Buying Tablas

[Ill Mitch]

So, as the title suggests, I'm in the market for a set of tablas. I've done a small amount of preliminary research (Wikipedia) and have decided that I'll be looking for a brass bayan at the very least. However, I don't really know much beyond that.

What I'm looking for is a good set of tablas, but nothing too extravagent. I see myself playing these for fun, but not professionally. So I want something that sounds good and will last a long time, but isn't too expensive. Because tablas aren't typically available in music stores around here, I'll be mostly shopping online.

If anyone has an advice i.e.
-what online stores are best for tablas
-what woods I should look for in the tabla
-what prices are reasonable
I would much appreciate it.

:)

[-Obscurity-]

Any reason in particular why you want a brass bayan instead of a copper one?

[Little Android Man]

Well if you are just messing around.. i think this would be a good set.

http://www.kalakendar.com/product_info.php?cPath=40_62&products_id=164&osCsi

The bayan is a miscellaneous metal... but the dayan is rosewood. And i think this would do you good.. plus it is very reasonably priced.

[Ill Mitch]

Any reason in particular why you want a brass bayan instead of a copper one?

I read that brass is the most common; copper is the best, but expensive; and aluminum and steel are cheap but not quite as good.

Well if you are just messing around.. i think this would be a good set.

http://www.kalakendar.com/product_info.php?cPath=40_62&products_id=164&osCsi

The bayan is a miscellaneous metal... but the dayan is rosewood. And i think this would do you good.. plus it is very reasonably priced.

Yeah that set looks pretty good. Do you know if rosewood is a fairly typical wood used in the dayan?

I also found a store nearby that sells world percussion instruments, including tablas, so I'm going to check them out today.

[Chippy569]

dunno about traditional tabla or not, but rosewood is a tonewood and is suited to the construction of a tabla.

[-Obscurity-]

I read that brass is the most common; copper is the best, but expensive; and aluminum and steel are cheap but not quite as good.



Yeah that set looks pretty good. Do you know if rosewood is a fairly typical wood used in the dayan?

I also found a store nearby that sells world percussion instruments, including tablas, so I'm going to check them out today.

Rosewood is the ONLY wood a good dayan will be made from. There are however different grades of rosewood, so only buy from a reliable source if you can't actually see it in person first.