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Mahogany Thumb Piano

Name: Mahogany Thumb Piano
Rating: 4.8 (388 reviews)

Created by Paul and Sue Bergstrom

Paul and Sue Bergstrom's modern take on a traditional African thumb piano boasts an amp-compatible design.

star

388 Reviews

sentiment_satisfied What people liked about this item:

Great sound

Well made

Unique gift

Easy to play

Fun instrument

Beautiful craftsmanship

Portable design

$36.00 - $55.00

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Handmade

Independent Maker

Made in USA

What Makes It Uncommon

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All Thumbs

This petite instrument carries with it thousands of years of Zimbabwean musical tradition. Called a kalimba, mbira, mbila, or marímbula depending on the region in which it's played, the first version of this handheld thumb piano originated in Zimbabwe over 3,000 years ago. Lightweight and portable, the thumb piano was the chosen instrument of traveling troubadours, who would retell the history of their tribe in song.

Whether you use it to strike up your own story or to teach little ones about music, Paul and Sue Bergstrom's handcrafted thumb piano is the ideal instrument to carry a tune. Atop a beautiful, cedar plank are 8 numbered tines that correspond with traditional notes on the diatonic scale. The tines, or keys, are made of tempered spring steel that is hand-cut and rounded. To play, simply cradle the instrument in your hands and pluck the tines with your thumbs. This modern version is also amp-compatible, so it's ready for band play-alongs and to satisfy all your sampling needs! Handmade in Blairsville, Georgia.

Includes easy-to-follow songbook filled with traditional melodies like "You are my sunshine," "Kumbaya," and "Happy Birthday."

Click here to see how to connect electric version to an amplifier

About the Maker

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created by

Paul and Sue Bergstrom

location

Georgia

Nothing brings Paul and Sue Bergstrom more joy than sharing their love of music. From their home and workshop in the mountains of north Georgia, the couple crafts kalimbas, a type of thumb piano that originated in Africa, out of gourds and wood. When Paul creates an instrument, he works to "feel" the sound. "Only after my wife has installed the key set and tuned it do I get to hear the end result of my work," he says.

Aesthetic beauty is just as important, even when it can't be seen. A few years ago, Paul recalls a show where a young blind girl chose her own kalimba. When she found her match, a cannonball gourd, she knew instantly. "She said, 'It's beautiful, I can feel it,'" shares Paul. "In that moment, my wife and I realized that what we were doing was very right."

Made from

brass, nickel plated steel, mahogany, baltic birch wood, steel stamped metal

Measurements

6" L x 3" W x 2" D

Care

Use furniture polish to bring back wood luster

Notes

Acoustic and Electric versions function the same way - electric will simply be louder if connected to an amplifier
Please note, the Electric Thumb Piano does not come with an amp cord. Connection is a standard .25" jack.

Item ID

23519

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