Kalimba Magic 17-Note Heart Kalimba

This 17-Note kalimba tuned to C is similar to several different brands of kalimba from China, but is different in three ways: different tine metal from a new source makes this kalimba sound especially sweet; the heart-shaped sound hole makes this kalimba special; and the kalimba can come to you with its tines painted in the color of your choice (or unpainted, if you choose), and the format of the tine-painting will match the largest collection of kalimba tablature and kalimba instructional material in the world.

The heart-shaped sound hole represents my love for the kalimba - and hopefully yours too! The wood-etched shadow of the heart echos the forms of both a dolphin and a bird, representing wild and free life. The wood-etched stars represent the hope for a sparkly, sparkly future for all people, for all beings on our planet, and for your kalimba playing as well!

The painted tines make reading kalimba tablature a simple and pleasurable task. We now have three instructional downloads just for the 17-Note kalimba in C.

While the 17 notes of this kalimba may be overwhelming for a beginner, this instrument can be simplified by "blocking off" the upper 7 notes, leaving the central 10 notes and using the instructional materials for the 10-Note kalimba.

Because of that, I can recommend this kalimba for virtually anyone - for beginners, for intermediate players, and for advanced players.

While this kalimba is the same size as the Hugh Tracey Treble kalimba, it is made with thinner wood and thus weighs a bit less than the Hugh Tracey, so it could be easier for smaller persons to handle. The tines are softer and thinner metal, which means this one is easier on your thumbs if you are a beginner. While the sound is beautiful, it is still a bit tinny when compared to the Hugh Tracey kalimba.

Paint options: we paint 6 tines on these kalimbas, which is what you need if you want to use the Kalimba Magic books or downloads. If you want to get only 5 painted tines in order to use the Chinese instructional system, you will want a different painting system - ask for it in a COMMENT when you check out. If you get the kalimba unpainted, you can color the tines with Sharpie marker however you want. Or, if you get the Double Tine Painting System (with two different colors) you can use both the Kalimba Magic and the Chinese instructional materials.