I am new to musical insruments and do not know how or what to choose for a marimba...just know I need one. Does anyone out there have any pointers ?

Thanks,
TC @ rattdt@yahoo.com

rosewood is definitely the best material. the only problem is that its incredibly expensive nowadays. other alternatives include:

padouk: pretty much the only other main wood on the market. its cheaper than rosewood. i feel that the sound is a little more hollow and brittle though. not that full sound i like from rosewood.

accoustalon (by yahama): this is definitely my favorite synthetic on the market. obviously, this is not wood, its more of a "wood substitute." these bars a incredibly sturdy, dont react much to weather changes, and create a decent sound. still, not as good as rosewood, but its cheaper, and lasts longer due to its durability.

other materials: kelon by musser (dont get this!), prolon by adams (?), more that i cant think of at the moment. if you need more info use the search engine on this message board on the top right.

as far as manufacturers go, my favorites include: yamaha, marimba one, adams, kori, musser. there are obviously more companies, but these are the only ones ive played on.

if you just want a really cheap marimba just to noodle around on, id say go on ebay. theres some decent instruments for very inexpensive prices.

good luck!