KikkyMonk Posted August 25, 2001 Share Posted August 25, 2001 Im looking to purchase a good djembe and i'm thinking there are a lot more out there then the ones at guitar center. Right now i'm looking to find a large one that has a fat bass tone. Anyone know of anything or have any web sites that would contain some info on good conpanies. Anything would be appreciated. Thanks Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Flier Posted August 25, 2001 Share Posted August 25, 2001 To be honest, I'd stay away from the mass production companies altogether and try to find a handmade one. Mine is from Mali and was sold directly to a broker who sells them independently to small drum shops. I would try to go that route if you can. I am nuts about my djembe and have not found another like it. The shop where I got mine is closed now but the owner has a new shop in the mountains of north Georgia called The Beat'n Path. Here is their web site: http://www.thebeatnpath.com/ The owner's name is Dave and if you call him you can tell him I sent ya. --Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricongacharter.net Posted August 25, 2001 Share Posted August 25, 2001 If you know how to pitch a rope tuned drum then i agree that a good hand made drum from west africa would be the best choice ( mine was made in Senegal and holds its pitch amazingly well) but you should consider a couple things, one is that due to the increased popularity of these drums a lot of the so called authentic drums coming from africa now are very poor quality so you must shop carefully and know what your looking at. another conideration is that production drums from L.P. and Remo have mechanical tuning and are practically indesructable. this means that you never have to worry about the drum being exposed to radical climate changes if you travel or live where the seasons change drastically. the other advantage of these drums is that you can tune quickly to the right pitch for ensemble playing. find someone in your area that REALLY knows how to play and get thier help before you invest. good luck,rrrrrrrrrrr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrummerCafe Posted August 25, 2001 Share Posted August 25, 2001 Even some of the "hand-made" drums can sound terrible. Djembes have become so popular that anyone who thinks they can make one trys. There's a lot of crappy drums being made to reach the novice player and tourists. Another thing to consider is the climate in which you live. If you are going to get a rope tension drum, you better be prepared to spend some time tuning it. My first drum was of medium quality. I later purchased a LP Djembe which worked well for me since in live in a place where the weather is constantly changing AND that I predominantly use the drum in the recording studio. I needed something that could be tuned quickly and accurately. The bolt tuning on the LP drum really works well for me. I'd still want to have a rope tensioned drum, but it's definitely a love/hate relationship! http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif I know of several reputable drum makers that I can recommend to you, once I get back home from my travels. Perhaps someone else has some names that they can give you as well. Good Luck! ------------------ Bart Elliott http://bartelliott.com Drummer Cafe - community drum & percussion forum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidereal Posted August 26, 2001 Share Posted August 26, 2001 My Remo is indeed bulletproof.... easy to tune and sounds, well, like a djembe. I love it. I agree with Bart, you can get ripped off with the handmade ones if you don't know what you're doing. Handmade djembes are like buying homeopathic medicine... sometimes it's just snake oil. This message has been edited by sidereal on 08-25-2001 at 10:07 PM Just for the record. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Caigan Posted August 26, 2001 Share Posted August 26, 2001 If you're going to buy a handmade one from Africa, check ou the inside of the shell it shouldn't be splintering. Also look at the way it was carved on the inside. The good ones are carved in a spiral pattern. Lastly, check out the ridge inside where the drum goes from little to big. It should be a nice "shelf" and a well shaped circle. -Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrummerCafe Posted August 26, 2001 Share Posted August 26, 2001 Also check to see that the drum is all one piece and not two pieces. The "cheap" drums are in two sections: the top and the bottom. Drummer Cafe - community drum & percussion forum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KikkyMonk Posted August 26, 2001 Author Share Posted August 26, 2001 Wow... Lots to think about. I think I might end up going with an LP or Remo one due to the ease. Really Im looking for the sound of a djembe without the hassle... In the future though I really want to invest some time into the instrument, but for now I gotta get good at set. Dave Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djarrett Posted August 27, 2001 Share Posted August 27, 2001 Hey, KikkyMonk: Go to my report on Summer NAMM: http://www.musicplayer.com/CDA/Player/Main/1,2228,Features--5171703,00.html Look at the rope tension djembe by Mountain Rhythym (yes, that is the way *they* spell it!) Hope this points you in a good direction! DJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rlhubley Posted August 27, 2001 Share Posted August 27, 2001 A Djembe is also on my shopping list. The remo ones sound surprisingly good. Just a bit of muffling on the underside of the head will kill the non-djembe like overtones. I agree, the rope ones are nicer, and cooler, and the great ones sound better than the Remo, but for a working drummer, go with Remo. But, don't buy Remo heads http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rlhubley Posted August 27, 2001 Share Posted August 27, 2001 A Djembe is also on my shopping list. The remo ones sound surprisingly good. Just a bit of muffling on the underside of the head will kill the non-djembe like overtones. I agree, the rope ones are nicer, and cooler, and the great ones sound better than the Remo, but for a working drummer, go with Remo. But, don't buy Remo heads http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Flier Posted August 27, 2001 Share Posted August 27, 2001 Yeah, you definitely have to be careful when buying anything handmade, because there are indeed a lot of people selling shoddy work to capitalize on demand for "real African" drums. That's why it's important if you're going to buy one, to buy from a place you trust, and yeah, to check the drum over carefully and make sure it's well made. Good points about the Remo and LP's being easier to use for a working drummer, too. My djembe is mainly used for recording and the occasional jam, I don't gig with it, and I can see where a rope strung drum could be a pain on a tour under constantly changing conditions! This one sure is sweet when recorded, though, and I haven't found that I need to constantly be adjusting the rope. The head is a bit thicker than your average djembe, so stays in tune quite well and also has a hell of a bass tone. --Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KikkyMonk Posted August 28, 2001 Author Share Posted August 28, 2001 Wow those mountain rythym djembes look interesting.. kinda a mix between the lug type remos and the rope type traditional ones. So how did they fare? They sound good? What about compared to the remo ones? Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrummerCafe Posted August 28, 2001 Share Posted August 28, 2001 Here's the URL I was going to share for Djembe resources. http://www.drums.org/djembefaq/ Drummer Cafe - community drum & percussion forum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djarrett Posted August 28, 2001 Share Posted August 28, 2001 Hey, KikkyMonk: I can only tell you that Mountain Rythym was the talk of the show regarding percussion. They are a small Canadian company. The hand craftmanship was impeccable. The rope tension idea was ingenious. You can check my report and from there go to their website. Thanks, DJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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