Meinl Percussion IBO Drum, Large Fiberglass Body with Additional Circular Playing Surface-NOT Made in China-Includes Microphone Port and Padded Foam Base, 2-Year Warranty, Gold (ID3GO)

The media could not be loaded. I used to play this drum before and totally love it. Was excited to buy me my own but after I just got it I’m very disappointed of quality this music instrument especially Rawhide Playing Surface is very bumpy and not flat at all. Annoying

Close to perfect... except there are some sounds that still a little bit plastic to me. If this is a ceramic, then it would be perfect. The little rawhide surface provides great combinations of different tones with other tones that are generated by hitting the other areas. The music created by hitting the rawhide, the hole, and the area in between is magnificent. It's something like a kind of background music in a movie sound track.

This instrument creates good, clear udu sounds and beautiful bass tones. A wide variety of sounds can be created relative to how and where it is played. The additional head creates more sounds and the bottom of the udu is thinner for great slaps. Another cool thing is, you can add water to it for additional effects on the sound.It's the perfect size and wieght. Durable too, not so breakable as a clay model. Note, udus are quiet instruments as percussion goes, so don't expect to bring it to drum circles and be heard very well. I use it for sassy tribal trip hop in a studio, as one part of the full percussion line. Recorded with a Shure PG57 and adding a little reverb (after recording) in the DAW, it's quite cool for this musical use.There's some awesome players on the internet shown playing this exact model. Depending on your skill level, don't expect to buy this and be as good as they are or bust out an awesome udu solo. There is a small mic hole for placing a lavalier / lapel type mic inside. This mic hole has plug for times when there is no internal mic in use. When I have a small mic to use, I'll update this review on how it affected the recorded performance.All that said, I highly reccomend this instrument. I also have a Djembe and I play this udu more often.

If you're in to hand drumming and want different tones within easy reach, check this one out. Finger tapping and slaps around the middle and neck(your other, perhaps not dominant hand); a sound hole to cup or slap that produces a wonderful deep tone and the rawhide surface that can be struck center for a louder sound or tapped around the edges for softer tones. Very reasonably priced and quite sturdy. Not so loud you will disturb the house even when gettin' after it!

I had been wanting one of these for a long time and finally bought one. I love the sound and the variety provided with the small rawhide playing head added. The only thing I don't like, which other reviewers have noted, is the strange smell it had when I first got it. I tried to mitigate the smell by filling the vessel with sage incense smoke several times and airing it out. This reduced the smell but it's still there to a degree, but it's not bad. I'm sure the smell will go away once spring comes and I can air it outside for a few days.

Head is loose with no way to tighten, otherwise I like the drum.

I love the Udu drums. This one is particularly easy to play due to the natural head. Head loses pitch easily however. Can be regained with the aid of a hairdryer. Not for damp conditions.

This instrument produces a wide range of tones.This instrument is not very loud,so I can play any place at any time. This is perfect instruments that always exist in my backpack. This demonstrates the unlimited potential by the combination with your microphone.