Bodhran, 16"x3.5", Tune, Rosewood, T-bar

Brand new wannabe bodhran player here. The "bodhran bug" struck me about 5 weeks ago, at which time I bought a tipper and a 12" Evans Real Feel practice pad to see if I had any potential before purchasing the real thing. Living in an apartment, the nearly silent practice pad allowed me to drum away late at night without disturbing the neighbors. During this experiment I was also doing research on what bodhran I should purchase if I made up my mind to buy one. Decisions, decisions. Tunable, or less expensive non-tunable? 14-inch, 16-inch or 18-inch? Not having a hair dryer, which is necessary to tune non-tunable bodhrans, and not wanting to buy one, I narrowed my search to tunable bodhrans. During this time I was also keeping an eye on all the bodhrans available on Amazon, reading the customer reviews, looking at YouTube bodhran videos. I decided that the 16-inch size was the right size for me and watched this particular bodhran daily for a few days, trying to determine if I really wanted to do this. All during this time the price was $75 and change. Then one day it was $80 and change! So I decided to hit the "Buy" button. About 10 minutes later I went back to look at "my" bodhran again and the price was back down to $75! I felt kind of ripped-off. Apparently the price of this item fluctuates between $75 and $80, depending on which retailer is doing the fulfillment. I think it's worth $80 but if $5 cheaper is important to you, wait until the lower price is showing. Of course there's no guarantee that the $75 price will last forever, but as of this writing it still pops up from time to time.The bodhran arrived today. Its appearance is very nice, both wood and skin. It seems to be well-made (made in Pakistan). Has a nice tone. I tried the tuners and they worked okay. There was enough room under the T-bar for me to slide my hand around (if you want to remove this bar, it looks like it is removable by unscrewing the screws that hold it in place). I really like the tipper that came with it, 9 1/4 inches, nice balance.The manufacturer's (Roosebeck) corrugated carton that it comes in is nice, and has a plastic handle for easy carrying. The seller (Springdale Music) did an excellent job with the outer shipping carton and packing material, and shipping was quick.An overall excellent transaction, both product and service.

I’m still learning, but this bodhran is perfect for that. My house regularly fluctuates with humidity, so the drum loosens and tightens as that happens. With a quick adjustment I’m back to playing - as long as I don’t forget where I put the Allen wrench that came with it

It was well packed and arrived in good order earlier than promised. It's tunable, which is the main reason I got it. It's natural looking, which is the other reason I got it. It is bit heavy for a 16" drum, but it is manageable. I can get a wide range of pleasing sounds from it and I really like the natural wood finish. It is a robust instrument that can take a licking. I look forward to many years of enjoying it.I was able to remove the Roosebeck logo from the hide by gently rubbing it with Super fine 600 grit silicon carbide paper. I generally go over the entire surface of my hide drums with super fine sand paper to smooth out any roughness when I first get them. I follow with a light coating of mink oil to condition the hide.I'm pleased with my purchase and would not hesitate to recommend it.

I live half the year in India, the other half here in the States and use my drum(s) for Sacred Circles and Healing. This drum is my USA drum now.I'm very happy with the drum and especially love that it is made of rosewood and that it is tunable--this is ideal as I travel a great deal and can dial in the deeper tones that I crave.I use the drum as a frame drum with a soft head beater rather than with the traditional tipper. I'm looking forward to many years of journeys with this beautiful drum.Highly recommended!

Skin had wrinkles and creases out of the box. I wet down the skin on both sides and loosened the tuning ring and gave it a good massage and then retightened it. Working and looking good now as far as I (a beginner) can tell.

I didn't want to spend a lot of money on this drum and was pleasantly surprised by its high quality. The rim and tuning ring are solid wood and nicely finished. The stainless steel tuning hardware works smoothly. The T-bar gives good control and leaves plenty of room for your hand. The included tipper is a little light for my taste, but with a heavier stick, I'm pleased with the sound of the instrument. It's a great starter. You won't grow out of this drum for a good long time

I'm no expert on this type of instrument but I love it. Has a nice, deep, tone. I did freak out when I took it out this morning because I hit it and it sounded like a stack of papers. I got online and realized that moisture had caused this. I got my hair dryer out and slowly dried the surface and it was ready to play. No complaints, great packaging. I'm happy.

A lovely drum; great value. Now all I have to do is learn to play it!