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DIY Kalimbas

PostPosted: Mon Jul 15, 2013 12:27 pm
by wooddrum
Hey Tumbaderos, this is a nice Forum.
I´m playing Cajon and Congas and sometimes i like to build some Instruments.
I want to show you some DIY Kalimbas that i made in the last months ;)

Peace, Jo!

Re: DIY Kalimbas

PostPosted: Fri Jul 19, 2013 4:59 pm
by slinginit
These are awesome! Do you sell them?

Re: DIY Kalimbas

PostPosted: Sat Jul 20, 2013 10:35 am
by wooddrum
There is no market for this kind of Kalimbas. For example: sometimes it´s taking more than a week to build a nice kalimba out of a piece of wonderfull wood. And nobody will pay you for this (Time, knowledge and Material) . Most people want cheap Instruments. For me it´s more a passion to build this Kind of Instruments :-)

Re: DIY Kalimbas

PostPosted: Sat Jul 20, 2013 11:37 am
by jorge
Wow, gorgeous wood and workmanship plus ability to amplify them. What a great idea. Do you have any sound clips you could post? What kind of mic are you using inside? And what is that button on the front of some of them?

Re: DIY Kalimbas

PostPosted: Sat Jul 20, 2013 12:22 pm
by wooddrum
thank you for your kind words;) the Button in the front of some models is a socket jack. sometimes it looks like a Button. i´m using ordinary piezo pickups. i will make some soundfiles after the weekend but now i have to gig with my Soca Band :P peace, Jo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKqfj94WFMg

Re: DIY Kalimbas

PostPosted: Sat Jul 20, 2013 12:42 pm
by CongaTick
Gorgeous. You have shown us your passion and love for instrument and music. Thank you. However, I would NOT be too quick to dismiss the potential marketability of these, which are far and above the usually crude workmanship of kalimbas. Produce a clean, professionally executed and excitingly interesting 2-3 minute video clip of them being played and approach the big "chains" like Sam Ash, Guitar Center, etc.

Re: DIY Kalimbas

PostPosted: Sat Jul 20, 2013 1:24 pm
by roberthelpus
CongaTick wrote:Gorgeous. You have shown us your passion and love for instrument and music. Thank you. However, I would NOT be too quick to dismiss the potential marketability of these, which are far and above the usually crude workmanship of kalimbas. Produce a clean, professionally executed and excitingly interesting 2-3 minute video clip of them being played and approach the big "chains" like Sam Ash, Guitar Center, etc.

The big chains? I don't know. They'd have to get their cut and you'd be adding accounting costs, maybe a lawyer to look at any contracts involved. With Guitar Center, the wonderful people at Bain Capital would have to get their cut.

You'd also have to supply enough of them for all of the stores that they have. That being said, I've seen JCR bells at GC, Sam Ash and Mars before Mars went Bankrupt. I also saw one set of JCR bongos at my local GC years ago.

I've never been to any retail outlet that had a salesperson that had more than a bare clue about that stuff in the corner of the drum department. In this town or otherwise, and including drum specialty shops.

Meanwhile here's a place to advertise that would reach an international audience.https://www.facebook.com/groups/451046581574368/

Re: DIY Kalimbas

PostPosted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 10:51 am
by wooddrum
Oh, i just wanted to show you some homemade Instruments because i´m digging all the knowledge in this great forum and i wanted to give something back. I don´t want to deal with chains or companies and didn´t have the intension to trade something. I love too much what i´m doing and i dont have a need to sell something ;) If someone want to swap: i need some bongos ;)

Re: DIY Kalimbas

PostPosted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 4:25 pm
by roberthelpus
The geetar player in me, who has a dislike for piezo pickups, is curious about how a magnetic pickup would work in one of these. It could be done.

The main problem would be the limitation of the length of the pickup would limit the number of tines you could have. You could get around the placement of the tines by using a blade pickup as opposed to one with pole pieces. This is thinking about using existing pickups, not making your own from scratch. Stealing pickups out of one of those heavy metal 8 strings would give you a little more length.

Why would you want to do such a thing? Well you could tune a kalimba to a blues scale and run it through a big ole overdriven amp and bring the Rawk.

Re: DIY Kalimbas

PostPosted: Mon Jul 22, 2013 3:20 pm
by slinginit
wooddrum wrote:Oh, i just wanted to show you some homemade Instruments because i´m digging all the knowledge in this great forum and i wanted to give something back. I don´t want to deal with chains or companies and didn´t have the intension to trade something. I love too much what i´m doing and i dont have a need to sell something ;) If someone want to swap: i need some bongos ;)


I certainly understand the idea of making something b/c you like to make it as well as the knowledge and experience gained from different assemblies and designs. I've posted many of my shekeres in the "Show Me Your Shekere" thread as an exhibition of my work. I do sell them yes, but for ~1/2 of what other custom shekere makers charge on the internet. At the end of the day, it's a hobby & creative outlet that funds its own costs and materials.

I've thought about trying to sell on consignment through the local music stores, but by the time they take their cut I'll lose money unless I raise my prices. Yet, my "mission" for making shekeres in the first place is to offer instruments that are functional, attractive, AND affordable to students and working professionals alike.

At any rate, I have a shekere that I haven't posted in the For Sale section yet and was going to offer it as a possible trade for a kalimba. I call it "Gold-tipped Sunburst" and could post some new pictures. Although I value it at ~$55, I'd put it against anything going $80 or more. It's hard to put a price on the time invested. If you're interested then let me know.

Cheers!!

Re: DIY Kalimbas

PostPosted: Wed Jul 24, 2013 2:05 pm
by wooddrum
roberthelpus wrote:Why would you want to do such a thing? Well you could tune a kalimba to a blues scale and run it through a big ole overdriven amp and bring the Rawk.


I´ve been thinking about the same thing. This is one of my next projects ;)

slinginit wrote:At any rate, I have a shekere that I haven't posted in the For Sale section yet and was going to offer it as a possible trade for a kalimba. I call it "Gold-tipped Sunburst" and could post some new pictures. Although I value it at ~$55, I'd put it against anything going $80 or more. It's hard to put a price on the time invested. If you're interested then let me know.


I´m interested :D Nice Shekeres, man! I´ll send you a pm

Re: DIY Kalimbas

PostPosted: Wed Jul 24, 2013 2:28 pm
by roberthelpus
Aren't most kalimbas tuned modal. At least traditionally.

Re: DIY Kalimbas

PostPosted: Wed Jul 24, 2013 2:36 pm
by wooddrum
roberthelpus wrote:Aren't most kalimbas tuned modal. At least traditionally.


You´re right, but i do what i want ;) I dont have any traditional background.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqPY6mWVPJI

Re: DIY Kalimbas

PostPosted: Mon Jul 29, 2013 8:46 pm
by Garvin
Those are gorgeous. I have a few Hugh Tracy Kalimbas... I frequent the Kalimba Magic site. Yours are definitely top quality. Very nice instruments man. Thanks for sharing!

Re: DIY Kalimbas

PostPosted: Tue Jul 30, 2013 11:16 pm
by KING CONGA
Great work and craftsmanship wooddrum, those are beautiful!. You can always see who takes pride in their work and I can tell you certainly do. keep up the good work.
I recommend that you give your kalimbas a brand name, what do you think? :D
Any recomendations? :shock:
Cheers.
K.C.