As a former pro musician who's recently been called back into "service", I needed to update my personal auxiliary-percussion inventory, which necessitated this purchase of a headless tambourine. After weeks of research (both in-store & online), I finally settled on this model... (repeated viewing of Meinl's informative YouTube vids helped immensely in my decision-making. If you've not seen any of their vids, I highly recommend them. Well-worth your time, especially if you're curious about the difference in sounds re: the various jingle material). Upon receipt of my new Meinl tambourine, I was pleasantly impressed first by the secure, heavy duty packaging. I also found the attached mini-sized catalogue of their percussion line very helpful. Playing this instrument is a true delight! From the comfortable -yet not overly puffy- foam grip to the crisp, clear tone of the nickel plate jingles. There's just enough sustain to provide interest, but no overt ringing. Of course, different music types will call for different jingle-tones, but for my purposes, this particular tambourine suits my needs perfectly. I love the "guiro-style" rim. It adds another very useful dimension to the playability of this instrument. The overall quality is quite impressive, even for a non-concert-quality instrument, at any price point. Construction is solid. The finish: smooth & neat. It feels, sounds, and performs like.a quality, pro-level instrument, not a "toy" in the least. This has become my new fav "go-to", general-purpose tambo. In my opinion Meinl has done a fine job with this tambourine and have earned a loyal customer in me. I'll definitely be buying more of their percussion instruments. I believe that you will also be quite pleased with this product. PS: I also purchased the Meinl Tambourine Gig Bag (ASIN: B007WLQSRE) offered here on Amazon. Afterall, an instrument can only perform well if it's well-cared for. :) Thank you for reading, -CC, Amazon Prime Member-Reviewer Read more
This tambourine is very well made. Has a nice sound. Edges are rounded and grip fits well in my smaller hand. Read more
Great value. Sounds great. Versatile. Easy to grip and use in a 'concert' setting, i.e., in a situation requiring frequent orientation changes. Read more
Very nice sound on this, but a little on the bright side. Record it with a ribbon mic and it really helps to tame it while still giving the expecting tingly sound of a tamb. The handle is made of that material that you know will eventually crumble apart, so that's my only downside honestly. So far, no issues though. Read more
I purchased this Meinl Recording Tambourine for our group as a fill accent in our mostly acoustic related music. The tambourine is well constructed and should hold up to frequent use. It has a nice, modern appearance. I usually lean toward natural materials, but decided that the modern composite materials used for the frame of this tambourine would be a good choice. The contoured padded handle is comfortable and helps relieve strain. This tambourine is not light in weight but not overly heavy either. The most important element is how it sounds. The jingles on this model are a mix of two different materials, each with a different sound. The overall impact is a little brighter than your typical tambourine, but not excessively. It provides a slightly unique accent that I think is nice. I would not consider this as a subtle accent instrument. The sound is fairly loud and clear, lending to the rhythm and, as with most instruments, should be used with sensitivity to the music. In other words, it is loud enough to be either a nice addition to the music in the hands of a skilled musician OR a distraction in the hands of someone with less sensitivity. All in all, I am very happy with the selection of this instrument. Read more
The best tambourine I've ever played. The quality is excellent and it's well constructed of solid materials. The brass jingles are excellent and the instrument plays as it should. It doesn't make superfluous noises when not wanted. This is the real deal. Not for weaklings and children. I'm thrilled with the product!!!! Read more
greate sound quality, Read more
I recently added this to my arsenal of tambourines. Meinl's website has video links featuring a frazzled looking guy demoing their ABS tambourines. I was reluctant to buy this (or any) instrument untried but the video was enough for me to give it a try. Sturdy and hefty, mine weighed in at 497 grams (~1.1 lbs) which is on the heavy side for a hand tambourine. The brass jingles are all uniform in sound and have 5 dimples. 28 jingles altogether, which I'm sure contributes to the weight ... and the sound. Held vertically, you can get a lot of finger-cymbal-like ring from this tambourine. Held diagonal or horizontal you can get a great darker rock or folk sound. The sound isn't as bright as nickle/steel tambourines, but I am impressed with how lively I can get this tambourine to sound. A lot of versatility in sound make this a good choice for a wide range of music where you don't want such a cutting steel sound. My only complaint so far is the "padded soft grip", which while adequate is a bit loose and I'm hoping will hold up to my uses. My new favorite? Time will tell. Read more
