Professional Djembes versus Intermediate Djembes

Hey all, we wanted to take a moment to discuss what the differences are between our Professional Djembes and our Intermediate Djembes, in hopes of making your decisions more clear-cut and simple. Please read on below:

All of the drums we list as Intermediate or Professional drums are made from sustainably-harvested premium mahogany heartwood. Any drums made from sapwood (we rarely ever get these) are identified and set aside. The shells are lathe-turned for uniform wall thickness, where the shape and proportions of the drum are carefully constructed. At this point the Intermediate and Professional Shells begin to differ. We think the best way to explain this would be to list the added characteristics of the professional djembes:

Professional djembe characteristics:

After the lathe, the interior wall of the shell is carved with a lateral groove surface carvings that can be seen as a spiral pattern inside the drum funneling out of the stem. This pattern helps to reduce overtones while increasing airflow within the drum to produce superior bass and sharper slap tones.
The skins selected for professional drums are premium untreated, wet-shaved skins from the goats back.
Professional djembes are skinned using a three-ring head system, where the skin is wrapped around an additional metal ring before the mounting ring sets it in place atop the drum, in order to create a fail-safe against the skin ever slipping out or moving around. This allows for the tightest possible tuning of the drum.

Intermediate djembes are skinned with treated skins using a two ring system. This does not make them bad drums (they have great sound), it just means that the premium skins are used for pro drums, as well as the extra step is taken with the lateral groove carvings and the three ring head system. This simply makes the pro drums a more ideal choice for the professional musician or for the more seasoned player looking for that top level of sound, as well as players of all levels who are on less restricted of a budget. Advanced players on a budget will still be satisfied with the intermediate djembe’s sound as well, and they will meet or exceed the needs of the casual player or beginner to intermediate student.

We sincerely hope this clears up any questions you may have had, and as always, feel free to contact us with any questions you may still have. Be Well In Rhythm…