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Musser M-58 "Piper" Vibraphone

Range: 3 octaves

Number of Reviews: 2

Average Scores:
Sound and Tone: 9.5
Design and Construction: 10
Appearance: 10
Customer Support: 10
Overall Rating: 10


Reviewer: Rafael Toledo
e-mail: rtoledo@idsnetwork.com
Date submitted: February 17, 2003

Purchase Price: $4421.00

Sound & Tone
Rating: 10
Comments: This vibraphone has a great sound. The sound is conisitant throughout all 3 octaves. The damper pad works great and contributes greatly to the overall sound of this intrument.
Design & Construction
Rating: 10
Comments: This instrument is build solid. It is strong and stable. There are no rattles or sounds whatsoever. Even the reasonatrors are built soild. I am very impressed with the overall carftsmanship of this instrument.
Appearance
Rating: 10
Comments: The M-58 "Piper" has a beautiful clean look. The entire instrument is primarily made of aluminum. The reasonators are drak gray.
Customer Support
Rating: n/a
Comments: I ahve not had to call Musser for any reason.
Overall Rating
Rating: 10
Comments: I am very pleased with this instrument. I would reccommend it to any serious vibe player. This instrument will last a very long time.

Reviewer: Eric Mellencamp
e-mail: ErekM@aol.com
Date submitted: June 18, 2002

Purchase Price: $4050

Sound & Tone
Rating: 9
Comments: This vibe sounds great. It's consistant throughout its range, and I'm really happy with the tone. I think the combination of the shock-absorbing bar mounts and the Piper damper pad do a great job isolating the bars from the frame, which I believe helps improve the clarity and tone.
Design & Construction
Rating: 10
Comments: The stablilty of this frame is incredible. There are absolutely no rattles, creaks, or other noises. I've had it for about 8 months, and after a fair amount of moving, it's still as solid as the day I got it.

Appearance
Rating: 10
Comments: The instrument is almost entirely made of aluminum. The resonators are coated dark gray. I think the look is very clean and contemporary.
Customer Support
Rating: 10
Comments: I've only had one occasion to deal with Musser, and I have to say they were fantastic. I called, was put directly in touch with the chief engineer, who was very helpful and sent me a replacement part which I received in about a week. It was like dealing with a small company rather than a large manufacturer.
Overall Rating
Rating: 10
Comments: I'm very pleased with this instrument, and I have no regrets about my decision to buy it. I feel this will be an instrument I can depend on for a long time.

I primarily use the vibe in a quartet ( violin, cello, and two percussion) and also for orchestral work. I really appreciate how quiet the instrument is in a chamber music setting, when extraneous noise would be very distracting.

I would recommend this instrument to anyone looking for a new vibraphone. However, if you have to always move the vibe by yourself, the weight could become a factor.