Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)If you are looking at a trejon, you may have already played a cajon. For those who have not, a cajon is like a nice size wood box (think of a crate you could use as a stool) you sit on and and play the front surface of with your hands. The playing surface is usually wood and the interior is hollow, providing a nice Thlapt Thla Thlapt Thla Thlapt Thplat ... sound as you strike it with your fingers or palm.
Videos on youtube or the Meinl site will provide you some practical tips on playing. Some of the videos on youtube are inspirational at the amount of sound you can get from one tone - cajons typically produce only a single tone, usually bass or snare.
The Trejon is a natural offspring of the cajon. The real difference is that it has three separate playing surfaces: bass (bottom 2/3), midrange (top left), and snare (top right). It is slightly lower and wider than a traditional cajon; however, is taller in person than it looks in the photos, where it appears fairly squat.
The sound quality is excellent and the sound of each playing surface is markedly different. It sounds more like a drum kit. The bass in particular is quite deep and full and changes in tone over the playing surface, the deepest sounds coming from the middle, while the midtone and snare portions are surprisingly uniform across there smaller playing surfaces. To my ear the bass section sounds closer to a traditional drum than most cajons which have a slightly hollow / woody sound. Also, would add that the angled playing surface is a plus.
A few minor differences over traditional cajon that are worth noting:
1. it does feel slightly wider to sit on.
2. because the bass is at the lowest point, you must lean further forward and closer to the floor to play (on a cajon you can sit almost upright, whereas with a trejon you will be slightly more hunched over to reach the bass)
3. if you travel, there is not yet a ready made case for the trejon, though the company is reportedly coming out with one in 2010.
4. also worth noting that cost is significantly more than a traditional cajon which can be had for $100 to $200 depending on quality and sound.
I debated on whether to buy several cajons or work on one instrument with several playing surfaces, and so far have been pleased with choosing the trejon. Its versatility makes it more fun to play and practice on.
Factors from most important to least important in considering a rating:
Sound quality: 5+ stars
Build quality: 5 stars
Comfort in playing: 3.5 stars
Cost versus what you get for your money: 4 stars
True review would give it 4.5 stars, but the surprisingly good sound will give it the benefit of rounding up rather than down. And overall, would say it is a worthy alternative to a mono-sound cajon.
Hope this review helps.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Meinl Trejon
0 comments:
Post a Comment