Studio interpretation of three of Justin’s djembes, with dark rope, natural hide heads, and intricate hand-carved wooden bases

FINISHED BY HAND · SPOKANE, WA

A little wood.
A lot of soul.

Finished, laced, headed, and tuned
by Justin Paz. A drum with character.
A rhythm all your own.

Explore selected work Hear Justin play

MANY HANDS. ONE SHARED RHYTHM.

WOOD. ROPE. HIDE. CHARACTER.Discover the collection

Made by hand.Made to be played.Finished by Justin.

WATCH & LISTEN / JUSTIN PAZ

A drum comes
to life.

Justin, one of his handmade djembes, and a little time to play. Hear the maker put his own instrument into motion.

01:30RECORDED OUTDOORS

Justin plays seated on a park bench, striking the drumhead with both hands. This performance features one drum; ask about recordings of any particular instrument you’re considering.

Explore Justin’s work

PLAYED BY THE MAKER. JUSTIN PAZ / PAZ DRUMS

FIND YOUR NEXT INSTRUMENT

Looking for a finished drum?

Browse current listings or ask Justin what’s ready to play. Explore selected work below for carving, color, and inspiration.

View available drums

01 / SELECTED WORK

Every drum has its own character.

Find the one
that moves you.

Natural grain. Bold carving. A flash of color. Explore a few expressions of Justin’s work, then talk about the drum you have in mind.

SELECTED COMMISSIONS

Different drums. Shared craft.

Geometric carving, flowing lines, and natural wood grain—different expressions of Justin’s custom work.

Djembe with burgundy-and-black rope, a pale patterned hair-on rim, and deep geometric carving on a wooden base

01 / Carving & contrast

Patterns with presence.

Deep geometric carving, burgundy-and-black rope, and a pale hair-on rim. Warm wood with a bold carved base.

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Djembe with bright blue rope, tan hair-on rim, and geometric star carving on a pale wooden shell

02 / Blue & natural wood

Carved to catch the light.

Bright blue lacing frames warm wood and deeply carved geometric stars. A natural hair-on rim finishes the drum.

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Brown djembe with blue and yellow rope, a brown-and-white hair-on rim, and white PAZ lettering down the base

03 / The PAZ signature

Made with a signature.

A warm brown shell, blue rope with yellow accents, and PAZ lettering above a painted geometric border.

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Warm wood djembe with black rope and a brown-and-white hide rim

04 / Natural character

Let the wood speak.

Warm wood, black rope, and a brown-and-white hide rim, with hand-tooled texture along the base.

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Djembe with black rope and turquoise and dark geometric carving on its base

05 / A little boldness

A different kind of blue.

Turquoise and dark accents bring the carved geometry into focus, set against warm wood and black rope.

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Light carved-wood djembe with cobalt blue rope and radial geometric details

06 / Color & carving

Rhythm in the details.

Cobalt rope, honey-colored wood, and intricate radial carving. Color and texture from top to foot.

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Close-up of a carved face and layered geometric bands on a warm wood djembe with blue rope

07 / Carved character

A face in the carving.

A carved face framed by layered geometric bands, textured wood, and vivid blue rope.

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Selected work combines original photographs with AI-enhanced studio interpretations, shown for inspiration. Availability is unconfirmed.

Selected work offers a look at Justin’s craft. For current availability, visit the finished-drum listings or get in touch.

Browse available drums

02 / THE MAKER’S TOUCH

Skilled hands. Shared craft.

It takes
a village.

Drum builds shown are from an eclectic collection of multiple sources.

Justin brings it all together in Spokane: finishing the shell, assembling and lacing the drum, building and fitting the head, then tuning, tweaking, and play-testing its response. Every stage has a pair of skilled hands behind it.

Explore a custom commission

Purple and yellow rope knots above deeply carved geometric woodwork — Carving. Rope. Every detail.

Three open wooden djembe shells with orange, purple, and dark ropework in progress — IN THE MAKING

FROM SHELL TO INSTRUMENT

Before
the first beat.

Open shells, shaped wood, and color taking its place in the ropework. A djembe has character long before it makes its first sound.

Carved shells ready for Justin’s finishing, ropework, heads, and tuning.

Three unfinished wooden djembe shells with deep geometric carving on their bowls and bases — THE CARVING, UP CLOSE

Justin’s lacing workstation with rope spools, drums, shells, and a colorful woven piece on a loom — JUSTIN’S LACING WORKSTATION

AT THE WORKBENCH

Where the details
come together.

Spools of rope, shells in progress, and the small details that make each drum personal. This is Justin’s lacing workstation.

From the carving to the color of the lacing, a custom drum gives you plenty to talk about with its maker.

THE PAZ FIELD GUIDE

Find your rhythm.
Know your drum.

Curious about your first beat, the right fit, or keeping a drum sounding good? A little understanding goes a long way.

Explore the learning hub

What size is right for me?FIT, SHAPE & THE SOUND YOU’RE AFTER

Where do I start playing?BASS, TONE & YOUR FIRST FOUR COUNTS

How do I look after it?EVERYDAY CARE & CHANGING WEATHER

03 / SOMETHING OF YOUR OWN

Your hands.
Your rhythm.
Your drum.

It starts with a conversation.

A particular look, a preferred size, or simply a feeling you’re chasing. Bring your ideas to Justin and explore what’s possible together.

01
Share your idea.
Tell Justin how you play and what you’re looking for.
02
Work out the details.
Discuss size, materials, decoration, sound, price, and timing.
03
Agree on the build.
Confirm the design and terms before work begins.

A playful drawing of Justin Paz smiling and playing one of his djembe drums — A maker. A drum. A whole lot of character.

04 / MEET JUSTIN PAZ

The hands.
The heart.
The human.

Justin brings it all together.

At his Spokane workbench, Justin is the finisher. He assembles and laces each drum, builds and fits the head, then tunes, tweaks, and tests it with his own hands.

The shell makers and carvers lay the foundation. Justin’s patient finishing work brings out the instrument’s voice. Explore the work behind each drum, then talk with Justin about a finished drum or a custom commission.

Step inside the workshop

Justin Paz

A FEW GOOD QUESTIONS

Before the first beat.

Are these drums available to buy?

The selected-work gallery shows examples of Justin’s craft. Available drums are listed separately. Ask Justin to confirm availability, specifications, price, and sound for the instrument you’re considering. Contact Justin to arrange a purchase; online checkout is not available.

Can I commission a custom djembe?

Yes. Start a custom inquiry with your ideas, preferred size, playing experience, and budget. Justin will confirm what’s possible, the quote, terms, and build schedule before accepting an order. Send Justin a note through the inquiry form or email justin@pazdrums.com.

Can I hear a drum before choosing?

Watch Justin playing one of his drums in the performance video above. For a drum you’re considering, ask about a recording of that specific instrument so its sound, size, and fit can be discussed together.

Where are the drums made?

Drum builds shown are from an eclectic collection of multiple sources. Justin finishes, assembles, laces, heads, tunes, and play-tests the drums in Spokane, Washington. Explore how the drums come together. Shipping and local pickup arrangements are confirmed before purchase.

FROM SPOKANE. WITH SOUL.

Find your
kind of rhythm.

A little wood.
A lot of soul.

A drum comes
to life.

Looking for a finished drum?