Myself i believe a cajon should be made by a luthier or a cajonero that knows how to make a cajon. I really hate the cajones made by the big companies because they lack the real sound of a flamenco cajon. Meinl to me it is just a toy cajon, the heads are too thick to begin with, they are more like a peruvian cajon although it is made as a flamenco cajon so it lack the high clacking sound of the peruvian cajon as well. The Fatcongas i have tried them as well and it is just another cajon nothing great as well, the Lp it is getting closer to the flamenco cajon sound but the MDF wood on the sides of the cajon makes it kind of heavy. Although the MDF on the side of the cajones makes it a cajon with less vibration on the wood so you get a fast clear sound coming from the sound hole without a lot of resonance, wich some people like i don't. I guess the best cajon i have played are the Cajon LaPeru made by a german company. Although there is also some good ones on ebay as well so those that want to get a cajon can also get a good quality cajon there as well. With regards to the gentleman that says that you have been had if you buy a cajon over 190 dollars he is completely wrong, because it takes a lot of work for the luthier that makes the cajon and works the wood, even if it is plywood it takes some that know how to make a cajon to be able to make it sound as a flamenco cajon it is not just a tomato crate with a hole on the back or side. It is a piece of instrument that if it is made of solide wood or ply still has to sound nice, good bass and nice highs. This big companies they do not make good cajones. This is why i do not play a yamaha classical guitar but rather a flamenco guitar made by a luthier that knows how to make them. A carpenter is not a luthier and cannot make guitars, why should he be able to make cajones, it is not the same thing to make an instrument than making kitchen cabinets. Just my two pennies.......