Buying my first djembe...but from europe! Help?

[stratosphy]

Hello to everybody!
I'm new to this site and I'm really exited that I have discover it!
I want to buy a djembe but almost evething I find is at US ground and it is to expencive for me to get it here (i need 54$ by ups to Greece + custom taxes which are too much)
So I tried thomann.de. There are plenty of djembes but i still can use some quidance from people who know this instument. This is why I would really appreciate it if anyone can answer me some of my question :
- which size is better? I read somewhere that the djembe should be on the floor while laying...do you think that the 12'' is the better choice?
-Do you have any opinion about schalloch and meinl djembes?
-Is mahogany a good wood for djembe?

It is such a pitty that in my country nobody sells or plays this amazing instument!!!

Thank you very much

[michi]

I want to buy a djembe but almost evething I find is at US ground and it is to expencive for me to get it here (i need 54$ by ups to Greece + custom taxes which are too much)
So I tried thomann.de. There are plenty of djembes but i still can use some quidance from people who know this instument.

I had a look at their site and, to be honest, I wouldn't buy any of their drums. They are all cheap copies that will sound nothing like the real thing. If at all possible, try and find a shop that can sell you a genuine West African drum.

This is why I would really appreciate it if anyone can answer me some of my question :
- which size is better? I read somewhere that the djembe should be on the floor while laying...do you think that the 12'' is the better choice?

Not sure what you mean here. At any rate, a djembe should have a diameter of at least 12 inches and should be around 24 inches in height. Any smaller, and you will likely end up playing in an awkward position and cramp your hands, which also leads to bad technique.

-Do you have any opinion about schalloch and meinl djembes?

My personal opinion is to stay clear of them. I've never heard one that sounded even vaguely like the real thing.

-Is mahogany a good wood for djembe?

It's OK, but not great. It's softer and less dense than the traditional djembe woods, so mahogany djembes often don't sound quite as good. But it's not a bad wood either. If you are on a budget, a mahogany shell can be a good compromise. A lot depends on the shape and the carving.

Cheers,

Michi.

[stratosphy]

Thanks Michi...it was really helpfull! I appreciate this...

[Paul]

Hi mate,

Its probably best to look at sites from France, Germany and Holland etcc.... Where they have a good scene. Buying from the US would be like sending the drum on a round the world voyage..

I buy stuff from baragnouma.hautetfort.com/ which are based in Burkina faso with a french company.

I have also bought equipment but not drums from http://www.percussion-africaine.net/djembe-a-vendre.php

They are both french..

If you look in the introductions section someone has just joined called gilol maybe he knows more about the Europe scene (I am Irish myself)

[Michel]

Hi there!

Are you sure you can find nobody from countries like Mali or Guinea in Greece? I can imagine that with boats full of refugees coming from Africa coming to countries like Italy, Spain, Greece there must be some djembéfola in your country? Try to find them! As long as you didn't allready, off course. My best drums I bought in the Netherlands I got from West-African teachers. Good luck!

[Nodrog]

Hi there,

I am at the moment dealing with a guy called Fabrice who works with Bara Gnouma. I am buying a Guinean bala from them but they also sell some good looking drums. I think they might be worth checking out.

http://baragnouma.hautetfort.com/

Good luck, Gordon.

[Carl]

Wow, I really like the jembe they show on the front page... if it was carved well internally, and of a good wood, and if I had any $$ I'd probably go for it...



C

[Nodrog]

Hi Stratosphy,

This is a clip from the Bara Gnouma website.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-Ia9tj7OvM

Gordon.

[Paul]

Here is Harouna Dembele put the drums through their paces... Sweet..

Yeah they are sound in Bara gnouma, They are big into quality and as an african based company more of your money will stay in africa where its needed

[Paul]

Stop being shy Hourouna get out there

[Paul]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGvciMKVi08

[Michel]

Wow I love Harouna! Whats the sound he makes with his right after 4.03?

[Nodrog]

Yeah, I was wondering the same. That guy is making that drum talk, what an amazing palette of sounds he forces out of that drum. Impressive stuff to me anyway..

Gordon.

[bubudi]

Wow I love Harouna! Whats the sound he makes with his right after 4.03?

that's a beautiful sound. it was discussed here and here and also here. it seems harouna is making it by playing a little more to the outside of the hand, and the hand is also angled slightly more inwards. around 5:36 you also see some cupped slaps that i believe comes from the smaller forest style drums.