Cajonico

There was a brief season more than 20 years ago when I tried to bring (normal, full-sized) cajons into my shop. It seemed at the time an obvious choice:  Several of the combos and bands I had been playing with were using cajons to great effect, and I loved playing alongside instrument. Even though I think I was too early to that market, my love for cajons never faded.

So when Thomas, the maker of Pantam Handpan Stands, approached me about trying out his Cajonico, I was definitely intrigued. It always seemed to me that a more laid-back percussion source would be an amazing complement to the handpan, and, at least on paper (and lots of videos), the Cajonico looked like the ideal instrument.

I was not wrong! This instrument is really fun to play, it's far more portable than a traditional cajon, and it is packed with sonic features:  Tunable response, separate bass and treble zones, separate snares that can be toggled off and on, adjustable castanets for a little extra energy, and a tuned bass port to enhance low-end response. 

As with anything that is well-engineered and made by hand, these are a little pricier than generic cajons. But my experience with the Cajonico is the exact same one I've had with my handpans:  No matter who I hand this to, they simply love playing it. It's a fun instrument that sounds great. You're going to love it.