Customer Reviews

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I love this marimba and I'm very happy to own it. First thing's first, it's not rosewood and it doesn't sound like rosewood. It resonates less and the sound tends to lack some lower partials, while some nice rosewood marimbas I've used sound very deep and resonant. That being said, I love the fact that it sounds like WOOD. Padouk sounds better than synthetic bars, hands down. And it costs less! Rosewood sounds better than both, of course, but assuming you aren't a professional marimbist and you can't justify spending 10k+ on a 5 octave rosewood marimba, this is the keyboard for you. I don't think it's worth getting anything less than a 4.3. You can still play some solos on 4.3s, and most 5 octave solos can be revoiced to work. But don't buy anything less than a 4.3 if you want to do any serious solos. Also, for those tied between the Adam's 4.3 and this Yamaha, I am of the opinion that this one sounds better. I've played an Adam's padouk marimba at PASIC 2013, and I wasn't a big fan of the sound. It was less resonant than this marimba. But of course, there is a price difference that has to be taken into consideration. Anyways, this is a great marimba and I love it. Padouk gets such bad rap but it's a great material, and I much prefer it to synthetic.

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We wanted to get a good quality marimba for a relatively new but serious percussion student, and not spend a mint. We are very pleased with the Yamaha Padouk 4.3 octave instrument, which his teacher recommended. In addition to being very nice to look at, it is sturdy and has a beautiful sound. This marimba is definitely a good value. Also, the packaging was superior, and everything arrived in perfect condition.

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This is not a top-end professional keyboard. However, for any student practicing in cramped quarters, any school program that needs highly portable concert marimbas, and anyone willing to put up a little more money than a "table top" keyboard will cost, this a really great investment. I recommend them to all my students. Also, if you outgrow it, you can sell it WAY easier because it is fully functional and not just for practice.

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This Yamaha marimba is really nice, the only thing is the bars on this model aren't as wide so intervals are kinda off. I know this for fact I have compared the 1430 and the 5100 bar size, but I am satisfied none the less!

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Fast shipping, greatly packed, and a beautiful marimba for only 3,100. The marimba sounds amazing. The only problem is the marimba and tubes don't fold. I recommend this product for the price. Thanks

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While I firmly believe that a padouk marimba will never match the beautiful tone quality and resonance of a finely-tuned rosewood keyboard, this instrument is a great alternative. When played next to my school's 4.5 oct. Yamaha rosewood marimba, this instrument's inferiority was only slight. I've had mine for five years and it still sounds quite good. One of the metal supports that holds the cross beams together rattles some when any accidental in the mid range is played on the edge of the bar. This is easily remedied by inserting a small sliver of wood or similar padding into the hole where the support rattles. Rattles aside, this marimba is quite resonant, and the keyboard matches well, with the exception of a few less resonant bars. All in all, its a great beginner's instrument or instrument for a person/school on a low budget. It can't beat rosewood, but for up to $5000 less, its a relatively close second.

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This is a great marimba for the value for any individual or high school. I just do not recommend it for use in a marching band or drum corps (or any outside use). The Padauk keys don't get much volume outside (especially if you're in a humid area). If you're looking for an outdoor keyboard, you need to go with the Yamaha acoustalon keys. If you just need it for concert use, then it's a great buy. We bought one in 2009.

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I bought this marimba in April '09. The quality of sound from this instrument matches rosewood without the rosewood price. It has an authentic rich, bold sound that resonated my entire family room. All of neighbors love it when I play!

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For the money, this is a great marimba. I bought one of these for my high school two years ago and I have had good luck with it. This instrument sounds great. I mean it is no Marimba One, but look at the price tag. This is a great school instrument.

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