Giaco Handmade: frame drum engineering and the Mediterranean archetype

The trajectory of Giaco Handmade began in 1975 in Cave (Rome), during the reenactment of the ancient Feast of Saint Anatolia inside a farmhouse. It was in that context of folkloric rebirth that Gianni Berardi, fascinated by the playing of an elderly woman (a friend’s great-grandmother), identified the tambourine as his existential vocation. Berardi’s construction journey developed over twenty years of rigorous research, fueled by constant dialogue with great masters of total percussion like Alfio Antico and Luis Agudo, and codified in the field through the study of the micro-techniques of the elderly players of Montemarano.

Berardi’s competitive advantage and uniqueness lie in his professional background, which is foreign to classical lutherie: his specialization in industrial leather modeling, prototyping, and production flow optimization allowed the artisan to apply strict geometric tolerances and industrial efficiency criteria to instruments traditionally dominated by amateur empiricism. By rejecting the logic of mass serial production — which floods stores with cheap tambourines priced at 30-80 euros — Giaco Handmade has positioned its line on an elite threshold (starting from 80 euros and up), creating exclusively unique pieces customized on commission based on the specific dynamic and postural needs of the individual musician.

The collection

Gianni Berardi’s production moves along the boundary separating vintage instrumental archaeology from contemporary percussive avant-garde, offering instruments entirely handcrafted:

• Traditional Italian Tambourines: Instruments based on historical regional canons (Campanian tammorre, Apulian and Calabrian tambourines), made according to ancient working methods but optimized in the selection of materials and the precision of the housings for the jingles.
• New Generation Tunable Frame Drums: Devices featuring a traditional aesthetic appearance that integrate cutting-edge mechanical systems internally (steel hardware, latent tension keys) to allow the percussionist to vary the skin tension and the instrument’s pitch depending on humidity and the studio or stage context.
• Custom Percussion Commissioned: Unique pieces born from the synergistic dialogue with the artist, configured to measure by varying frame thickness, shell depth, dermis selection, and metal response based on the executive repertoire.

Construction philosophy, techniques, and materials

Giaco Handmade’s construction method is based on a perfect understanding of the acoustic physics of organic materials and the preservation of traditional artisanal treatments:

• Shell Calendering: The supporting frame of the instrument originates from a calendered circle, a strip of noble wood heat-bent into a perfectly circular shape. Berardi philologically recovers the bending techniques of master sieve-makers and builders of wooden cheese molds, selecting stable fibers capable of resisting the immense radial tensions exerted by the pulling of the dry skin.
• The “Green-dressing” (Rinverdimento) Process: For the striking membrane, Berardi uses exclusively selected goat or kid skins, materials known for their high thickness profile and richness of mid-low frequencies. The raw skin undergoes a “green-dressing” process through prolonged immersion in clean water to restore flexibility to the collagen fibers. The skin is mounted damp onto the wooden frame; during the natural air-drying phase, the re-stiffening of the dermis generates the drum’s fundamental static tension. For modern musical needs or complex live contexts, Berardi integrates the use of advanced synthetic membranes made of mylar.
• Working with Reclaimed Tin Jingles: The ringing timbre and sustain of the tambourine depend entirely on the jingles. Berardi rejects industrial stamped brass discs, preferring manual cutting with tinsmith scissors from reclaimed iron tin. The metal sheets are perforated and subsequently subjected to a controlled fire-burning process. This thermal treatment modifies the iron’s crystal lattice, altering its rigidity to give the metal an exclusive burnished coloring and a darker, drier sound spectrum, free from annoying high-frequency overtones.

Collaborations and recognitions

Gianni Berardi’s authority is structured within the Italian and international ethnomusical community, as confirmed by his participation in events such as the International Tambourine Meeting organized by the Italian Frame Drum Society (Società Italiana Tamburi a Cornice). Being both a builder and an active player allows Berardi to operate in constant synergy with professional musicians, translating executive stage needs into immediate structural modifications. The value of his drums lies in the clear and recognizable manual imprint of the artisan: a character so distinctive that his pieces are objects of study and inspiration for the entire network of amateur builders and collectors of signature percussion.