Anyone own and/or play a cajon? Bart got me interested when he came back from Summer NAMM last year and posted a link to Schlagerwerks (sp?), which to my slight disappointment was not some new German beer.

I've since become somewhat obsessed with these things. I was *supposed* to get one last January, but for a variety of reasons I'm still without one. I still have a couple questions:

1) How much do these things cost?

2) Which one should I get first? A bass cajon? Peruvian?

3) How long should it take me to learn the basics? Looks like it could be hard on the back, so I've been doing lots of crunches and back-strengthening exercises to get read.

First find a company that you really like. Regardless of what you get, you'll know that the quality is good.

Secondly, decide what you'll use the cajon for. This will help narrow down which one is best to get FIRST. You can always buy more! LOL

I had Paul Namkung custom build a cajon for me. He only makes about 50 a year and spends most of his time building taiko drums. Here's a photo of the drum he made for me.
The drum has two playing surfaces, one on each side of the ported side. The panels are solid, not loose for the crack sound, and no guitar string inside, which is used to be a buzz sound.

I then bought the cajongas, which Gaddabout mentioned, from Schlagwerk. These are small drums that are played like congas, but sound more like a cajon ... thus the name cajongas.

They have vicro-strips on them so you can connect together to play as one instrument if you like. They sound very, very cool!

Schlagwerk makes a neat drum called yambu', which comes in a conga and tumba size. The drums are played like congas, but have the guitar string-wire inside which gives it a cool buzz effect.

What's cool about ALL of Schlagwerk's products is that the items with wires and be turned on and off. It's not easy like a snare strainer, but it works.

The Peruvian style of cajons have the loose panel so you get the crack or crash sound when you play the edges. These are very popular for flamenco styles of music.

_{Flamenco is the dance, Flamingo is the bird.}  

Personally, I would get a drum without the loose panel ... as my first drum. The characteristic sound may be limiting IF you plan to use it for drum/perc loops, etc. If you get a drum that you can turn the buzz on and off, as I mentioned, then that would be a good first drum.

I'm now needing a drum WITH the loose panel or wires. It may end up being one of those yambu' drums.

Oh, one more FYI ... I personally know several top name percussionists who are LP endorsers ... and the swear by the Schlagwerk products. I have to agree with them. The Latin Percussion cajons sound almost as bad as their Mark Tree(s) ... and that is NOT good.

I concur ... as I was not impressed with Pearl's cajongas.
They're okay but hardly something to wave a flag at.

I think I'm convinced that you'll get the best products from those people who specialize. If you try to be all things to all people ... just how good can it be? I'm sure there are exceptions, but generally many of these companies are just trying to tap into another market.

It's like eating a taco at McDonalds. I mean come on ... just how good can it be? Incidentally, I loath McDonalds and will make every effort to NEVER take my child there ... even though they will tempt him with all the playground nonsense.  

_{But I digress ... let's not get off topic here.}

I've played them with the box shape like Bart has in the picture, but the ones I liked the most were diamond shaped. A square on the top, but narrows to the other side. You can play them on your lap so that you can wrap them in tune melodically with two other people playing the others with the notes in perfect scale. I think they were called "batajons"? If you get two other people who can play well, you're really in for a treat and it's near impossible to stop before the hands just give out!


http://animaldreams.net