UNOKKIKalimba Thumb Piano, Portable Mahogany Mbira Finger Piano with Instruction, Case, Tune Hammer, Chocolate Brown - Kalimba Instrument for Kids - 17 Key Instrument

To start off, I’m using my moms account to write this review since i don’t have an account of my own.Onto the review: I cannot stress enough how amazing this kalimba is. I got this back in April of this year and I suddenly felt the urge to write a review on it. It’s beautifully made, lightweight and amazingly easy to learn. It comes pre-tuned so you don’t have to worry about having to tune it, meaning once you get it out of the box, it’s ready to play. This has been my first kalimba and this is a great choice for beginners. I honestly don’t see any cons to getting this specific kalimba.Quick tip for all the beginners out there: If you have extremely short nails, you’ll have to grow them out or use the thumb protectors that comes with it. In order to play the kalimba correctly and for it to sound good, you have to use your nails. Overall I’m super happy with it and I’m so glad i decided to get it.

These musical instruments are just incredible for the money. Comes with a professional case, tuning instrument, plus finger guards. I'm not sure how they could sell theseat this price... but thank you! Bought 10 of these for gifts. Now all I need is to learn how to play!!

Updated to add: I ordered two of these in different finishes. The second one was the same quality as the first. They were so easy to tune.I wasn't sure what to expect when I ordered a couple of kalimbas and some mini ones. I'd never held one, seen one played in person. Some of the recordings were not flattering.I was pleasantly surprised.They were mostly in tune, and for a beginner, you'd better believe that I made it more out of tune before I corrected myself and got it right.But, that's the fun thing. As much as I love to tinker, tuning a guitar is annoying for me. Tuning a piano...Meh. Tuning a kalimba is one of the most satisfying things to do.One issue I ran across is that the video I watched didn't warn you (until the end of the video) to use a cloth to protect the end you pluck. You need to use a soft cloth while tuning the instrument end to keep from scratching those tines. Thankfully, I hadn't scratched them. I am confident that beginners of most ages will be able to pick this up and play. Both the note letters and numbers are engraved on each tine. They are a bit difficult to see in different lighting situations, but they do provide labels (you need to cut) for that purpose.No one in our household has been bothered by anyone practicing. I've only experienced this with three instruments, so far--the kalimba, the steel tongue drum and the singing bowls. Through sleep, migraines, trying to concentrate, none of these instruments were bothersome.Because this is the same company as another kalimba, but just a different color, I will by copying and pasting this review. They truly were identical except for color.The cases, cloths, soft carrying bag were all the same (except for color).Bottom line: Would I order again? Yes. I want to try them all. Would I gift? Yes. These are some of the kindest instruments to gift to people. They aren't annoying to listen to. It's hard to get annoyed by them.

If you’re someone who loves music but are the kind of person who thinks you would be hopeless at playing a musical instrument because you think you’re - pardon the pun, please - all thumbs, the Kalimba, also known as the thumb piano, is the instrument for you. I had heard of the Kalimba before, but until I saw this one on amazon, had never actually seen one. Curious about this unique folk instrument, I decided to give it a try. I was surprised at how easy it is to learn to play. You don’t need to be able to read musical notes in order to play the Kalimba. Granted, this is, as I said, a folk instrument designed for playing simple tunes, so you won’t be playing Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos on it. But it’s lots of fun to play and a great way to unwind after a hard day at the office. There’s an excellent songbook, “The Easiest Songbook for Kalimba,” available separately for sale on amazon that I highly recommend. Instead of using musical notes, the book uses a diagram of the Kalimba keys, each of which it matches to a number (1, 2, 3, etc.). You play the music by reading the numbers instead of musical notes. The book will have you up and playing tunes like “Good Night Ladies,” and “Happy Birthday,”mon your Kalimba literally within minutes. (It took me less than five minutes.) if you have children or grandchildren, you might even want to start a Kalimba family band as it’s so easy to play, even young children can learn. This Kalimba is sturdy and beautifully crafted. It is a real instrument, not a plastic toy. It comes with its own carrying case.

Right out of the box my son recognized this as an instrument he’s heard playing tunes in Minecraft. He spent the next 20-30 minutes familiarizing himself with the notes and started to play some songs. He was in Jr. High band, so he knows how to read notes.The sounds are soft and soothing to the ears. I would imagine part of that has to do with HOW you play the instrument, but it was not something I think I would get tired of listening to someone play after the first few minutes.The instrument, itself, is a work of art. The wood and carvings are beautiful to look at and feel good in the hands. According to my son, the notes played the sounds he expected (again, he played instruments in JH band). The tuning hammer is a nice addition to the set but was not needed out of the box. This is meant to be played with your fingernails, but the included silicone finger covers can be used as well. The included travel case is rigid enough to keep the kalimba safe during transport or storage. Icing on the cake is that it came with a beginners guide so I think even I will be able to play something real soon.