Which kalimba should you buy? A practical buying guide

For most people the best first kalimba is a 17-key model in C major. It has enough range for thousands of songs and nearly every tab online is written for it. Choose an 8-key mini kalimba only if it is for a young child or a small extra to carry around.

After that, the choice is mostly about sound and looks: wood or acrylic, a flat board or a hollow box. Below we go through each decision, what should be in the box and what to watch out for.

The 17-key kalimba is the standard. Ours span C4 to E6, a little over two octaves of the C major scale. That is enough for most folk songs, children's songs, film themes and pop melodies, often with simple chords underneath. Tab books, video lessons and song websites almost all assume 17 keys.

Choose 17 keys if you want to learn to play properly, follow online tabs or play songs with a wider range.

A mini kalimba has one octave of the C major scale, C to the next C. It is small, light and cheap, so it suits young children, a pocket instrument or a first try. The limit is the range: many songs simply do not fit in eight notes. Read more in our comparison of 8-key and 17-key kalimbas.

There are also 21-key models and chromatic kalimbas with sharps and flats. They are for players who already know what they are missing. For a beginner, they mostly add complexity. See Chromatic kalimba: do you need one?.

Wood gives a warm, round tone. Different woods sound a little different, but the differences are smaller than the difference between a flat board and a box. In our shop you will find wooden 17-key models in mahogany and sapele, such as the Curved Mahogany Kalimba.

Wood can react to moisture and big temperature swings, so do not leave it in a hot car or next to the heater.

Acrylic (a clear, hard plastic) gives a bright, clear tone with a long ring. It looks striking, especially clear models where you see the tines and bridge through the body. It is also less sensitive to humidity than wood. Our acrylic models come in clear and with illustrations, like the Clear Crystal Kalimba.

Acrylic shows scratches and fingerprints more easily, so a case is worth having.

This makes more difference to the sound than the material.

• Flat board (solid body): the tines sit on a solid plate. The sound is clear and direct, a bit quieter, and the notes ring on for a long time.
• Hollow box (resonator): the tines sit on a box with a sound hole. It is louder and fuller. If there are holes at the back, you can cover and open them with your fingers for a wah-wah or vibrato effect.

Neither is better. If you play mostly alone at home, a board is lovely. If you want more volume or like effects, pick a box.

A kalimba is ready to play out of the box, but a few things make life easier. Every kalimba in our shop comes tuned to C major with a tuning hammer, and the 17-key models have numbered tines. Other things worth having:

• A case. A hard case protects the tines from being bent in a bag. There is also a shoulder bag if you travel light.
• Note stickers. Handy if you or your child are just starting.
• Songs. You do not need a book to start. Our song library has playable tabs.

Want it all in one go? The Kalimba Starter Set contains a 17-key kalimba, a hard case, note stickers and a tuning hammer for €69.

• Very cheap kalimbas with no tuning hammer. Every kalimba needs a touch-up now and then. Without a hammer you are stuck.
• Kalimbas that do not say which notes they have. If a listing does not mention the key (usually C major) or range, you cannot match it to tabs.
• Crooked or uneven tines. Tines should point straight towards you, evenly spaced. Large gaps or tines that touch make playing difficult.
• Buying for looks alone. A beautiful kalimba with 10 keys in an unusual tuning can be frustrating if you want to follow tabs.

A kalimba is a good gift because the receiver can play something on the first day. Our sets and gifts include a Gift Box. For children, read Kalimba for kids first.

We ship to the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Austria and France. Delivery takes 7 to 15 business days, and shipping is free from €50.

Not sure yet? Try the playable kalimba on the home page to hear the range of a 17-key model. Then browse the 17-key collection.