Buying a cajon? Pay attention to these subjects

As a starting musician, you might have never heard about a cajon in the first place. But since you are here now, you might be interested in purchasing this fine piece of instrument. So where should you look out for when purchasing a cajon? What kind of accessories are there? These questions and more will be explained in this article.

What is a cajon?

A cajon is a percussion instrument that you play with your hands, or with brushes. It is mainly used as a guidance instrument. In most cases, the musician sits on top of the cajon. A cajon has a rectangular shape and a hollow casket with snare wires, or a lightweight metal bel attached to the front side of the instrument. This construction produces the sound of a snare drum. On the backside of the cajon, there is a large round hole, which produces the lower sounds. By slapping or hitting the cajon in different places you can produce different sounds.

You want to buy a cajon?

Is this the first time you are going to buy a cajon? It is recommended to physically feel, hold and play an instrument before purchasing. In this way, you can choose the cajon that fits your style and that sounds the best. There are many kinds of cajons. Next to the standard cajon, there is also a hybrid, mini, bass, bongo and a conga cajon.

Make sure that you look at the type of wood, thickness and the finishing of the cajon before purchasing. Also look at the snare wire and/or the lightweight metal bell to make sure that they are easy to adjust. Do not forget that the timbre is the most important factor of the cajon. So if you buy a cajon, make sure to keep these factors in mind.

The kind of accessories on the market

It is possible to make use of for example a hi-hat or a snare drum while playing the cajon. There are many possibilities and combinations such as:

• Kickport: to amplify the bass
• Kickdrumpedal: for a powerful kick, and also more freedom while playing
• Brushes: for a rich warm sound
• Cajon stand: to play the cajon standing up
• Cowbell: for a high fierce sound
• Tambour:  for small tambour sounds

Finally

A cajon is a unique interesting instrument that can be played by starting and experienced drummers. If you combine the accessories described above, you can produce a wide range of sounds to entertain your audience.