Solid Stave construction is a basic drum making technique based largely on the priciples of coopering, the type of woodworking used to make old-tyme wood barrels for wine and whiskey, etc. But, for ashiko drums, its just a straight taper. The drums are made from 12 staves, each a solid piece of wood, that are tapered along their length and beveled at the long edges in order to form circles of different diameters at the top and bottom when glued into form. Solid Stave drums are different than bookmatched stave drums in that the wood you see on the outside of a solid stave drum is the wood that imparts its tonality to the sound, whereas bookmatched drums use a core wood for the tonality and an outer wood for show.

Bookmatched construction is a veneering technique that is based on the tradition and history of woodworking. These drums are made by applying six matching pairs of \"show\" wood to a core wood, usually maple or mahogany, but occasionally a custom core such as cherry or koa. The outer show wood is all sawn from the same piece, and the slices are arranged so that they create symmetrical patterns of color and grain. This type of construction also allows for the use of wood that might otherwise be too heavy as a solid stave drum. The tonal characteristics of bookmatched drums come from the core wood.