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CIGAR BOX KALIMBAS

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Putting the THUMB in the strum...

Members: 115
Latest Activity: Apr 20, 2021

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I made 3 Kalimbas. Yay!

Started by Estone Villan. Last reply by Estone Villan Apr 30, 2017. 2 Replies 0 Likes

Ok so i made 3 Kalimbas with small cigar boxes i had. I used car wiper blades for tines.They sound so different. I'm not sure if it's the sound holes but only 2 were successful really.From left to…Continue

First Kalimba build

Started by Greg Thompson. Last reply by Graham Alibone Feb 1, 2015. 2 Replies 0 Likes

Not a cigar box, but what the heck...A top half of a gourd works, too.Continue

My kalimba

Started by Jantan ux Aug 18, 2013. 0 Replies 0 Likes

For me best keys are mini hand saw blades right now. Metal saw blades didn't bent and braked easily.I Snapped the saw blades half and made them safe for player. I tuned each key in right note with…Continue

Tags: aluminum, rods, bolts, saw, keys.tuning

Stack 'Em Up!

Started by George Durbin. Last reply by George Durbin Aug 17, 2013. 5 Replies 1 Like

Started putting together a few kalimbas cause they're so much fun to build and ended up with a stack of them. Took them to the local flea market and sold (3), so I'm on a roll now and the…Continue

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Comment by Ben "C. B. Gitty" Baker on September 26, 2012 at 3:08am: We are soon going to be offering the tines as well as tines+bridge assemblies/kalimba kits. It took a bit of doin' to get it all figured out and come up with a working system, but I have to admit that it works really well and makes creating a kalimba from any thin-lidded box/container quick and easy.

Comment by rusty case on September 26, 2012 at 3:02am: Well, shucks!

You folks are better than me, Ben! :-)

Do you sell those flat tines?

rc

Comment by PhilUSAFRet on September 25, 2012 at 3:27pm: Nice! Any tutorial on how to construct that "bridge"

Comment by Ben "C. B. Gitty" Baker on September 25, 2012 at 3:26pm: A little something we threw together in the shop recently...

Comment by rusty case on September 25, 2012 at 9:54am: this is my first kalimba, built with 9 bicycle spokes on a cedar fenceboard.

it has a nice tone, yet it is soft...

An 'AD-20' piezo pickup for violin/cello/guitar works dandy, when simply taped onto the back of the kalimba.

rc

Comment by rusty case on August 25, 2012 at 7:11am: Thank you very much to the contributors here in kalimbaland!

I shall build one from parts on-hand very soon!

rc

Comment by C Cook on August 6, 2012 at 10:13am: I have used the 35MM about 13/8' ones with good results but found that placement of the piezo makes a lot of diffrence. I put mine just to the front of the forward bar just a little.

Comment by hank stuke on August 6, 2012 at 9:28am: Hello all. I am new to the world of Cigar Box Kalimbas. Does any one know if a piezo element would be a sufficent pick up for my kalimbas?

Comment by Philip Kopsaftis on March 23, 2012 at 12:02pm: Anybody up for a trade? Check out my page. Wallet for a kalimba

Comment by Habanera Hal on January 17, 2012 at 5:54am: I making a bunch of kalimbas to bring to an arts and crafts fair. The ones I have made so far have been around 3-1/2" deep. Most of the ones I see on kalimba sites are much shallower, say 1" - 2" deep, which could be done by sectioning the box. I can see that would make the instrument easier to hold (especially for children), but how would it affect the sound? I'm guessing you would lose some of the nice mellow bass. Anyone experimented with this?