May 1, 2025

For the last 6 years, the most popular kalimbas in the world have been the Chinese-made 17-Note kalimbas. 10 years ago, I would have said the Hugh Tracey Alto Kalimba was the most popular. Unfortunately, they are not being made anymore, but we still have a few Hugh Tracey Alto Kalimbas that you can get your hands on. But back to the 17-Note: the 17-Note Kalimbas are modeled on the Hugh Tracey Treble Kalimbas, which were the original kalimbas first made in South Africa in the 1950s. The tuning is easy and intuitive, with middle C, the root note, residing right in the middle on the lowest note. So, what

Are you a “numbers-based learner”? First of all, you may want to get our EZ Numbers Kalimba EBook! But then you might also be interested in getting this 10-Note Spiral Kalimba with stamped tines. Why do I call it the “Spiral Kalimba”? Because of the spiral-shaped wood burn design that my wife Su and I designed. (You can see more artwork by Su at “SuLuWashArt“.) If held at one angle, you can barely see the note names and numbers stamped into the tines. But if you change the angle or the illumination, you will clearly see the “C” and “1” on the central tines. You might think this is a