Percussion Plus Slap – djun djun

Our djembes are all made by hand using top quality materials and traditional techniques.

Wooden Djembes

Our wooden drums are made from logs of sustainably grown mahogany and are certified by the international SVLK system. The smaller sizes are made from timber offcuts left over after bigger pieces have been selected for furniture, flooring or for bigger drums.

The wooden log is cut to size and then turned on a lathe to produce the rough djembe shell. The rough shell is then finished by hand to high standards of shape, thickness and smoothness. The top rim is very carefully rounded and finished so as to give a comfortable playing experience, and the inside shape is honed so that the drum can later produce a good balance of frequencies produced byt the main slap, bass and tone techniques.

The drum shell is then treated against insect infestation and left to dry in the sun for several days so that the moisture content reduces. After this a groove is carved slightly above the drum waist ready to receive the first of 3 welded steel rings, which will later provide the foundation for the drum’s stringing. The 3 steel rings are made from strong steel rods, which are cut to length and welded into circles. The lower ring has to be welded right onto the drum. You’ll find that lesser quality drums often use plaited metal wires instead of welded steel and over time these can move or stretch and can cause problems.

Next the shell is treated either with natural linseed oil or a natural-base sealer, to protect it against scratching, or, if it’s a painted style, the shell is sent off to the painting specialists.

After this a piece of high quality tanned goatskin is cut to size and fitted over the drum head under the top metal ring. The drum skin we use is thicker than that used by many other suppliers as we’ve found that this not only makes the drums much more durable, but also makes for a mellower tone. Next we use traditional stringing techniques to stretch the goatskin between the three metal rings, gradually increasing the tension until it produces a satisfying note. We always leave enough spare string attached to the Djembe so that, should you need to, it will be possible to use this to tune it up at some later date using the Mali weave technique (see Care & Maintenance section). We then add further coats of linseed oil or sealer and our signature rubber base, which not only protects the drum from cracking if it gets dropped, it also protects polished floors and tables from impact damage as well.

Finally we check the playing head diameter and other dimensions, we re-check all the drum edges and surfaces to make sure there are no splinters or sharp edges, we recheck the finishing quality and the tuning and, if necessary, retune the drum. Only then does the Djembe get final QC signed off as meeting Drums for Schools standards.

Bamboo Djembes

Our unique bamboo djembes are made using traditional basket weaving techniques using the skin from locally harvested bamboo. The weaving is done over a mould the shape of the djembe, to ensure that the finished product is a standard size.

A strong wooden ring, shaped exactly the same as the top of a wooden djembe, is then connected to the bamboo shell and the bamboo shell is reinforced on the inside with a mix of resin and sawdust. This gives rigidity to the drum and it also makes sure that it’s completely air-tight and resonant.

A thick natural goatskin is then stretched over the drum head and tightened using exactly the same traditional techniques as are used for our wooden djembes and a rubber base is also added, same as for the wooden ones.

Finally we check the playing head diameter and other dimensions, we re-check all the drum edges and surfaces to make sure there are no splinters or sharp edges, we recheck the finishing quality and the tuning and, if necessary, retune the drum. Only then does the Djembe get final QC signed off as meeting Drums for Schools standards.

Djembes and other drums are extremely tough and will give satisfaction for 5 to 10 years and longer, if you treat them with care and follow the guidelines below.

Wooden Drums

Wooden drum shells should be kept at a reasonably constant temperature and humidity (normal room temperature is best) and not placed near to a heat source or stored in damp conditions.

Be sure not to let the skin get damp as, if it does, it will lose its tension, and when the tension goes, the sound becomes loose and flat. If you do have an accident you can always try using a hair dryer (set to ‘low’) to warm up and tighten the skin, or put it in the sun for twenty minutes and it will soon dry out and the tension and sound will recover.

You may find that there’s a small bag of wedges supplied with your Djembe. These are for quickly tuning it up on cold damp days or if you want a higher pitch for solo work or performance. Just push the wedges in between the vertical drum strings and the wooden drum shell, spreading the wedges out evenly around the drum. This will increase the tension of the strings and increase the pitch of the drum. You can buy extra wedges very cheaply – click here.

You may also wish to learn how to tune a Djembe using the traditional Mali weave technique, which uses the spare rope wrapped around the Djembe and is a long term solution. This is the professional way to do it and will give you much more control. Take a look at the following video and try it for yourself. Once you’ve done it a couple of times, you’ll find it’s very quick and easy.

The minimum warranty / manufacturers guarantee for products sold on this site us for a period of one year. Many products have a longer warranty period and this will be stated on the page where such products are advertised.

If the goods you receive are faulty please return them to us in their original condition within 30 days and we will either repair or replace them, or refund the cost of the goods. If the goods you receive are not what you ordered, please return them to us in their original condition within 14 days and we will either replace them with the goods you ordered, or refund the cost of the goods and carriage. 

We work with a small number of specialist logistic companies to deliver your order quickly and economically. The delivery method varies, depending on your location and the size of the order, as follows:

UK Locations

Orders up to 5kg – Courier 2 to 3 working day delivery. This would typically include books, smaller instruments, percussion baskets and djembes up to 40cm.

Orders over 5kg – Courier, next working day delivery. Most orders are sent this way.

Large orders – Pallet service, 3 to 5 working day delivery. Used for large orders and those with more fragile contents.

Please note:

1. Above timings are from dispatch date. Time from placing your order will usually be one or two days longer, depending on the order and destination.
2. Delivery to offshore or Highland addresses may take longer and may cost more than to UK mainland addresses and we’ll quote and agree the costs with you in advance. Please note that in these cases it’s fine to go ahead and place your order, and there’s no obligation on your part until the delivery costs have been quoted and accepted by you.
3. For some destinations, where a courier service isn’t available, we may send by Royal Mail instead.

International Locations

Orders weighing less than 1kg and not too bulky – Post Office Airmail. This would include books and smaller percussion instruments.

Orders weighing more than about 1kg and large orders – international courier or pallet service. We’ll obtain competitive quotes and agree these with you in advance.

Please note that it’s fine to go ahead and place your international order prior to confirming shipping costs, and that there’s no obligation on your part until the delivery costs have been quoted and accepted by you. Payment for international orders, including shipping costs, is required before dispatch of the goods.

Returns

Please let us know straight away if anything arrives damaged or otherwise in a substandard condition and we’ll be happy to replace it, refund the cost or provide you with an alternative product to your satisfaction. Speed is of the essence here as most courier companies will only accept responsibility for damage in transit if the damage is reported within 24 hours of delivery.

 In the event of damage, please take photographs, including any damage to the packaging, and email these to us ASAP.

Similarly, if an instrument  develops a fault within 12 months of purchase in the course of normal use (though excluding fair wear and tear), please let us know, and we’ll replace it or refund the cost. It’s also very helpful for us to see photos of the issue as this gives us solid information for changing the design, the production method or the packing materials.

But please do contact us before returning any damaged or substandard items. Once we’ve approved their return, please send to:  Drums for Schools Limited, 21 Shaftesbury Avenue, Burton Joyce NG14 5GL 

We really appreciate your feedback in the case of faults (or if you think an instrument could be improved in any way) and we take all such feedback very seriously indeed.