Tabla quality question

SoulVoyager

Hello All,

First off, I am new to this forum and would like to say hello. This seems like a great place to share information and I am very happy to have found it.

Anyhow, it looks like I may have gotten a sour deal somewhere. Or perhaps one guy is trying to make me feel that way so he can profit off of me. Not quite sure.

I just left Rishikesh, where I bought a set of tablas for 7000 rupees ($175). The bayaan was copper and the dayaan was a wood was an unknown wood with some type of lacquer on the outside. After playing a few tablas, I'd say the sound is pretty good, although not entirely stellar.

Now I am in Pushkar and I have just showed the set to Birju who runs the Saraswati School of Music, recommended by Lonely Planet.

He is saying that the skins are thick (not from baby goat), the wood is a local wood and that uncoated wood is better. He says that the coated wood is because it is wet and it will crack after I move back to a colder climate. He also says that the bayaan could use a little more weight at the bottom and that the shape of it does not allow for optimal sound. All in all, he valued them at about 2500 rupees.

He says he would make me a custom set for my hand size with a iron-based bayaan and an unfinished (but not rosewood) dayaan, each of which woudl use softer baby goat skin. He values this set at 5000 rupees plus his 1000 rupee commission (total $150) and would give me a trade-in value of 2500 rupees for my original set.

Now, I know it's hard to know the quality just from these words I write, but I have come acros this other thred hee and it has made me suspicious.

Buying tabla drums in India

Granted this thread is from 2004 and the set Indiamike bought was a few years before that - but $80 for copper bayaan and rosewood dayaan !?!?!? Am I getting scammed for paying another $87.50 for this other set and trading in my original ?

I like to think that if Lonely Plant recommends someone that he/she is reputable. But I'm just not sure.

Any thoughts about this would be super appreciated. Additionall, if someone knows of a reputable table vendor in Rajastan, that would be extra sweet !

I'd like to add one more question:

Assuming prices have not gone up astronomically since Mike and such bought their far cheaper sets years ago, I'm inclined to take some lessons with this fellow with my supposedly inferior set and buy another set later on. I am generally thinking of taking a route from here through Udaipur -> Mumbai -> Hampi -> Kerala -> Pondicherry -> Varanasi -> Delhi -> Amritsar -> Dharamsala -> Manali -> Ladakh -> Kashmir -> Amritsar -> Lahore, Pakistan.

Having said so, if anyone knows of fine custom tabla store along this route, please do share. I have noted the Hare Krishna Music Store in Delhi already. (thank you mike)

sorry. I think it was actually aluminum, not iron. Eithe way, my research tells me that copper is far superior.

Thanks again

Blessings
SoulVoyager

India Edge

Anyone in India with something to sell is going to try to sell it to YOU. I can't say if this guy is scamming you, but he definitely wants to sell you his drums! If you like the sound of the drums you've already bought I'd say just keep 'em. I'd guess the price you paid is about average for a good quality set. You do NOT want an aluminum bayan. Copper or brass is good, I like 'em heavy, but you want thick metal, not bottom weighted inside (hold it on it's side to see if it's bottom heavy). The dayan may or may not check (crack), but even if it does it may not crack all the way through or affect how the drum plays or sounds. All the tablas I have are finished (coated) wood and it hasn't been a problem. If you want really superior quality you need to know what you're looking for, or else buy in U.S. or Canada from a reputable dealer like Ali Akbar School http://www.aacm.org/shop/index.html Expect to pay double what you'd pay in India.
By the way, I think I visited this guy's shop in Pushkar in '06. I thought his prices were kind of high for the quality...

__________________
India pics
India vids

Nick-H

Suggest you read up David Courtney's Tabla Site as a great on-line resource for this instrument.

That is I think it is from the standpoint of someone who doesn't play! My small experience is with the Southern Mridangam.

If you can tell the quality of the sound of your drums, you obviously know how to make the correct sound, so I think, ultimately, unless you can get the advice of a local musician, you are the best judge, and if you are happy with it, stick with it.

__________________
.


Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

Aishah

In 1998 I bought a set of tabla from an All India Radio Artist and Performer from Delhi, whilst he was on tour in Australia. They were one of his performance sets and he sold them to me for 2,100 rupees. The bayan was brass. When I came to Delhi in '99 he arranged for his tabla maker to make me a new set - again a brass bayan, don't know what wood the dayan was but the whole set when I donated them (last year) to the local institute for teaching the young boys here, was still as good as new, excellent dayan sound. For that set I paid 2,300 rupees - this was made by one of the best tabla makers in Delhi.
I cannot imagine that a set of tabla today would cost 7,000 rupees. So I think I would not be doing what this man says in Pushkar.If you are reasonably happy with what you already have then keep them. It seems to me a lot of money either way. If you are really keen to change them, then do so directly with the tabla makers themselves in Delhi.

Excellent link, Nick - brings back the memories - I copied much of his stuff back then!

__________________
"Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards."

Nick-H

Its a great site. It's very hard to find detail as to how these multi-layer Indian drums are made, and how the black composition is put on.

Aishah

It's a well-detailed site - the best at the time when I was learning, haven't checked recently because tabla playing is a thing of the past now. Lots of people think the syahi is made of rubber - it's actually quite a complicated process and mixture - soot and iron dust giving it that black colour.

Nick-H

Very interesting process, and very labour intensive too, making those heads. The black circle is built up of many very thin layers.

Yes, it amazing that it looks just like rubber, but one touch and you know that it is a hard substance.

SoulVoyager

thanks so much !

I checked out the Ali Akbar school and I guess I could use this set as a beater until I return (whenever that is). The only thing is that they don't seem to size it to my individual hand (which Birju says is important)

I'll figure it out

Happy Travels
SoulVoyager

Aishah

this sizing to individual hand is not important if you are comfortable with what you have.