Thread: Marimba 1 2 3

Dude, you must have the noisiest garage on the planet. I can see your neighbours ringing the police:

"I would like to report a noise disturbance please"

"What sort of noise is it ma'am"

"I don't know, but if Shaka Zulu and Bob Marley had a love child, then I reckon thats what it would sound like..."

Ha ha ha ha ha

Keep up the great diverse work. We luthiers seem to "just" build variations on the same theme, you go all the way into new territory.
Very cool.

The first instrument I ever hand crafted was a marimba style thing. I was about 12 or so and it was HUGE. I tuned it all by ear and just made it a sub upper and lower octave - G A B C D E F G A B C D E F G It was made out of split treated pine logs scabbed from one of my fathers projects and you hit it with two rubber mallets. I used a 44 gallon drum for a "sound box" with two lateral supports, one across the bottom and one diagonally across the "sweet spot" about a third of the way up. I really wish I had a photo of it cause it was like playing a pool table

Anyhow, Keep up the great work Scally.

Any chance of some sound bites?

Have you seen this?

http://www.scribd.com/doc/14015967/A...ion-The-Djembe

Just found it while scrounging...

Thanks for the link Mongrel. I guess you wouldn't be surprised to know that I already have that book and a few others.

My neighbours are great. They enjoy my 'music' and the sound of power tools.
Unfortunately I have to move house because the owner is selling this place.
I am in the process of buying so I hope the new neighbours are as understanding!!!

I bought some lovely boards in Tasmania to make a start on a couple of guitars.
Last week I visited Musos Corner to by machine heads for two Koras that I am making.
One of the guys traced a Fender Jazz Bass and a Strat onto a sheet of cardboard for me.

The guitar project is getting closer.

Everything will put back now that I need to move house. It is a scary thought moving the machines and growing timber stockpile not to mention the instruments.
To make things more interesting, I had a hernia operation yesterday.
I will be after all the strong bodies I can find.


Your marimba sounds great. I would like to set up a jumbo outside one.
Everytime I stuff up in the shed, I could go out and thump the boards.

The resonator box has a sloping base and two partitions to help mplify the sound.

Larger xylophones have individual resonators for each key. This simple version averages the quarter wavelength for several keys.

A strip of rubber is glued to the box for the keys to rest on.

Between each key is a small eye-screw to keep the keys seperated.

After the keys had the square edges routed and were sanded, I checked their tuning.

They had all gone from slightly high to slightly low.
I trimmed about a mm off each end to bring then slightly high then removed some thickness from under the centre to bring them down to tune.

I will tie the ropes off at the short end and join them with a turnbuckle on the wide end.
The rope stops the keys moving around too much. It is effective just loosely tied so I doubt if it needs a great deal of tension.

The box has two coasts of Danish oil. I put a single light coat on the keys to give them a little protection and make them look a bit better.

The sound volume has increased with the box and the keys are more stable with the eyescrews.

Hi Scally, I still have not managed to find that furniture grade figured boards for you yet, but seeing your moving house I don't think you want anymore timber to move yet anyway. I look forward to seeing the finished guitars you build from the beautiful burl & figured timber you bought from me.
Post some photos of your builds.
Cheers Bob. http://www.tasmaniantonewoods.com

Originally Posted by Scally

Thanks for the link Mongrel. I guess you wouldn't be surprised to know that I already have that book and a few others.

My neighbours are great. They enjoy my 'music' and the sound of power tools.
Unfortunately I have to move house because the owner is selling this place.
I am in the process of buying so I hope the new neighbours are as understanding!!!

I bought some lovely boards in Tasmania to make a start on a couple of guitars.
Last week I visited Musos Corner to by machine heads for two Koras that I am making.
One of the guys traced a Fender Jazz Bass and a Strat onto a sheet of cardboard for me.

The guitar project is getting closer.

Everything will put back now that I need to move house. It is a scary thought moving the machines and growing timber stockpile not to mention the instruments.
To make things more interesting, I had a hernia operation yesterday.
I will be after all the strong bodies I can find.


Your marimba sounds great. I would like to set up a jumbo outside one.
Everytime I stuff up in the shed, I could go out and thump the boards.

Thanks Bob
But keep looking for my Myrtle.
The house that I am trying to buy really needs a beautiful Tasmanian Myrtle TV cabinet!!!!!
It has a long lounge room wall that would be perfect.

The myrtle doesn't have to be spectacular as long as there is a pretty board for the top and a panel or drawers along the front.
Remember that I am still $30 in front!

The guitars will happen. Every now and then I rearrange them to see which way they look best!!

Nice looking instrument Scally. Thanks for the links. I watched the u-tube video he made, quite fascinating. Are you going to try a larger one?

Thanks Prozac.

I have two larger sets of keys cut out.

The plan is to make a more elaborate resonator box with individual compartments for each key.

I stumbled upon a big Padauk board recently. So I am not sure what to do first.
Maybe I will cut new keys from the Padauk and use them for the better resonator boxes.

I look forward to seeing some photos. Maybe the build also?

Those resonator tubes that are hung below on the larger models, would you use aluminium tube for these?

My plan is to build a Box Resonator first.
I prefer to work with wood than metal.

I have information on using tubes. Tubes would be easier to adjust for the best effect.

The depth of the wood resonator box diminishes as you move to the higher notes.
They save on the depth of the box for the low notes by restricting the size of the opening at the top of each resonator compartment.