Reviewer: Jimmie White
e-mail: jimmiew1992@yahoo.com
Date submitted: January 18, 2009
Purchase Price: $3900
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Sound & Tone
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Rating:
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10
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Comments:
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I love the sound of this instrument, although with everyones idea of a decent being different I shall go into details. This instrument is louder than all of the other synthetic marimbas I have heard (yamaha, adams, musser) and projects very well. The volume also gives the bars a very full tones which carries all through the range of the instrument. This is also a great board for those who like any range of mallets, it was designed so that it wouldn't sound harsh with loud mallets outdoors and soft mallets bring out a fuller tone than I've heard from any other synthetic marimba.
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Design & Construction
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Rating:
| 8
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Comments:
| This has a VERY sturdy frame, for those indoor drumline geeks I would feel comfortable letting go of this thing at the top of the ramp at UD. With the sturdiness being mentioned, this board is pretty difficult to put together and take apart and might be difficult to transport because it is very large. The bars are graduated and as I mentioned earlier they are synthetic, the best feature of the frame that I found that I have never seen before is that it has rubber covers over the little tabs that support the keys keeping them from wearing there as much and also lengthening the life of cord.
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Appearance
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Rating:
| 10
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Comments:
| I think this is a beautiful keyboard, a nice black frame with gold resonators. The bars are probably on the top of my list for synthetic wood colors as well, its not as brown as the acoustalon and not as orange/red as the adams, it has a beautiful brownish red hue.
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Customer Support
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Rating:
| no opinion
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Comments:
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Overall Rating
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Rating:
| 10
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Comments:
| I'm very happy with this instrument although I really wish i could have a 5 octave and possibly rosewood but for its category I definitely feel its top of the line. I've used and seen this instrument used for everything from classical marimba transcriptions to modern solos to drumline type ensembles and its done great in all of these. I think because of the size of the frame it might be a bad decision for a student at home but I think it would be a perfect fit for public schools because of its durability, I really wish my high school had these because even our year old board from Adams is starting to look a little sad from the constant abuse, I think this would hold up a lot better.
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