Kalimba 17 Key Thumb Piano, Portable Mahogany Mbira Finger Piano with Instruction, Carrying Bag, Tune Hammer, Chocolate Brown - Musical Instruments for Kids

I bought this for my little brother as a gift and he learned how to play the Minecraft theme song on it on the same day. Its a great gift and the color is really pretty.

It's time to grow out your thumb nails! This is an exceptional kalimba at any price — easily one of the nicest gifts I've ever given myself. The fact that it can be had for less than $30 makes it even better.The Unokki 17-Key Kalimba has beautiful tone and resonance. Its sound is somewhere between a music box and a heavenly harp — extremely pleasant, calming and soothing. My Unokki kalimba has absolutely no dead tines. (A "dead tine" is a key that sounds "thunky" and doesn't resonate. The actual problem with many people who complain about dead tines is poor picking technique. In one Amazon demo video, I saw a clueless player hammering on the keys. The hammer is for tuning, NOT playing.) Even the outer, higher notes ring out clearly and sweetly. However, the two outer, higher keys do not resonate as long as the lower notes. That's normal and to be expected; they're shorter keys. Also, many older adults don't hear higher pitches as well as lower tones.This lovely instrument is made out of quality tonewood that produces a warm sound and is pleasing to hold. The satin matte finish and rounded edges make it very comfortable. I play mine for long stretches of time, without any pain or discomfort. The soundbox is decorated with an attractive wood-burned design that gives it a touch of elegance. If you're not sure how to play the kalimba properly, watch some how-to videos on YouTube and/or buy a book on kalimba. Both can make a huge difference for a beginning player and lead to a much more satisfying experience.This 17-key kalimba comes bundled with a number of accessories, including: a tuning hammer, small instruction booklet with songs, pair of silicone thumb protectors (not the best way to play; use your thumb nails if possible), a note name and number soundbox sticker (use optional), magenta and turquoise tine stickers (use optional), black velveteen storage bag and tine-wiping cloth. The product box is such that it can be saved and used as a storage case. However, I recommend buying a proper kalimba case that is constructed nicely and has pockets and/or slots for everything. (You don't want the tuning hammer knocking around into your instrument.)Also, I've noticed that many buyers of this kalimba have stated that it's ready to play, straight out of the box. That has NOT been my experience with ANY adjustable, musical instrument. I suspect those reviewers might be beginners and/or slightly tone-deaf. After being bounced around during shipping travel, just about every musical instrument needs tuning and the kalimba is no exception. With mine, I even had to re-space some of the tines.The Unokki booklet recommends the free chromatic tuning apps gStrings for Android and insTuner for iOS. I used the free Pano Tuner app which worked very well and is available for both Android and iOS. However, I'm considering buying an all-instrument clip-on tuner. They're affordable and remind me of the extremely accurate and fast Snark brand tuners that I use on my guitars and ukuleles. Don't be freaked-out about tuning your kalimba. Read the instruction booklet, watch a few videos, use an app or tuning device and tap gently. It's not hard and makes all the difference in the world with the sound.Many musicians, articles, videos and websites recommend the Unokki 17-Key Kalimba over the extremely popular Gecko brand. While I have not tried the latter, I think the Unokki kalimba is exceptional. I'm extremely pleased with my Unokki kalimba's sound, performance and quality. I think it's comparable to many of the more expensive kalimbas I've seen and heard played by professional thumb pianists on YouTube. This gem is definitely a keeper. I'm so delighted with my Unokki kalimba, I don't want to put it down.

The media could not be loaded. I bought this kalimba for my boyfriend who has been wanting one for a while now. This is perfect for those who are just starting to get into playing it. I didn't want to spend a fortune on a high quality expensive one just in case he'll get bored with it after a couple weeks. So whether that's your situation or if you're a beginner and just want to try it then this is the one for you. The quality is great for the price and it comes with everything that you would need to get started. If you go on youtube you can find easy kalimba songs step by step to practice learning as well as how to tune it and everything else you need to know. So there's really no need to buy a bunch of little booklets for that. It comes with a black bag to put the kalimba and other items in. It also comes with stickers to label the keys. You have to make sure to put them at the top of the keys or else it will mess with its tones.My only grievence is that it came uncovered in its box instead of an Amazon bag or Amazon box. So, thanks for that. 😒 It ruined the surpriseOther than that its super cute, and super easy to learn songs. He's only had it for two days and has learned to play bohemian rhapsody. I too enjoy playing with it from time to time.The kalimba in general (not this particular brand or product) is not very loud. don't worry about it being overstimulating or being driven nuts with somebody playing it (like I was.) It's not bad even when someone is playing it poorly. You can barely hear it at all if you're in the next room over and it's easy to tune out. The instrument in general is calming and soothing in my opinion.

This instrument exceeded my expectations in two ways: 1. It was a beautiful work of art! Quality wood finish and smooth design. Beautiful! 2. Potential as a playable instrument--not that simple! It has more potential and complication that i expected. I ordered if for a fairly young child--it would have been frustrating for her. But for an older child or adult, this is amazing. Wish I could have used it, but I reluctantly returned it. At times, I'm sorry I returned it, it would have had great potential in the right hands. If you have an older child or adult with musical talent and ability to read music, get this.... you'll enjoy it I'm sure!