Sticks and gongs

02/09/2024

08/06/2024

full restoration part 2°
Here documented some phases of the restoration for this old "guy" that soon will sing again for my sister Katja
Fixing the deep cracks on the shell, a nice "oil massage" to rehydrate the wood, refresh the rusty metal rings with anti-rust treatment, new fabrics & rope, carving a "slot" for the bottom ring and skin replacement with a more durable mylar foil....I must admit, I really enjoyed the process of bringing back to life this old wood shell....i noticed it was completely hand carved...no power tools were involved originally for this drum....really rare to see this kind of handcraft nowadays....

08/06/2024

full restoration part 1°
Back in Berlin after more than 5 years in Asia, I can now share my new acquired knowledge about drums so...
Hit me up if you need to bring back to life & sound your old drum

24/11/2021

Slave to the rhythm pt 2°.......

17/01/2019

electro-acoustic kalimba with magnetic jingles add-on-SOUNDTEST:
maybe not the best video we ever made but at least will satisfy a bit all those who were curous about this prototype

https://www.facebook.com/sticksandgongs/photos/pcb.2164225460507639/2164219093841609/?type=3&theater

15/01/2019

a special edition for Gerhard:
Arjuna medicine tree wood
19 notes tuned by the mystical Thomas Bothe
tibetan armour design
size: 11cm W x 15cm L x 3cm H

100% Handmade in Kreuzberg, Berlin, Planet Earth

15/01/2019

A really special electro-acoustic kalimba for my little brother Liam in California....I'm really happy you adopted one of my babies :)

padouk & beech wood
13 notes - Hira Choshi scale (koto)
rod piezo pickup & minijack mono output
sayagata design
size: 9cm W x 15cm L x 6cm H

100% Handmade in Kreuzberg, Berlin, Planet Earth

15/01/2019

Meanwhile in Kreuzberg....

closing the last orders and finishing as much as possible before to take my looooong awaited vacation in February
I will be away for a WHILE so if you need to ask for something, now is the moment, I will check if I can do it in time or you will have to wait till I'm not back......maybe in May or more.....

Thanks to all the people that supported me buying my instruments or simply keeping my mood up with a word or a laugh, without you I wouldn't be here to this point

last but really important: a super mega THANK YOU to Thomas Bothe that decided to share his knowledge & experience with me.... and much more than that!!
I love you my friend-brother-father-teacher
God bless you forever :)

10/01/2019

new kalimba for Tomomi
Hira Choshi scale soundtest

10/01/2019

new prototype 15 notes - electro - acoustic kalimba with magnetic jingle add-on:
during the christmas I wanted to make a kalimba with buzzers but then I decided to try something new
so we used the magnetic system from Thomas Bothe
for a detachable jingle that vibrate while you play,
each note influence the intensity in a different way and of course using the wing nut you can deciide of much vibration you want,
the magnetic system can also be used to stick the kalimba to a percussion or any other resonator you have around. while you play you can shake the kalimba so you have an "extra tambourine" as rhythm section...easy :)
last but not less important we installed also a pickup so you can plug it to an amplifier like a guitar or go to effects.....the only limit is your fantasy
solid body: ash wood & african mahogany
size 11cm W x 14.5cm L x 3.5cm H
15 notes tuned by the mystical Thomas Bothe

100% Handmade in Kreuzberg - Berlin - Planet Earth

peace

23/12/2018

new dragon kalimba tuned and ready for adoption

indian mahogany root wood
13 notes tuned by Thomas Bothe

size: 9cm W x 15cm L x 3cm H

100% Handmade in Kreuzberg, Berlin, Planet Earth

here for videos:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BrmBH8tjEyh/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BrmDDWSDas6/

20/12/2018

new tibetan armour style kalimba ready for adoption:

I was a bit skeptic about using this indian mahogany root, the structure is not straight but.... it blew my mind, the sound is loud and clear, 13 notes tuned by the mystical Thomas Bothe....what else should I say??