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Thread: Looking for a good djembe..

  1. #1

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    Default Looking for a good djembe..

    I am looking for a good djembe to play for just messing around with. I have only played some Remo djembes that sounded pretty nice, but I was wondering if there are some better brands out there that you guys might know of?

  2. #2

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    Default Re: Looking for a good djembe..

    The best djembes are hand carved from a single piece of wood in Africa. The highest quality drums come from Mali, Guinea, and Ivory Coast. There aren't really any brands associated with these drums. There are some reputable companies in the US who assemble the drums using the african shells like Drumskullz and Wula, though they can be very pricey. These drums are traditional rope tuned, and may be difficult for a beginner to tune and change heads.

    All of the big name percussion companies sell a key tuned version as well as a rope tuned. Meinl, LP, Pearl, Toca, Remo etc. Key tuned drums don't sound as good in my opinion, but they are much easier to maintain.

  3. #3

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    Default Re: Looking for a good djembe..

    I hope this doesn't violate the vendor rules, but Rhtyhm Traders site has a decent djembe buying guide that describes the different kinds of djembes and the wood they are made from:

    [Sorry, but it does. Unless a site that sells merchandise is advertising here, we can't link to it. - Tom]
    Last edited by drummer; 08-18-2009 at 08:01 PM. Reason: Commercial Link
    ---- If thine enemy wrong thee, buy each of his children a drum. - chinese proverb

  4. #4

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    Default Re: Looking for a good djembe..

    Thats a great guide midgard, thanks for posting that. Hopefully the mods leave it up since it is just a buying guide and not a direct link to the store.

  5. #5

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    Cool Re: Looking for a good djembe..

    Welcome aboard, Popeman! I don't know what I can add to what Gretschman and midgard have already contributed--and all three of us dig playing djembes and other hand drums--but you may also consider how big--or how small--you want your djembe to be.

    If you're hangin' out, just jammin' with your buddies in a drum circle, a larger djembe may be useful for providing some serious "bottom" to the rhythm while letting you get some loud rimshots in as well. If you prefer something smaller, your sound will be higher-pitched but you can also do some bongo-style rolls to cut through the other instruments. Play as many different types as you can before deciding on the one you buy...

    Check my review of Remo and LP djembes in this section ("A Tale of Two Djembes"), too...

    Have fun and enjoy playin' your djembe, bro'!
    keep the beat goin' ... Don't keep it to yourself!

    Charlie

    "If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away." --Henry David Thoreau, "Walden," 1854

    "There's a lot to be said for Time Honored tradition and value." --In memory of Frank "fiacovaz" Iacovazzi

    "Maybe your drums can be beat, but you can't."--Jack Keck

  6. #6

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    Default Re: Looking for a good djembe..

    Hey BongoBro where it the djembe review you mention?

  7. #7

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    Default Re: Looking for a good djembe..

    Welcome popeman, I recently bought a Toca synergy synthetic shell/machine head tuning 14" head and love the sound and bas that it provides(there's one deeper called a dum dum or something I would like that,lol.

    Bongo bill if you click on the search box and type in the title bongobro gave(a tail of two djembe's) it will lead you to the link.

  8. #8

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    Default Re: Looking for a good djembe..

    Thanks all, I was searching in the Percussion forum instead of the drum review forum. Good posts Bongobro. I am working on a design similar to LP's staved djembe, only made from american red oak. When I get further along I will post some pictures of the process.

  9. #9

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    Default Re: Looking for a good djembe..

    Did you ever find a good djembe?

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