Schalloch Rope-Tuned Djembe Yes? No?

[IronLionZion87]

Hey guys. I Recently decided to put down the sticks and get into some hand percussion because of all the sweet Drum Circles that happen around my campus on a weekly basis. After looking around I decided on a Schalloch Rope-Tuned Djembe from Musiciansfriend. The reviews there seemed like everyone liked them, and the price was great for the Large size.

My question is are these as worth it as the reviews make it seem to be? Because it's been on backorder for about three weeks now and I'm getting impatient. Can anyone suggest aother good brand with decent prices but still good quality? Or should I wait for the Schalloch?

Thanks in advance for your help.

[bongobro]

Hey, ILZ87! Welcome aboard...

I must admit I haven't played any Schalloch hand drums, so I can't give you a definitive answer about them.

The majority of mass-produced djembes (Remo, LP, Toca, etc.) nowadays are key tuned and are made with synthetic heads. It's tougher to get a rope-tuned djembe with a skin head; the one I own I picked up at a small music store in St. Louis in 2000. If you want a rope-tuned model, it may take longer to build one or get one from stock. I'm not sure if there's a real advantage to rope tuning unless you want to look "authentic," because I have never loosened or tightened the ropes on mine and it still sounds authentic enough as it is!

I have played the brands that I mentioned above (and you might want to look at my thread "A Tale of Two Djembes" in this forum to get my take on it)...

But check around other stores if you can, because Musicians Friend is the mail-order division of Guitar Center and I've been disappointed in special ordering anything from GC...

From one skin-slapper to another, ! ... and

[Te1985]

Ya know...I just saw this whole blog string arguement about "traditional" djembe vs. key tuned. Here's my 2 cents for whatever it's worth: If you're just jamming in a casual drum circle, and it's not an Traditional AFRICAN drum circle...then go get one of the key tuned drums w/synthetic head. I think the Remo djembe's with the fiberskyn heads have AWESOME projection. A little bit of "ringyness" to them, but that's because they're made out of plastic or injection molded resin, or fiberglass...whatever it is. But if you're going to be playing Traditional African drum circles, you might want to get a REAL Djembe or you might get some dirty looks from the purists.

Aloha!

[IronLionZion87]

Funny you mention that Te.

I go to school at the University of Pittsburgh and there are lots of drum circles going on. Every weekend you can find a group of people chilling in the park jamming. But the African study's program here has people come in and host a drum circle pretty frequently in our student union, because it was such a great success the first couple times they did it. And they do it big when they come. Traditional hand made drums, traditional dress, and they teach traditional songs. It's a great time.


That's kinda teh reason I decided to get my djembe, and a rope tuned at that. But I managed to find a small music shop with a decent selection of hand drums and I played the one I was ordering. I think I'm gonna be happy with it. SHould be here tomorrow

[bongobro]

So it's a "yes" on the Schalloch? Sounds like a good choice.

I must make a correction on the availability of rope-tuned djembes! When I visited Guitar Center the other day and played the congas described in my review of the LP Black Ash congas, I noticed there were as many rope-tuned djembes there as there were key-tuned models. (Must have been a shortage of rope-tuners when I last visited.)

While the rope-tuners are more "traditional," the key-tuners are more practical if you do a lot of gigging for much the same reason tunable bongos and congas became popular...and as Te mentioned, they are a bit "ringier," but probably no more so than fiberglass congas vs. wood congas.

Either way, djembes are fun to play and they give you a different sound that expands the number of things you can do with the hand drums. Play 'em loud, man!

[pastor_bob]

Good thread ILZ, and welcome to Drum Chat! I hope you have a great time in those drum circles. If there's anything I remember about the college years, it's that you need to find a way to blow off steam, and relax!

[murddrum123]

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[murddrum123]

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