I want to know more about padouk marimbas and I do not wish to hear rumors. Just tell me your opinions only if you have experienced playing on one. Please don't tell me not to buy one, because I already did. I should have it in about a week. I bought it because it will be the only chance for me ever EVER to own a marimba at all for practice purposes and it is a miracle that I was even able to convince my parents to buy me the Adam's padouk instrument.
Sam,
I've played a few padouk marimbas (Vancore, mostly, given that we've had a few at the percussion studio where I teach), and I think that generally, they're a significant step up from the synthetic-bar instruments I've tried - they feel and sound better than the Yamaha synthetics I've played, and are decidedly better than Musser's Kelon. One of my old students picked up a Yamaha padouk marimba, and he loves it. Unfortunately, I'm in Connecticut and he's in Chicago, so I haven't have much of an opportunity to go check it out in person.
I think it was Bill Youhass who mentioned elsewhere on this board that "wood" is better than "not wood" when selecting a marimba, and I agree wholeheartedly, unless you're talking about a high school's instruments or drum corps "pit" instruments, situations where the bars will really be tested in terms of durability (those are the few situation where I'd actually say synthetic bars are worth looking into).
If you're familiar with the sound and feel of rosewood, you'll be able to tell the difference when playing padouk. You may have to make some adjustments in terms of mallet choice to get the sound that you want for a particular piece, but it's still going to be far less of an adjustment compared to a synth-bar instrument.
For all the condemnation that padouk gets, all I can say is, I wish these sorts of instruments had been around when *I* was getting started - all I could afford in high school was a non-graduated bar Musser Kelon instrument, which got me through, but I would have been much happier with some sort of sub-rosewood wooden-bar instrument.
Good luck with your new marimba!
JW
Sam,
I agree 100% with JW.. a little extra info...be careful in the lower register. Padouk is MUCH SOFTER than rosewood and will withstand much less volume! I replace LOTS of low padouk bars for clients for this reason.
Padouk is cheaper mostly because it is much less labor intensive because there is much less waste..Most of it is very straight grained to begin with.
Adams makes very good instruments, but I have found many problems with their original tuning, and also bars going out of tune quickly.. I've gotten Adams instruments from all over the world in the last few years..right now there are several here from Australia! Even vibes, so it's not just the wood.. So, keep an "ear" out.
And enjoy yout new toy...
Bill Youhass
Fall Creek Marimbas
www.marimbas.com
I have an Adams 4.3 soloist padouk marimba. I play only as a hobby and I am very happy with the choice I made. I've only had it a few months and I don't have the greatest ear but I haven't noticed any tuning problems. I do have a couple of bars that don not resonate consistantly with the bars around them but when I called the distributor It was hassle free. I was told if I wasn't happy with the bars those two would be replaced. It's been a short time so I haven't received them yet.
I did some research on padouk wood. I found that there are several species. I'm not certain which one Adam's uses but as best I can tell many of the properties are similar to that of rosewood and it is from the same botanical family. It is also a very pretty instrument. I think you made a good choice. Enjoy your instrument.
If I can offer a shameless web site plug: Sam, and the other anonymous Adams owner in this thread, please consider posting reviews of your instruments to my mallet instrument database:
This goes for everyone, actually. Nat has been kind enough to include a link to the database here at marimba.org, and I've received a number of reviews from those who found the site via marimba.org.
Thanks to those who have shared reviews already, and thanks in advance to those who choose to share reviews in the future.
JW
