were officially included in Sonor’s production plan. In close collaboration with Professor Hans Bergese, a student of [[Carl Orff]], Sonor developed a range of instruments. The basic idea was that the instruments should grow with the mental abilities and playing techniques of the child, thus encouraging active music making.<ref>[http://www.sonor.com/instruments/orff/?option=com_content&task=view&id=98&Itemid=103 Sonor Off]</ref>