Big Bertha II

Austin, Texas, United States

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Listed, not yet checked · Oct 2026

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Big Bertha II is the Longhorn Band’s bass drum at the University of Texas at Austin, built locally by A&F Drum Co. and debuted on 15 October 2022. UT gives its size as just over 9.5 feet across and bills it as the largest bass drum in the world.

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Big Bertha II

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Approximate location · 30.284° N, 97.733° W

FIELD GUIDE

The story

The University of Texas bills it as the largest bass drum in the world, and it was built in Austin to take over from a drum that had been a Longhorn Band fixture for decades. Big Bertha II debuted at the Texas-Iowa State football game on 15 October 2022. The original Big Bertha made her final appearance alongside it that day before entering the Frank Denius Family University of Texas Athletics Hall of Fame.

The original drum was commissioned by the University of Chicago in 1922; then-band director Moton Crockett bought it for the Longhorn Band in 1954 and presented it to incoming director Vincent DiNino in 1955. UT says the first Bertha measures 8 feet across and 41 inches wide, while FOX Sports gave her width as 44 inches. She was named after the First World War German Big Bertha howitzer, because of her sound and volume.

Big Bertha II was built over the preceding year by A&F Drum Co., a local business. UT gave its size as just over 9.5 feet in diameter and 55 inches wide; A&F's own announcement says 9.6 feet by 4.7 feet. The drum is made from a proprietary material that includes aluminium and was to carry an internal microphone system that would connect wirelessly to the stadium sound system. UT described it as the largest bass drum in the world and said it would play the lowest note ever on a bass drum. Donors to the Big Bertha Centennial Campaign paid for it. Band director Cliff Croomes said at the time: "Bertha is loud. Big Bertha II will be cacophonous."

FOX Sports reported that Texas officials, including Governor Greg Abbott, named debut day "Big Bertha Day". The record and the lowest-note claim are the university's and the maker's own.

The drum belongs to the band rather than to a gallery, and UT introduced it for use on the field with the Longhorn Band at Texas football games.

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PRACTICAL

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WHAT TO EXPECT

Introduced in October 2022 for use with the Longhorn Band at Texas football games in Austin. Texas Athletics publishes home-game gameday schedules at TexasLonghorns.com/Gameday. The drum is the band’s instrument, not a standing display.

ACCESS

University of Texas at Austin. UT introduced the drum for use on the field with the Longhorn Band at football games (2022).

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