MusicRadar Verdict
While this Cherry Red Acrylic cajon is striking - an 'object of desire' - it is on the expensive side.
Pros
- +
Striking looks. Sounds great with brushes. Loud.
Cons
- -
Very expensive. Lacks warmth.
MusicRadar's got your back Our team of expert musicians and producers spends hours testing products to help you choose the best music-making gear for you. Find out more about how we test.
Bangkok-based Tycoon Percussion has grown to become the largest percussion manufacturer in Thailand. Here we look at one of its hybrid acrylic canons.
This environmentally-friendly, family-owned business offers some killer percussion. This month we have three of their cajons to put to the test. We hope to coax a range of kit and hand percussion sounds from this ever-popular and potentially versatile acoustic instrument.
"With over 70 models to choose from, Tycoon's cajon range is as extensive as it is varied"
With over 70 models to choose from, Tycoon's cajon range is as extensive as it is varied. Though many are constructed from wood, there is also a choice of fibreglass, acrylic or hybrids of wood/acrylic. Cajons from Tycoon's Vertex Series, for example, have a unique pyramid shape, while the Supremo and Legacy series are more conventionally formed.
Tycoon also offers percussion hybrids with a mix of cajon and a djembe, bongo or conga. These are available in a variety of shapes and sizes, closely mimicking the sound and, often, the actual shape of the original instrument.
Build
For review, we have a Cherry Red hybrid, with an acrylic body and exotic Black Makah tapa. It's one of the most expensive in the Tycoon range and - with its bulky 10mm-thick acrylic body, it is also the heaviest.
The semi-transparent body allows a glimpse of the innards with the reinforcing post, snare wires and through the bottom section, the chunky rubber feet. This model warrants some sort of internal lighting, put to great effect on Tycoon's 'Lightbox' cajon.
Hands On
The acrylic is a powerful beast and, at times, is surprisingly loud when played with palms on the hands. When compared like for like, it lacks the woody warmth and depth of a full wood cajon. However, when played with a pair of cajon brushes, the textured surface of the Exotic Black Makah grain allows a convincing swish, showing a more delicate and subtle side
"No, we do not intend to add four more instrument tracks to Move": Ableton responds to critics of Move's limited track count
The new SM-5 monitors from Kali Audio are its most advanced and promise unparalleled accuracy, imaging, and translation
“I have this heart-first attachment to it”: Miley Cyrus on the Pink Floyd classic that served as the unlikely inspiration for her “hypnotising and glamorous” new album
