Reviewer: Jake Darrah
e-mail: optimized@adelphia.net
Date submitted: Aug. 14, 2004
Purchase Price: n/a ("Borrowed for 4 months from a local high school.")
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Sound & Tone
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Rating:
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7
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Comments:
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Low end is very weak with hard mallets. High end is very weak with soft mallets. Very hard to get consistent volume and sound quality because of this. Mid range has a very pingy sound similar to old deagons when hard mallets are used.
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Design & Construction
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Rating:
| 5
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Comments:
| Very noisy frame. Every time you hit a note you can hear a clanking noise behind the sound. Hard to hear but is noticible if your listening. O.K. For traveling (Wish I had a case for it.)
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Appearance
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Rating:
| 8
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Comments:
| Pretty nice looking vibe. Nowhere near the visual display of a Musser Century or Vanderplas Vibe howerver.
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Customer Support
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Rating:
| 8
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Comments:
| Quick responces from the company however the prices for fixing my broken motor were outrageous and I ended up just fixing it myself because of this. I have never had to deal with customer service beyond the broken motor.
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Overall Rating
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Rating:
| 7
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Comments:
| This is a great beginner vibe. If you are intersted in giving vibes a try but dont want to spend too much money then these are the perfect fit. Anyone beyond an amature would benefit much from a nicer vibe however. Makes a good vibe for say a High School.
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Reviewer: Mark Foster
e-mail: not publicly available
Date submitted: Dec. 1, 2002
Purchase Price: n/a (school instrument)
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Sound & Tone
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Rating:
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8
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Comments:
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One or two of the low notes seemed to have a harsh overtone.
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Design & Construction
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Rating:
| 7
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Comments:
| The assembly seems a bit involved. Part of the complexity is due to the adjustable height. There were some noises that I needed to isolate, which I was able to without too much bother. The separate control for the motor and the wall wort power supply is kind of a drag for a school owned instrument. I've kept it secured to the frame with a bungy cord and added an extension cord (which is now missing!).
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Appearance
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Rating:
| 10
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Comments:
| It is a very attractive instrument.
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Customer Support
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Rating:
| 10
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Comments:
| The students lost the belts for the motor. Yamaha support came to the rescue with flying colors. (There was some confusion with Weiss (Steve Weiss Music) about the proper belt. I think it might have been because the earlier 2700's differed from the later ones)
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Overall Rating
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Rating:
| -
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Comments:
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Some factors that influenced my purchase:
- I didn't buy the Musser because I had experienced wheels falling out and frame parts bending on many of the Mussers I've come across.
- One person advised that his music dept. a-b (compared ) the Yamaha w/ the Musser and the Yamaha won.
- I was curious as to whether Yamaha had incorporated some knowledge from acquiring Deagan.
I haven't spent enough time with the instrument personally to come to any strong conclusions about the sound or day to day issues with the assembly and operation.
There are more and more choices in instruments these days. However I feel that many of these instruments are ripe for another wave of refinement. That said, I still feel this an instrument worthy of serious consideration for any application.
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Reviewer: Mark Mahoney
e-mail: not available
Date submitted: May 20, 2002
Purchase Price: n/a (school instrument; It is part of the percussion equipment for the band I direct.)
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Sound & Tone
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Rating:
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8
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Comments:
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Overall the instrument has a very good sound. Esp in the low end. The top is a bit thinner sounding less fundimental.
Instrument is in tune with it self and was tuned very well at the factory.
Bars respond well to all types of mallets
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Design & Construction
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Rating:
| 7
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Comments:
| Frame was very solid but, two years later has developed the wobbles and misc. rattles. It is easy to set up and break down. Frame height is adjustable. Cord and casters are of good quality and have stood up well. Bars are graduated width and made of silver aluminum alloy.
Motor works Very well and is silent. The pedal and damper assembly are fair. Pedal needs constant adjustment and wasn't intuitive to set up. Pad has development low spots and needs attention.
Over all the inst has stood up faily well but is rattling quite a bit.
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Appearance
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Rating:
| 8
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Comments:
| Inst. looks good to me.
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Customer Support
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Rating:
| no opinion
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Comments:
| One year limited warranty. I haven't had to deal with the manufacturer for any reason
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Overall Rating
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Rating:
| 7
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Comments:
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Overall this is a good basic instrument. I would buy a Yamaha for myself. This instrument is used in a concert band and jazz setting.
I would recommend this instrument as it represents a good value.
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