Am looking for a contact for an inexpensive starter talking drum. I see a variety on Ebay but am trying to stay away from total junk. It's going to be a gift. Thanks Penni

We have been having fun with one of these at the weekly drum circle.

Check out these resources. I have purchased about 3 grand last year from these three companies for drums, guitars, amps and digital effects, and can vouch for them as vendors. In fact, I have been customers for years.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/navigation?...ng+drum&st=

zzounds.com

americanmusical.com

There's a Remo on ebay here:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Remo-Talking-Drum-Iyai...%3A1|240%3A1318

That will be a good drum.

These are brought in from Africa and a very good drum, at 60 bucks give or take... goat skin, hand carved drum stick,etc etc. plus full 8 inch playing surface (so prob 9 inch head) http://cgi.ebay.com/African-Large-Imported...%3A1|240%3A1318

I just bought one!

Thanks guys! I knew I could count on some good advice from you two!

Mine is from India. It's called a Hudak. I have the large sized hudak purchased in Toronto from a store called House of Raga (try http://houseofraga.net )

It's quite lovely, large enough to have a very good range of pitch, well enough controlled that I can play Oh Canada on it and you'd recognize the melody.

Only thing is that it speaks only Hindi (or maybe that's Urdu, I can't really distinguish). I'm trying to teach it a little English so it can answer my phone.

P.S. It goes for $70 Canadian (plus shipping, I suppose). You'll find it under "World Instruments" (not Indian) in their catalogue -- guess maybe it comes from somewhere else.

i agree with Rick,
REMO will not disappoint.
Peace ~Will

Perhaps I should point out a health issue, not commonly known, which I discovered not long ago. Hides from some places, such as Africa, can contain anthrax spores, depending on the hides. It is actually a lesser known hazard of being a drum maker. So, you might think about that. I read about this recently, where a UK maker had contracted anthrax while working with hides, and died.

While this may not be common, it is something to think about.

Rick, always the harbinger of good news ...

Just kidding... actually, this is very useful information. I am grateful you posted this as it was news to me. Knowing me I would have bought a bunch of hides from over sees on sale .

Good info, as always, my friend!

Cryss, I was surprised as well, but it was a news item on the BBC, which I monitor daily. They think the hides came from Africa. It seems to be more of an issue for those making the drums, than for players, because of the processing steps, in making the drums.

It hasn't been long since it was on BBC.

A couple of BBC articles as follow up to Rick's broaching of the subject -

Magazine article on Drum making and anthrax

News piece, a few days after the magazine article

Hey . . . If you were to buy a good USED drum of this nature from someone here in this country who is very much alive and well . . . then I would guess that this would be your safest bet since . . . Dead Men Do Not Sell Drums!!! I could not resist a little dead beat humor!

Ok. 10 demerits for a bad joke.

Rick did you mean 10 deadmerits for bad joke