CHECKLIST buy a djembe

The wood the djembe is made of

1. Are there little holes on several places? (Woodworm)
2. Does the wood show any cracks which go right to the inside? (Especially on the top; chance that the sound deforms)
3. Is there any knot that can fall out? (Chance that the sound deforms)
4. Shake the djembe; do little animals drop out? (Maybe the wood is in bad condition)
5. Is the inside rough and full with splinters? (A professionally made djembe is very smooth)
6. Are some spots covered up with artificial wood? (What does this cover up?)
7. Is the outside carelessly made? (The nicer the more professional)
8. Can you when looking into de djembe see some light come in at any point? (See if this is serious; it can make the djembe crack at some point)
9. You cannot scrape wood away with your nail if the wood is in good condition; is this possible? (Do also test at the inside of the djembe)
10. Does the wood look dryed out; does spittle fastly vanish into the wood? (The djembe needs a line-/palmoil threatment)
11. Is the upper rim on which you play very sharp or is it rather onevenly made? (This enlarges the chance of rupture of the skin)
12. Is the play-surface eggly formed? (This implicates that the wood is not well dryed in the proces of making; circular is good)

On all these questions the answer must be NO (except question 5 and 7). The wood is the main part of the djembe; you cannot replace it, so it has to be in order!

The skin

1. Do you see any damages on top of the skin? (Weak spot)
2. Are there any scars? (Weak spot) (You have to look from the inside against the light)
3. Does the skin not have any backmarking? (You have to look from the inside against the light; there must be a darker line in the middle)
4. Is the skin roughly cut outside the rim?
5. Are there any holes and/or little animals in the skin at the place between the rings? (Wrong drying proces of the skin)
6. Can you pull out the hairs easely? (The skin is somewhat older)
7. Is the skin without smell? (A new skin smells rather unpleasant)
8. Is the skin rather thick? (Skins from the norther hemisfere are thicker and stronger but do sound lower, African skin is mostly not so thick and has a higher sound)

On all these questions also, the answer must be NO (except question 6, 7 and 8). If not, than you have a djembe that is somewhat carelessly made. Reason to bargain, or leave the djembe in the shop.

1. Has ordinary yellow hennep-rope been used? (Keflar and Dynema are the best sorts of rope and can be singed together at the end)
2. Are the horizontal ropes close to the skin/upper rings? (The skin is old and nearly ready to replace it. Or it is a new skin, than it has to be stringed again)
3. Do you have less than 1 meter rope to continue the string? (If so, you have to spend some extra money for more rope)
4. Does the vertical string slanting or sloping? (Unprofessionally stringed or just carelessly done)
5. Is it possible to pull the rope a bit from the wood? (The string must be tightened)
6. Is it possible to push the skin a bit inwards? (The string must be tightened)
7. Is there some space between the outer and/or inner upper ring? (Better is that both the rings are tightly made and close to the wood)
8. If you have played for a while; are your hands frequently touching the rim or ring? (Sometimes you can change this by an other string, but often this is not possible because of the way the djembe was made)

In combination with the questions about the skin, also last questions have to be answered with NO. If not, qualifying the djembe will be difficult. If both the string and the skin are not so good, then it's hard to judge how the djembe (once rightly stringed) will sound. You'd better leave the djembe or ask the seller to string it for you so you can try again.

1. If you play a 'tone' , do you hear a lot of 'bass' as well? (This gives too little diversity in the different sounds)
2. Does the djembe in fact only has a 'nice bass'? (Often beginners make a mistake to only pay attention on the sound of the 'bass')
3. Do the 'tone', 'slap' and 'bass' only sound the same? (Diversity must be heared)
4. Try to play a bit; is there anything you dislike? (Although you might not have the right words for your dislike, you need to realise that this will be your djembe from now on)
5. Does the sound of the 'tone/slap/bass' remind you of an iron tub? (A more 'dry' sound is better; to string this djembe will give you a better check)

To be able to answer the above questions properly is a matter of experience. Also here counts again: NO is the answer. A nice and beautiful deep 'bass' isn't sufficient, there must be enough difference between the sounds of the 'tone/slap/bass'.

Try to compare as much djembe's as possible. By doing this you will find out if you are able to get the same sounds out of the djembe or that that other one really sounds different.

Depending on your own preference and situation you can decide what diameter you want, whether the djembe is not too heavy to carry and whether you like the djembe as a whole. Price, quality, workmanship as well as your own taste play a role in your definite choice. With the above remarks you now have some checkpoints that can help you to bargain (now you know much better what you are talking about) or to decide to look nextdoor.

It's good to realise whether you want to take your djembe to lessons or other occasions regulary. A djembe that's too heavy is not recommendable.

You also have to realise that if the skin is not quite in order, it possibly might last not long before it snaps; or if the rings are not close to the wood, you have to spend a lot of (more) money afterwards.

Lots of succes in the purchase of your djembe!

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(c) feb. 2000/P.v.d.Geer