Reviewer: Christopher Swist
e-mail: cswist@keene.edu
Date submitted: August 22, 2007
Purchase Price: $8500 US (PASIC floor model discount)
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Sound & Tone
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Rating:
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9
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Comments:
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One of the reasons I choose Yamaha when I made the move from a 4.3 to a 5.0 was consistency. I was sure the instrument would sound very similar to the other 5100's (and 4600's) I had played and recorded. I was proven right
mostly. My set of bars is not matched in voice as perfectly as I have heard on some other 5100's. But it is certainly close enough for a 9 rating and as the instrument ages it may improve. Because of the uniformity of its sound, it is an inspiring practice studio instrument. However, when you put this instrument on stage it absolutely sings and has impressive dynamic range. I feel heavier mallets are well suited to the Yamaha bars. I myself have taken to using Marimba One's Double Helix series with great results. This combination of mallet and marimba has given me the sound I have always wanted from a marimba.
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Design & Construction
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Rating:
| 8
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Comments:
| Frame, frame and frame
Having moved my share of other manufacturer?s beasts, I have come to the conclusion a 5-octave doesn't get any more practical than the 5100. After carrying the extra weight of 'aesthetic' accidental resonators for years and years, it's nice to see an instrument with all non-functional weight removed. The height adjustment is elegant and simple and doesn't look like some other adjustments that are akin to something found on a workbench and not a marimba. The instrument packs up with ease in to the available (and much cheaper than other manufacturers) soft bags. The rating is 8 only because of the 5100's one flaw: it chews through cord. Mine lasted 8 months before it snapped much to my surprise. Upon some inquiry I find it is a common problem for the instrument due to the design of the sound post (think razor blades).
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Appearance
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Rating:
| 10
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Comments:
| Classic resonator finish and a refined wood finish on the frame (thanks to Yamaha for losing the black) really work. The 5100 marimba is a very pleasant instrument that doesn?t look like an ornate piece of furniture (or transport like one). Yet, it doesn't go to the other extreme and look like something you hitch on a truck. The bars, likewise, are well matched in finish and color.
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Customer Support
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Rating:
| 8
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Comments:
| I unwrapped my bars and put them on to find a cracked low C. A call to 'certain dealer in Philadelphia' (to paraphrase another reviewer) I had a new bar from Yamaha within days. 8 months later when the string snapped I was sent a replacement. My guess is I'll have to start paying for my own string next time. I also have Yamaha drums I have received replacement parts under or even beyond warranty with no problems. Likewise, I own a Yamaha grand piano and was quite happy with the attention their piano division paid to me when I was not satisfied with the standard dealer's tunings. They sent a specialist to me from another state and covered all costs. My experience is that Yamaha takes care of you, but in a sterile corporate way.
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Overall Rating
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Rating:
| 9
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Comments:
| Obviously, having bought this instrument, I feel it is a great combination of sound, value and convenience. Yet the words value and convenience suggest that you are making a compromise on tone for price and that is simply not the case. The Yamaha sound is refined and stands up as one of many great palettes now available in a marimba. Personal preference comes into play here and for me the instrument is simply perfect (minus the cord problem). Though speaking of palettes, the big downside of Yamaha is you are not working directly with a builder/craftsman/artist such as the many excellent makers like Malletech, Marimba One, DeMorrow, and Coe. This kind of artist/craftsman relationship is a historical and important one in music. I doubt many violinists would purchase violins from a mega-corporation that also makes ATV's and 6-disc CD changers. Of course if the violins would sound as good as a 5100, maybe they might.
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