A method of making a quartz-shell drum includes the steps of heating a quartz tube to a temperature at least sufficient to enable quartz to flow. A diameter of a portion of the heated quartz tube is enlarged to a predetermined size. The enlarged tube is cut perpendicular to a longitudinal axis to create a shell having a desired height. A top edge and a bottom edge of the shell are ground to form smooth radii. The top and the bottom edges are fused to create top and bottom rounded edges. In an alternate embodiment, the top edge is instead formed to be inwardly angled. Finally, a top and a bottom head are affixed to the top and the bottom edges, respectively, to form a drum.