Hi,
I wonder, if anybody could give a hint about the following:
-what's the mexican type- marimba with a range of 5+1/2 oct. called?
-what's the range of a "requinta"?
-do we know about when in time the marimba evolved from a 4 1/3 to a low f -low e & finally 5- octave- instrument?

Thank You!

I'm not up on the Central American terminology, but for your other question, in 1910, J.C. Deagan was manufacturing the #4732 Marimba-Xylo. (6-octave, E2-E8). In 1920, Deagan offered the Nabimba, a 5-octave, C2-C7 instrument with buzz resonators in the Central American style.

The Musser Canterbury was the first 4.3 instrument, in production at least by the mid-1950's. Yamaha made the first 4.5 marimba, the YM5000, in 1974. Yamaha again made the first modern era 5.0, the YM6000, in 1984, although they had produced a half-octave low extension for the YM5000 previously.

WM

Hello,

I believe the large Mexican type instrumnet is a marimba doble. It is from Guatamala and Chipas Mexico (which used to be a province of Guatamala). Chenoweth's Marimbas of Guatamala should give you most of the info that you are looking for. You can also try searching the PAS archieve if you are a member..I found some great articles there.

Hello,

Just found this:

There are two sizes of the marimba doble, marimba grande and requinta. The requinta has a range of 4-5 octaves.