Afroton Hugh Tracey AKA623 Kalimba

The Hugh Tracey Afroton Kalimba is a classic and light weight Kalimba with a resonating body.

This was one of the features I was looking out for when purchasing a kalimba, as there are also models without.
Those models generally produce a richer and fuller sound.
Beware though, this means some notes will resonate more heavily than others, so while they sound louder and fuller, they may not be as neutral.

The overall sound is great, quite loud for a kalimba and the tines feel nice.

Overall build quality is good.

What an amazing little instrument. The Aftoton Kalimba is unlike any other instrument that you are likely to find. The sound is unique.

First let me state this AKA623 model is actually a Hugh Tracey Kalimba (Alto Model). For those who do not know, when it comes to Kalimbas, Hugh Tracey models are the cream of the crop, they far surpass all other models.

Even though this small instrument looks like a toy, do not be fooled, it's a world class piece of kit that could be used by any top percussionist in the world. It's amazing what you can do with the 15 notes and the 2 vibrato holes, everything from simple nursery rhymes to a full rendition of Bob Marley's "Redemption Song" can be played on this small hand held wooden box.

It's build using the finest African hard wood, and comes with some instructions to start you on your Kalimba journey. This Kalimba is an instrument for everyone, from the smallest child to an old lady to a world class musician, the Hugh Tracey Kalimba will give you hours of endless pleasure.

It's also available with a built in pick up!

Je ne suis pas un spécialiste du Kalimba mais en possède un pour les enregistrements.

Celui-ci est de très bonne factures. Je l'ai choisit en raison du nombres de notes possible (15 notes accordées en Sol Majeur) et de sa qualité de fabrication.

Pas de surprise à la réception: la résonance du coffre en bois est bonne, les lamelles de métal sont très agréables à jouer car elles sont plates et sonnent bien également. Pour avoir pu comparer ce kalimba avec un autre (je ne me souviens plus de la marque mais celui-ci avait une forme ovale et des lamelles plus fines) et bien ce Kalimba était nettement plus précis et ample en terme de sonorité. Mais je pense qu'il y a également une question de gout qui entre en considération.