Latin Percussion LP1400-TM LP Udu Drum Tambuta

I own 5 udus from the LP Frank giorgini series and this is the most portable one to bring to open mics or just for when you want to travel. I was a bit skeptical about the sound when I first got it but after practicing and learning the nuances of all the different sounds you can produce from this drum based on how you hold it and where and how you strike it, I am now a believer. it makes a great accompanying drum to the utar, which has a much deeper bass and more metallic slap. playing the two together is pure magic.

Despite its modest size, the tambuta has a low, mellow sound without the ringy overtones of other LP udus. This can be good for accompanying singers or when high overtones would interfere with other instruments. And it's fairly loud as udus go. I can do a fair imitation of a conga using the wide top surface for full-handed slaps, but the most fun for me is to play melodies by striking fingers in the area around the central hole. I also like the startling bell-like tone I get hitting the wide snout on the side. It's a cool drum to bring to an acoustic jam.

I've owned this for 2 years and I still love playing it. I have experience owning/ playing many other ethnic hand drums and find this to be my first choice as it is easily inviting to creativity and subtle nuances. I picked this model amongst LP's offerings as it appears to have the largest diameter for the deepest bass and the top hole being more modest.Paint chips extremely easily as shown in the picture. Also, the drum has 2 small holes and included [what seems like] sticky tack to plug the holes. the holes are for tiny lavalier mics - the holes are only about 1cm in diameter. I have recorded/ mic'd this using a Zoom H4N just pointed at it (about 1 ft away) and it sounded GREAT, really shines with plenty of reverb. Some of the nuances are hard for the ear to differentiate acoustically but are obvious when mic'd. As some other reviewer wrote, it is not very loud. It is easily drowned out in a jam with many others. Especially if outside. However, in an intimate environment it is plenty loud played along other drums, acoustic guitar or my udu's true partner - a tongue drum. Udu + tongue drum is amazing. I have not mic'd with a typical mic. I think it's poor design that there isn't more varied texture on the side although rubbing the smooth side is nice too. The worst aspect of this is playability - although it looks great on the rattan ring, it is not very stable, and when you're grooving, it starts falling. Playing it on its side and on the rattan ring works well and invokes a different style than vertical orientation. It does not travel very well - I've been meaning to make a bag to fit it perfectly as I will care in a cotton beach bag but if fell, it would certainly break.

Beautiful instrument. Lovely resonance.

this drum is great for practicing without driving your loved ones and neighbors and neighboorhood crazy. It will rarely get above talking volume. it has a really smooth bass sound when you hit one covering an entire hole. doing a flam slap on the side makes a nice pop noise. so far I've been able to fit it to all music (whether or not thats udu style... I dont care, i'm having fun!)drum arrived way ahead of schedule and it arrived undamaged. even comes with a cute little stand!

Lots of fun to play with, you can make all sorts of interesting sounds. Not too heavy or large to make carrying it around any sort of hassle.

Great sounding but unable to use it in live venue due to it's soft output and therefore feedback issues upon amplification. I sold it.

The variety of sounds and rhythms you can make with this is outstanding. It is quite relaxing to play one of these. Without a microphone the sound volume is quiet to moderate and some sounds you can make are quiet muted but not so much that you can't hear them. I would recommend a microphone to use this instrument to it's full potential.