Purchasing the right djembe for your individual needs can be a tough decision. That’s why we’ve created our buyer’s guide to help you find your way. Adhere to the following standards as much as possible to make the highest quality purchase (Please keep in mind that these standards apply to wooden djembes, not synthetic):
Keep in mind that drums that meet at least the minimum of each standard above will sound good, but that drums meeting the highest qualities of each standard will display excellence in sound and overall quality. Due to the hand-made nature of djembe drums no drum will ever be perfect, so be realistic with your standards. Very slight imperfections are simply a characteristic of hand-made products that makes each specimen unique. As with any musical instrument, the number one factor in drum selection is that the drum’s sound meets your personal standard, as well as your budget.
All the drums that we carry at Mother Rhythm Drums meet the minimum (at least) of these standards, and we put them through a rigorous inspection process to ensure this. Any drums that do not meet these standards are culled from our inventory and sold as “#2 blemished drums at our outlet site, www.discountdjembes.com .
A common mistake that many first-time drum buyers make is assuming that the country of origin for a drum is a paramount characteristic of its quality. In fact, there are amazing and poor quality drums of all types and styles that are produced all over the world, thus we suggest sticking to the above standards to ensure to highest quality in your purchase. Also beware that some companies sell drums carved from wood harvested in environmentally sensitive areas (even some high-end djembes are made from illegal wood).
This illegal wood is extremely harmful to the ecosystem it is harvested from, and can pose a high threat to all creatures in the sensitive zones it is harvest from. Many people feel that this potential for detrimental ecological consequences out-weighs any potential benefit ownership of the drum might provide. All the drums sold by Mother Rhythm Drums are from government-certified Lacey Act compliant sustainably harvested wood, and we have the certificates to prove this. We recommend that you never buy from a company that doesn’t. If a drum for sale on the market sounds too cheap, it probably is.
From the entire staff here at Mother Rhythm Drums, we hope this has been an informative and beneficial article for you, and as always, feel free to contact us if you have any additional questions or concerns. Be well in rhythm…