Who is Broder Oetken?
Mr. Oetken was the last apprentice taught by Paiste gongmaster Walter Meyer. An exceedingly skilled gong maker, he has been commissioned to make gongs for Meinl and Olli Hess, as well as individual gong players.
In between commissions Oetken is creating his own range of gongs, including but not limited to Planetary and Symphonic gongs, as well as gongs made in memory of Walter Meyer, like Broder's Water Gongs and others.
As Broder has described, the gongs are made by hand, so each one is a "unique copy" with slightly varying markings and sizes and its own individual range of tonality and feel, all while keeping the quality of the original classic gong. Broder Oetken is well-known as one of the current great gongmasters and intends to further develop gong making and to pass his knowledge along to his apprentices to ensure that this rare handicraft continues.
