Leiva Cajons

I am often asked,

"What's so special about Leiva cajons?"

My initial answer is,

"They're just good, reliable instruments, with a great sound, innovative & professional features that you don't find on other drums of this price."

J Leiva cajons (to give them their full title) are new to the UK market and are hand made in Cordoba, Andalusia, Spain; the heart of flamenco music, by a company passionate about their instruments. All cajons feature external snare tensioning mechanism(s); one, two or three knobs on the back which increase snare tension when turned clockwise (tighter snare sound) or decrease snare tension when turned anti-clockwise (more snare rattle). Some models feature additional reflex bass ports to deliver a punchier bass note. All have excellent separation between the high tones and bass tones without the myriad of mid-tones that contribute towards a more boxy sound typical of cheaper cajons by other brands. Even their cheapest cajon produces a sound that is rarely found on drums made by other manufacturers at twice the asking price. So for less than £100 you can have a drum that sounds like a typical £200 cajon.

Materials range from beech to birch to eco-woods (including pine). The theory tells me that non-birch drums should sound grossly inferior; the reality says that they do not. Of course there are subtle differences in tones and sound profiles, but somehow the sound quality remains excellent and professional across the whole range from budget to top-end professional/studio models.

Birch is still the material of choice for a tight, punchy sound with a wide dynamic range, but Leiva beech cajons (Mezquita & Mezquita Classe models) also achieve a great sound, as do all of their cajons made from the other woods.

Please don't think I'm sponsored by Leiva to write this; I most definitely am not. My basic philosophy has always been that I only recommend or sell instruments that I would be happy to play myself and indeed, the core of my service is that I personally choose every cajon I sell, not just select a box and ship it.  I don't keep drums in stock; instead I visit my supplier (the UK importer of Leiva cajons) and work my way through their stock until I find a drum that matches the needs/specification of my customer.

Why is this?

Firstly, EVERY cajon sounds different; 10 drums from the same manufacturer and same line will sound different. Why? I don't really know except that they're handmade instruments and presumably subtle differences like density of wood used, amount of glue and other 'inconsistencies' add to each drum's individuality.

Secondly, I believe that every customer deserves to receive the drum they want rather than just 'any old drum'.  This is much easier when one can go into a shop and try them out. But how many shops stock multiple examples of the same drum  and, without trying to be condescending, how many average drum shop assistants understands about cajons? They are a specialist instrument and from personal experience, the majority of assistants are drum kit players to whom the cajon is simply 'a box that sounds like a drum kit.'

Although I play a Leiva cajon, I have 5 others in my collection by other manufacturers that fulfil different musical needs and situations. I keep my advice impartial, so it is not unusual for me to recommend a 'non-Leiva' drum to an enquirer, especially if they are not UK-based and the shipping costs are prohibitive.

So, if you're going to choose a cajon, what would be my recommendations?

1. Whenever possible, listen to the drum you're buying. Try it out in a variety of positions within the shop as surroundings greatly influence the sound (and that in addition to the materials from which the cajon is manufactured).
2. Always get someone to play the cajon whilst you stand away from it (directly in front, to the sides and behind); they sound very different in each different position and by moving around you'll get a much better overall example of the drum you're trying and it will always sound very different compared with what you hear when you're sat on the drum
3. Go for the sound you want, NOT the name on the front. Many high profile manufacturers make inferior sounding drums; check them out. Conversely, smaller manufacturers may make excellent sounding drums that don't break the bank.
4. If you can't check the drums out yourself, find someone you trust, tell them what you want (e.g., type of music you play, sound profile, portability, price) and allow them to make the choice for you.

If you're interested in learning more about cajons, their history, manufacture, features and sounds, along with how to choose the best cajon for your needs why not have a look at my web page http://www.waywood.com/choosing_my_cajon.html; hopefully you'll be able to pick up lots of tips on choosing a cajon that will fit your needs.

If you want any personal advice, I'm always happy to answer your questions. Send an e-mail to stuart at waywood dot com or use any of the Contact Us  links at the foot of the web pages on the Waywood Music web site.

I hope this helps and am always happy to receive your feedback, publicly and privately.

Thanks for reading & take care.

Stuart