The folks at Jinlei were kind enough to send an 18” Ash Nagado Taiko for review, however the thoughts and opinions in this article are entirely my own.
Jinlei Music is based in Fujian, China and specializes in high-end custom instruments, including custom taiko drums, for professional performers.
I recently came across Jinlei Music (@jinleimusic) on Instagram, and what really caught my eye were the solid body taiko.
A solid body (kurinuki) taiko means that the shell is made of a hollowed-out piece of wood. Compared to taiko made of several staves, solid body taiko are much more durable. Aside from lasting longer, it also means you can use thicker heads, which is the sound we expect from this type of taiko.
The downside is that solid body taiko require a large tree, and as a result are much rarer and more expensive. This can really add up when purchasing multiple taiko for an ensemble.
Pricing
The drum in the video is a 1.5 shaku (18 inch) Ash shell that retails for $2700. A comparable drum from one of the top manufacturers would cost around $3800-4500. The Jinlei taiko cost around 30-40% less.
Quality of the Instrument
The heads sound like they’re brand new because they are, but I think they will sound great once they’re broken in. The rim sounds nice and crisp, and the drum is very responsive, which is great, but it’s almost too responsive but I think will mellow out as the head gets broken in.
The only critique I had was that the kan – which are the metal handles – are very tight and difficult to manipulate, but then again that also means they probably won’t rattle.
My personal opinion after playing this drum is that it’s a great option for taiko players worldwide including the United States. Until now, there really wasn’t anything that bridged the gap between the staved, wine barrels drums and the ultra-premium solid body drums both in terms of quality and price point. More choices is always a great thing.
Overall Experience
The folks at Jinlei were very responsive and a pleasure to work with. Whenever I buy taiko, I put a lot of emphasis on the relationship with the manufacturer. The experience was wonderful and I would gladly work with them again.
About Jinlei Music (https://jinlei-music.com/)
Jinlei Music is part of Xindongfang Musical Instruments Co., Ltd., a company with over 40 years of experience in the musical instrument industry. Established by Mingliang Zheng in 1987 and now led by his son Xican Zheng, Xindongfang has grown into a global leader in traditional Chinese percussion and custom taiko drums.