One of the hottest hand drums in the market today is the Flat Cajon. The reasons are obvious. They are inexpensive, highly compact and they produce a blast of sounds.
The better part is that this flat percussion instrument can adapt to and blend with different musical settings. So if you have it in mind to buy a Flat Cajon, here are some things you should know.
What are the Best Flat Cajons to Buy?
2) Ammoon Compact Travel Cajon
- Special flat shape
- Compact size and easy to take along
- With a sound hole in the side face
1) Joy 101 Pad Series Cajon
- Birch wood material
- Ebony design
- Special steel strings
- Compact size freely for carrying
3) Gon Bops El Flaco Cajon
- Muted bass tones
- Flamenco snare sounds
- Realistic look and feel
- High quality
It is Portable
While there are different types of Cajon, one of the most sought-after model are the flat Cajons. Unlike their box-like predecessors, the flat Cajon is extremely lightweight, compact, and you can transport it in a bag and take it anywhere you want without breaking a sweat. You can’t achieve this feat with the box-like Cajon, even though they are also lightweight but are far too large and uncomfortable to fit in a carrying bag. This is why the flat Cajon is king.
Easy To Play
Another good thing that makes the Cajon a popular percussion instrument is that anyone that has a conventional sense of rhythm can play it. Although you will have to develop new playing techniques as time goes on, it is not like a traditional drum kit that demands more aptitude, coordination, and practice.
Material Design
Take note that all the Cajons in the market are hand-crafted from 4 wooden materials. A Cajon made from Mahogany wood will give you rich bass and deep low-end, including a somewhat-muted high-frequency sound.
Beech is a higher density of hardwood, and Cajons made from it offers a balanced sound, having great highs, lows, and mids.
Birchwood Cajon is similar to Beech, but with a reduced mids and slightly higher highs. However, the sound it offers is more rounded but more costly as well.
Lastly, if you are looking for a Cajon with significant volume, then look for one made with Oakwood. It is the best material for great volume.
Now let us see some of the best flat Cajons in the market.
6 Best Flat Hand Drum Cajon Reviews and the Best Flat Cajon Brands
1) Joy 101 Pad Series Cajon
This Cajon is suitable for the ardent travel musician. The body of the Cajon features a birch wood material, and the body is further veined with an ebony design. These unique features are purposely done to suit casual playing.
The Joy 101 is the right Cajon for a beginner who is looking to hone his/her skills.
On the sides that you tap with your fingers lay a special steel string that render cool and unusual sounds. The pad at the back of the natural wood also generates excellent sound formations.
To play casual, just tap at the pad or back of the instrument. Alternatively, you can use a brush to play the pad instrument to alternate between different sounds.
Lastly, the company designed this Cajon to make sure it doesn’t slip during play. Thanks to the bearing that doesn’t deform easily, as well as its ability to resist corrosion while providing high sound quality.
2) Ammoon Compact Travel Cajon Flat Hand Drum
This Cajon from Ammoon is recommendable for obvious reasons. Firstly, the drum percussion instrument is magnificent, even from a distance — thanks to its delicate texture and the front and rear parts that features zebrawood construction.
Just to the left side of the face lays a sound hole for better intonation control and rhythmic flow. You can get the best rhythms from the Ammoon Cajon by slapping the playing surface with your fingers.
For those who want a percussion instrument to use for rhythm sense practice or hand accompaniment, this is the ideal Cajon.
The Cajon features the manufacturer’s name written in bold down below on the playing surface. It measures 12.4 x 9.6 x 1.8 inches in dimensions, making it an extremely compact size instrument.
3) Gon Bops El Flaco Cajon
Let’s talk about if your neighbor or household members doesn’t like it when you disturb their peace each time you play your Cajon. What then should you do; quit playing or look for something to douse the ‘noise’? Well, none of that answers the problem, but this Cajon from Gon Bops does.
The Gon Bops El Flaco is the ideal choice for drummers who want to play their Cajon quietly to avoid the murderous look and door-banging fist of their angry neighbors or family members. The El Flaco is one of the most appropriate Cajons for quiet practice sessions.
The Cajon features muted bass tones, and flamenco snare sounds perfect for quiet rehearsals and traveling. It offers a friendly and discreet way to work on your most desired patterns.
Unlike other Cajons used for practice sessions, El Flaco features a full-size and reliable playing panel that renders realistic look and feel. The seat pad is handy and helps to secure the playing panel by maintaining a perfect distance from the hands of the player.
However, this model looks a bit heavy at 15 pounds but remains comparatively compact at 15 x 21 x 15 inches in dimensions.
The El Flaco is a nice practice Canjo you should consider if you don’t want to disturb your loved ones or neighbors.
4) Flameer Box Drum Cajon Flat Hand Drum Percussion Instrument
The Flameer Cajon Flat hand drum is another elegant looking percussion instrument. It features a nice finish, with the grain of the wood looking clear, flawlessly smooth and clean all around.
Flameer uses top-quality wooden composite design to ensure that it has a non-slip feel while playing. The wood finish also takes into consideration the durability of this Cajon. Hence it is crafted to withstand early deformation.
When you slap the surface, the substantial and well-polished Birchwood produces far-reaching, good quality sound. The drum offers a comfortable playing experience and the solid board that is not susceptible to damages makes it a cost-effective option for professionals and enthusiasts who love to play the Cajon as a percussion instrument.
5) Monkey Jack Compact Travel Box Drum Cajon
As the name implies, this is a Cajon flat hand drum and reliable percussion instrument. Sticks are not required to get the desired rhythms. Just use your hands and fingers to slap the beating surface and listen to the amazing sound that comes forth.
The size of the drum measures 9.3 x 11.8 x 1.8 inches in dimensions to define its compact nature. It is highly suitable for practicing rhythm sense and hand band accompaniment.
The drum features a zebrawood material construction, which is remarkable for creating a tantalizing rhythm when slapped with bare hands.
The drum is well shaped, and portable for indoor or outdoor playing experience.
6) UBETA Music Cajon-2 Compact Travel Box
The UBETA is one f the best percussion instrument you can play. It features a compact design, measuring 12.4 x 9.6 x 2.4 inches in dimensions. This makes it an ideal choice to take to the outdoors. Due to its lightweight design, you can easily play it both at home and outside the home without a problem.
The playing surface of the UBETA and the body features a solid birch wood material, together with a strong zebra veneer wood to produce unbeatable tonal quality. These materials also help in improving your bass output while taking your beat to the next level.
There are metal strings attached to the corners of the playing surface. You can adjust them from the bottom of the Cajon to give you additional snare sound.
Also, you can locate the screws at the surface’s top corners and lose or tighten them to get a specific ‘slap’ sound.
If you are looking for something you can give as a gift this New Year, this Cajon will do just fine.
Choosing the Best Flat Cajons
Choosing to play a Canjo is something that can be fun, and we certainly hope that each of the reviews above will give you an idea about what to look for. While no manufacturer can boast of being the best in the market, some do produce more efficient and user-friendly Cajons compared to others.
2) Ammoon Compact Travel Cajon
- Special flat shape
- Compact size and easy to take along
- With a sound hole in the side face
1) Joy 101 Pad Series Cajon
- Birch wood material
- Ebony design
- Special steel strings
- Compact size freely for carrying
3) Gon Bops El Flaco Cajon
- Muted bass tones
- Flamenco snare sounds
- Realistic look and feel
- High quality
The flat Cajons we have reviewed are among the best in the marketplace. However, we recommend that you do more research by examining each of these options and see what real-time customers are saying about them in their reviews.