A great drum for a serious beginner to intermediate
Reviewer: Josh from AustraliaConstruction
----------------
A high quality natural skin which gives a wide dynamic range, should
appeal
to most drummers. Better than other drums I've come across in this price
range - more comparable to skins on much more expensive drums.
A beautifully carved body made from what feels like a solid piece of
wood - better by far than what I've found on similar priced drums - only
surpassed by drums costing several times as much.
Triple ring tuning - was in tune when I got it out of the box!?, haven't
had to tune it since (about a month of playing). I think this is a good sign.
Many two ring drums require tightening before every session..
Sound
---------
Easily produces clean strong bass and tone notes, ideal for beginners and
intermediates like me.
Easily played, in that it produces a relatively large sound for the amount
of hit - again surpassing other drums in its price range easily.
Additionally the evenly radiused edge of the drum head means you can play
longer without getting sore hands.
A full warm sound with a hint of sharpness, I think the sound of it is
nice
- I like that its not quite as sharp as a middle eastern drum, but a
little sharper than other African drums I've played in its size - it makes it
better when played on its own, but still holds its own with other drums in
a drum circle.
Conclusion
---------
I think this is a great drum for a serious beginner to intermediate
drummer,
because when playing in a group it doesn't drown out other instruments,
however it can still clearly be heard - great for learning and social
drumming. I wouldn't recommend it for advanced drummers, as I found it a
little difficult to produce a slap note on - I think due to the size
mainly.
I think with an extra couple of inches in drum head this drum would hold
its own with $1000 West African imports.
As it is however, I think this drum
wont disappoint and definitely represents the
best value for money in its
price range I've come across. I honestly believe you would have to pay
more
than twice as much to get a noticeably better sound from a wooden drum.
(
