Best Marimba & Best Marimba Brands
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Buying a marimba for yourself can be a difficult decision. Although there are numerous marimba products available to choose from, the actual difficulty for the marimba lovers is to buy the best marimba that is appropriate for their use.
2) Yamaha-40 3.5 Octave Standard Padauk Marimba
- Reputable Brand
- High Quality
- 3 ½ Octave
1) Majestic 4.3-Octave Deluxe Series Marimba with Padauk Bars
- Soulful Sound
- Professional
- Suitable for All
3) Adams Academy AMPD30 3.0 Oct Padouk Marimba
- High Quality
- 3-Octave
- Well-Designed
There are many marimbas in the market and we will guide you that how you can buy one that suits you the best. After going through this buying process, we have discovered that this marimba buying process depends upon four factors. These factors are size, budget, type of literature and your expertise. Let us explain a bit about these factors.
Size
The first thing in the list is the size of the marimba. By size we mean are the octaves that you need to be there in your marimba. There are marimba models with 5, 4 1/3 and 4 octaves. Professionals usually prefer 5 octaves model but in case you are a beginner a small size marimba can be right for you. Only if you are serious about playing marimba or wanted to take it to the pro level then we will suggest you to invest in the 5-octave instrument.
Budget
Next, you have to consider your budget. Price can be a major factor because it is obvious the quality of the product might decrease with the decrease in cost. There are different marimba products with different wood qualities and the cost of the product depends upon the maker and the quality of the product. In case you are a bit low on budget then you can purchase a used product or smaller one. But it is recommended to buy a new one for yourself because it is hard to find the cracks and damage in the used product.
Literature
It also depends upon the literature that you want to play. Larger instruments allow you to play more literatures but if you want to play the solo literature then buying a smaller one can be adequate. Although 5-octave marimbas are the best option for all the literature, it will cost you a bit more than the other sizes.
Expertise Level
Last but not the least is your expertise level. If you are planning to buy it for a beginner or a child then you have to go with the smaller marimba because buying a 5-octave marimba can be difficult to learn for a beginner. But if you are a professional then you should invest in 5-octave marimba.
7 Best Marimba Reviews & Best Marimba Brands
To help you in buying a marimba we will review some of the best marimba products here that can help you to choose one that is suitable for your need.
1) Majestic 4.3-Octave Deluxe Series Marimba with Padauk Bars
The best thing about this product is that it is suitable for beginners as well as for professionals. This is because of its very fine sound quality and feel. 220 pounds in weigh, the marimba has a very professional sleek look. Although the marimba has travel lite resonators and comes with graduated padauk bars that are 2.5 to 1.5 inches in size, but the quality is way better than expected.
Graduated padauk bars are generally not that good when it comes to sound but surprisingly with this marimba the bars produce a soulful sound. Because of the width of the bars, it is easy to grip them while playing the instrument.
The only drawback of this marimba is that it doesn’t come with a money back guarantee. The product is loaded with all the required specs but sometimes it is important to provide some kind of service to satisfy the customer.
Overall the build quality and performance is perfect. There are different users with different tastes and it is necessary to provide such convenience. The product is an easy to assemble instrument and interested readers can get this product delivered to their door step.
2) Yamaha-40 3.5 Octave Standard Padauk Marimba
This wonderful marimba from Yamaha is excellent in design, construction, quality, and performance.
It is very beautifully structured and integrates efficient pitch and tone control system using which you can make the necessary adjustments and get the desired outcomes easily. Change in climatic conditions would not be a problem with this one.
The characteristic features include 3 ½ Octave CF3 range, bars of Padauk wood, cutaway design and brush tan finish of resonators, adjustable frame,3 casters with 2 locking casters and the total weight of 86 pounds.
It is compact in size and crafted to give full sound and truepitch. The great quality wooden bars made of Paduk wood deliver splendid sound with boosted projection and strong tone.
The resonator tracking system allows the user to adjust the resonators at two different positions to gain desirable tone. Furthermore, for making the playing comfortable for all the players, the adjustable frame is also provided whose height can be altered.
3) Adams Academy AMPD30 3.0 Oct Padouk Marimba
The Adams Academy AMPD30 3.0 Oct PADOUK marimba is an instrument that is known for its quality and sound. The product is ideally suitable for the young users because it provides the user with the accessibility and can be useful for the students who are still in the learning phase. Although it can also be used by the professionals, it will be more suitable for newbies.
There is patent pending integrated resonator rail system to provide a rigid structure and increase the durability of the product. The resonator rail system also provides a quality bar suspension and box resonator format. The sound of the marimba is on the average side because the resonation sometimes becomes louder, but overall it is good for drum sets and marimba duets. Although the product is loud and portable, the frame is not that sturdy.
The marimba comes with X style and height adjustable stand. The stand included is not of a premium quality because it finds it difficult sometimes to hold the marimba properly. A more stout stand will be better to hold it in its place.
The size of this marimba is not very huge which means that it doesn’t cover a huge space. Those with rental apartments and small spaces can consider this for themselves. The mechanism of getting the bars in place does not get tight enough some times which causes the upper bars of the marimba to rest against the rail. This can be slightly annoying because in such case it will not ring out clearly.
Overall, it is still a well-designed product and it is recommended consider it if you have small space to keep a marimba.
4) Trixon Karl Heinz Weimer Concert Marimba – 5 Octave
Next in the list is a 5-octave concert marimba. This is the full-size marimba and definitely covers all the literatures. Although it is tuned in the same standard of A442 but the note range of this is higher than the 4.3 octave marimba.
