Vangoa 17 Key Kalimba African Thumb Piano Mahogany Wood with Tuning Hammer, Cloth Bag, Stickers, Pickup

Beautiful instrument 💟

I brought this as a present, and my boyfriend loved it! A couple of the prongs arrived bent/out of tune but it wasn’t anything he couldn’t fix

I love the kalimba and it arrived before I expected

Let me start by stating that I did not buy this kalimba. I was sent it as an apology for issues I had with another Vangoa product which is in the process of being replaced. Excellent customer service which, as we all know, isn't always the case.The kalimba is new to me but I'm sure I'll soon become very familiar with it (though familiarity is no guarantee that I'll become accomplished in playing it!).It seems well made, very smooth, quite light and easy to hold. The lettering around the sound hole is etched / engraved, as are the Vangoa logo and name which can be seen in the sound hole and top side respectively. Lovely touches which suggest a quality product.It came pre-tuned - I tested against one of the free tuning apps available - and so I haven't had to use the tuning hammer provided yet and can't comment on how easy it is to tune. However, there seems to be plenty of guidance freely available on YouTube on how to tune and play.As it's a small instrument, it is relatively quiet (I'm sure my neighbours will appreciate that!) and so you can practice with it anywhere without causing offence and its portability means you can carry it anywhere in the case provided.It generally has a lovely tone and the tines are generally easy to pluck. You may need to grow your thumbnails a little and the higher note tines require a little more pressure to get the desired sound.As for the accessories, the pick up works well with my little practice amp which when attached to the back of the kalimba does not get in the way of holding.The notes are engraved on the tines so the note stickers aren't really necessary and look like they could be a little tricky to apply. The red and green tine stickers add some colour should you choose to use them and will aid when following tabs.I haven't used the thumb guards and don't think that I'll be needing them but the could come in handy if some protection is required.The case will be great for carrying the kalimba with you and being compact will take up little room if travelling further afield.So, in conclusion, I think this is a great little instrument which will give hours of fun. I suspect a few of my relatives will be getting one of these for Christmas!