The Pearl 12" hand carved Mahogany djembe pays homage to the birthplace of the djembe, Malinke Village, West Africa. The drum features a solid one piece Mahogany shell, with traditional rope tuning and a natural goat skin head. Djembes are a traditional African instrument that offer a wide variety of sounds and are perfect for drum circles.

Bata drums originated in Nigeria over 500 years ago and were primarily used for religious purposes. The drums were introduced into Cuba by slaves in the 1820's. Pearl Batas are modeled after an ancient Cuban design and feature naturally finished 100% Thai Oak shells for outstanding and authentic tone. Polished steel traditional rims offer excellent tuning integrity and ease of tuning. These prized ceremonial drums have an hourglass shape and produce a great, warm tone similar to a bongo-like sound on the high drum and a djembe-like tone on the large drum.

The shekere is a West African percussion instrument consisting of a dried gourd with a woven netting of beads covering the gourd. The instrument is commonly used in West African and Latin American music and can also be heard in many popular forms of music. Pearl offers both natural gourd and synthetic shekeres in a variety of sizes. The instrument is played by slapping the bottom of the gourd and by shaking and twisting the netting in rhythmic patterns. The adjustable netting can the tightened for a quick response or loosened for a sloppy feel.

The body of Primero Cajons is constructed using MDF, Medium-density Fiberboard, or Shorea plywood creating a solid and durable sound chamber. Most models feature Meranti faceplates. Meranti is a wood known for its relative hardness and straight grain making it ideal for cajons. A built-in bass port magnifies the massive low-end tone of the Cajon while curly snare wires provide a bright, crisp snare response. Each of these Primero Cajons features a look as distinctive as the percussionist who plays them.

Since the inception of Pearl Percussion’s Elite Series of Congas and Bongos, the drums have been offered with 100% aged Thai Oak or Fiberglass shells. Now the Elite Series offers a combination of the two shell materials blended together. The Elite Series Wood-Fiber shells deliver the best of both worlds; the superior cut and projection of Fiberglass, warmed by the rich Thai Oak outer shell. Matching bongos are also available but sold separately. The Elite Series Wood-Fiber drums feature premium natural skin heads, polished Contour Crown rims and Pearl’s exclusive Self-Aligning Washer System that isolates the tension hooks from the inner walls of the lugs for greater tuning ease.

The Awakening Series has been expanded to include a series of natural nut shakers that provide earthy tones that complement the series. Kenari, Bendo, and Pangi nuts range in size from small, medium, and large and each size possesses unique sound properties that are utilized in the shakers. Kenari nuts are the smallest and their hard triangular exterior becomes a miniature sound chamber when played. The Kenari Nut Windchime features 26 strands of Kenari nuts with 6 nuts per strand. The Kenari Nut Shaker is 7” long and features 22 strands of nuts with 6 nuts per strand and a 5” nylon wrapped Rattan handle. The new Kenari Nut Bracelet Shaker features 14 individually strung Kenari nuts that can be worn by musicians to layer sounds while playing instruments like guitar or cajon.