Cajons

Hey guys.

So I have $150 in gift cards for Guitar center.
I'm willing to spend 180-200 at most right now for a Cajon.

I'm looking at some Meinl cajon's.

Any ideas for decent ones?
I've never owned a cajon so I don't know a lot about them.
 
Re: Cajon's

My best advice is go try a whole bunch. Head to a drum shop that has a large inventory, and try everything! Even the really expensive ones.

Cajons, as with most thing in percussion are very different, and what each of us is looking for is different.

When I got mine, I was looking for something to "mess around" with. No real intension of playing it on a stage, mostly around the campfire and the one off acoustic jam with friends. I am glad I didn't spend more than $120 on what I got (Meinl Headliner). I like the sound, the face and interior snares are tunable, and it came with a gig case.

What are you planning to use it for?
How often?
Stage/studio/party/campfire?

Let your ears be the judge, and your budget be the limiting factor.
 
Re: Cajon's

My best advice is go try a whole bunch. Head to a drum shop that has a large inventory, and try everything! Even the really expensive ones.

Cajons, as with most thing in percussion are very different, and what each of us is looking for is different.

When I got mine, I was looking for something to "mess around" with. No real intension of playing it on a stage, mostly around the campfire and the one off acoustic jam with friends. I am glad I didn't spend more than $120 on what I got (Meinl Headliner). I like the sound, the face and interior snares are tunable, and it came with a gig case.

What are you planning to use it for?
How often?
Stage/studio/party/campfire?

Let your ears be the judge, and your budget be the limiting factor.

Yeah I was looking at some Meinl Cajon that was I think like $140 or so.
I plan to use it just for fun and also some smaller acoustic style gigs.
 
Re: Cajon's

I have never liked any of the Meinl cajons I have tried. None of them seem to have a good bass note, and if they have snare throwoffs, they are iffy and don't seem to work well.

I have been playing an LP angled-front cajon for some time now, and I'm pretty happy with it. As much as I dislike Pearl's drums and hardware, they make some pretty decent-sounding cajons on the lower-priced end as well. Like the other poster said, shop around and get your hands on as many as you can.
 
Re: Cajon's

I tried a whole bunch at local stores. I like a deep bass and a snappy rich snare sound. Meinl looked solid, but the bass was really lacking for me. I ultimately got the LP Americana series snare cajon. Got it online for under $200, but I think the prices just went up to about $230 for some reason. Highly recommend it- sounded better than some Schlags and Meinls costing a lot more.
 
Re: Cajon's

I have never liked any of the Meinl cajons I have tried. None of them seem to have a good bass note, and if they have snare throwoffs.

Agreed on the bass note and the throwoff. The one I got doesnt have a throwoff. I tried a few with it, and didnt think I would use it.

Back to the OP:
If you are gonna gig with it at all I would ge something with a better bottom end. I watched a guy trying to gig on a cheaper (Meinl just like mine) cajon mic'ed with an SM57, and the sound guy had him on the edge of feedback all set trying to give the bottom end it was missing. Remember that chain of sound.

Crap in the mic, crap outta the mic.I guess they could have used a kick mic in the sound hole, and a SM57 on the face... I dunno, never tried.

"Can I get more talent in the monitors please?!?!"
 
Re: Cajon's

Agreed on the bass note and the throwoff. The one I got doesnt have a throwoff. I tried a few with it, and didnt think I would use it.

Back to the OP:
If you are gonna gig with it at all I would ge something with a better bottom end. I watched a guy trying to gig on a cheaper (Meinl just like mine) cajon mic'ed with an SM57, and the sound guy had him on the edge of feedback all set trying to give the bottom end it was missing. Remember that chain of sound.

Crap in the mic, crap outta the mic.I guess they could have used a kick mic in the sound hole, and a SM57 on the face... I dunno, never tried.

"Can I get more talent in the monitors please?!?!"

Exactly.

A good cajon doesn't go "thap" in the middle. It goes "thummm."
 
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