This 5-octave marimba has a note range of C2 to C7. With the same specs of adjustable height, rosewood bars and pipe resonators made up of aluminum, this marimba is one of the desired marimbas in the market. This is purely because of its premium look and outstanding sound quality. We all know that what aluminum pipe resonators are capable of and being a high note marimba, it is expected to get a top quality sounding effect.
This 5-octave marimba is basically made for the professionals. Although beginners can buy this for their learning purposes but the marimba has the clarity, balance and sound that can be a perfect match for a professional musician. The product has very sleek design and fine finishing which makes the marimba even cheerful to play and you get the warm resonance that is expected.
Professionals can easily achieve their full range musical expression with this marimba. Although there is no product warranty and money back guarantee provided by the manufacturer. You have to research carefully before investing in the product.
5) Musser 3-Octave Practice Marimba
3 Octave Practice Marimba is a product of Musser which is basically designed to use at home by the students or professionals. There are four padauk wood made graduations of bars padauk wood that provides the user with the real playing experience. With a frame made of sturdy wood along with the X style portable stand made this product easily moveable and to cover small space.
The product is shipped along with the cover to help you to protect the marimba for longer use. The last thing that comes with this product is a pair of mallets and manufacturers have announced that online packages of scale will soon be released and will available for free for the users.
3 Octave Practice marimba is designed to fit in a smaller place and that is why it can fit in even small rooms. Built in the USA, this marimba has some specific and unique features. The side rails of the product are extendable to allow the user to place the instrument on the wood frame and not on the bars.
The bars of this marimba include resonating chords and connecting hoods are used to connect the bars. The bars are basically placed in an alternating over under pattern to disconnect it from the instrument. This formation allows the manufacturers to ship it in the exact way and when it reaches the user, it is ready to play just after removed from the box.
The features that need to consider is that it comes with three octaves and it has quiet volume, unlike other instruments. The product is also light in weight which reduces the shipping rates even further.
6) Trixon Concert Marimba
Trixon Concert Marimba is a 4.3-octave range marimba which is considered as a standard size marimba. The octaves of the marimba is tuned to A442 which makes it easy for the beginners to learn the marimba. The note range of this marimba is from A2 to C7. C7 is the normal high range on 5-octave marimba and for a 4.3 octave, it is good enough to be considered.
This marimba product has full pipe resonators that are made up of aluminum which shows that the manufacturers have not compromised on the quality. Aluminum provides the user with a strong warm resonance and the experience is overwhelming even for the listener.
Trixon Concert Marimba is one of the popular and best marimba instrument in the market and it is pure because of the making and frame. Made up of rosewood bars, the marimba has an open-ended frame. Four inches casters and wheel breaks are attached to the frame. With these size of casters, it is easy for the user to move the instrument.
With wheel brakes, the casters guarantee the fluid movement of the instrument without damaging the product. The frame is placed over a metal stand which allows the user to adjust the size of the instrument according to the requirement. The stand has an adjustable height of 34.5 inches to 45 inches.
7) Adams MSPV43 Soloist Series 4.3 Octave Padouk Marimba
This is another 4.3-octave marimba that comes with an adjustable height frame but this is a completely different product from the last one. This 4.3-octave marimba of soloist series comes along with graduated Padouk bars. These Padouk bars are 2.3 to 1.6 inches wide and provide a better sound quality and a much better feel. Although the bars are graduated, they are not up to the mark as compared to the other marimba series. On the other hand, it makes it easy for the beginners and children to play the instrument.
The narrow size of the bars seems to be on a low side when it comes to the sound quality and resonance. Although it is easy for the user to hold the bars, the instrument lacks the soothing feel that a marimba should have.
The product is ideal for the beginners and schools because it provides the user with an exceptional durability and sound of the marimba is not below average to consider. Although it is not up to the mark when compared to other series but for beginners it is the ideal product to start with. Because it weighs around 12 pounds the frame is provided with the wheels which makes it easy to move the instrument.
Buyers also get a cover along with the instrument to cover it when not in use. This helps the user to keep the product safe. Overall the product is an ergonomic product and it is best marimba for the younger players.
Choosing the Best Marimba from the Best Marimba Brands
There are different manufacturers with different products in the market. Some are equipped with all the facilities and some have some specific features to look for. These marimbas definitely vary in cost but the best way to buy a marimba for your self is to consider the factors that are mentioned above.
2) Yamaha-40 3.5 Octave Standard Padauk Marimba
- Reputable Brand
- High Quality
- 3 ½ Octave
1) Majestic 4.3-Octave Deluxe Series Marimba with Padauk Bars
- Soulful Sound
- Professional
- Suitable for All
3) Adams Academy AMPD30 3.0 Oct Padouk Marimba
- High Quality
- 3-Octave
- Well-Designed
Go through the quality and specs of the product because buying a marimba is an expensive investment. Giving proper time to research is not a big deal if you want to buy a perfect marimba according to your needs.
If you are non-musician, look for an advice from musician because they know about the ins and outs of the instrument. A musician can help you to choose from the wide range of products and it might save you some bucks as well because generally they do know the stores where you can get the instruments cheaply, especially when planning to buy a used instrument. All we want you to do is to be wise with your decision. But don’t limit yourself, if playing marimba is your passion then there is no harm in investing a bit more than the actual budget.