Bodhran, 18"x4", Tune, Rosewood, Single

I am a musician but not a percussionist. I don't have anyone nearby who plays this instrument, and I've learned everything from YouTube. I have no idea what makes a good bodhran. I just know what seems to be working for me.When you first get it I recommend going on YouTube and looking up bodhran tuning. You will need to hear what pitch the drum rings at when struck openly. I live in a very dry area. When my drum arrived the skin was quite tight and made a very high pitched sound more akin to a small tom than a bass drum. But using a video, my ear, and the enclosed Allen wrench, I got the drum sounding appropriate low and deep in a matter of minutes.What else can I say? The instrument is much better quality than beginner's instruments tend to be. It's much higher quality than you can expect from a new guitar at the same price. It is easy to tune and stays in tune. It has good tone. The head seems sturdy and securely fastened. The wood frame is strong. The drumstick it comes with is a traditional style tipper with bulbous ends. It is large, sturdy, and easy enough for me to handle. But I followed the example of most YouTubers and bought a brush tipper, one of the ones that looks like several wooden reeds fastened together. The brush tippers are quieter and a bit more dynamic than the traditional tippers are, and in my hand somewhat easier to control.Anyway, I am loving learning to play this bodhran. The only thing to be aware of is that it is really big, both across and deep. It can be difficult to figure out how to get one's arm around it just right to hold in place. If you're buying for a child or someone with short arms you might consider getting one smaller than 18 inches.

Keep in mind two things, 1) this is a Christmas gift & 2) I am not the drummer. Having said that, and much research it is beautifully made. Head is goatskin and beautiful rosewood frame. I chose the traditional size 18" for him & went w/4" depth because research suggests not going any shallower for a good solid sound. It's tunable allowing him to choose the overall sound he prefers he's drummed for 35 years however I left the taping to him if he prefers. It came very quickly & is gorgeous & tipper is much nicer than expected! It is not a sloped if you prefer one you would order that separately.

Nice. There is a small flaw in the skin head, doesn't effect the drum sound any. I can see where these might have been '2nds'. The drum is tune-able, which is a nice, higher end feature. Likely will need to be tuned when you get it. Use this at our Celtic church service and it's a nice addition to the music. The black band is not as nicely attached as I would have thought, but it's an easy fix. The cross bar makes it a comfortable hold while playing.

My husband is a professional percussionist. I purchased this as a gift for him and he was very pleased.

Has a nice sound. Goatskin finish does have the appearance of being water damaged, but I think it's just the irregularity of the skin.

This is a really high-quality bodhran. I have had such a great time learning it. It is sturdy, pretty wood, nice and tight and comfortable to play.

Very nice! High quality. You won't be disappointed.