When will the xylophone be ready?

Depending on how busy we are, the time from order to delivery is usually 2 months.

Will I get beaters with my xylophone?

Yes, we will supply you with a number of beaters for your xylophone depending on how large the xylophone is. A typical 11 key xylophone will come with 5 pairs of beaters.

Will my xylophone need to be treated?

We use good quality durable outdoor timbers  Larch, Douglas Fir and Oak, so there is no need to treat the timbers. Any treatment or stain is purely an aesthetic choice

How will my xylophone age?

If left natural, over time the timber will turn silver in colour. This can be left, or the xylophone can be sanded or sprayed with oxalic acid to return the wood to the original colour. 

What tuning will my xylophone be?

We can make the xylophones to any tuning you desire. The most popular 2 tunings are pentatonic and diatonic.  The Pentatonic scale consists of 5 notes (and multiples thereof) while the diatonic is the typical western ‘do ray me far so la te do’ scale. Pentatonic scales are good for improvisation and for rhythmical playing, whereas the diatonic would be most useful for playing certain songs on. Unless otherwise stated, our xylophones are usually made in the pentatonic scale.

Will my xylophone stay in tune?

The xylophone keys are tuned at an average moisture content, and seasonal fluctuations in tuning are likely to occur in times of highly wet/ dry conditions. The majority of the time, the xylophone will stay in tune with itself and, as the xylophone gets older, the more stable the wood becomes in relation to its environment and so the more stable the tuning will be. If you're xylophone does change it's tuning, we can arrange a retune for you, or simply enjoy the fact that the xylophone is a living instrument and may want to adapt and find it's own song in relation to it's environment.

How do I look after my xylophone?

 The xylophones are generally pretty low maintenance. You can sand the keys down each year to keep it looking fresh, and to smooth out any chips that may occur. If you are booking workshops, we will be able to keep an eye out on any maintenance that may be needed over time. Small amounts of maintenance work will not be charged in such cases. 

What if my xylophone needs any repairs?

 Please get in touch if your xylophone needs any repair and we will endeavour to fix the problem for you as soon as possible. There may be a charge for this, depending on the nature of the problem and your location. If you are booking a workshop we will offer any small repairs/ maintenance free of charge. 

Will the xylophone come ready assembled?

 If you are booking a workshop then we will assemble your xylophone free of charge as part of the school day. Otherwise the xylophone will come with full instructions for self assembly. Please allow 2 people approximately 1 hour to assemble the xylophone.

What if there are splits or cracks appearing in the product?

 Wood is a natural and living product. This means that each piece of timber will differ from the other. Natural products react to atmospheric changes. This causes wooden products to have a tendency to open up in splits as the wood expands and contracts due to loss of moisture in dry and sunny conditions. These splits will not compromise on the strength of the wood and will not affect the structural integrity of the product.  Maintenance of the surface may be required by sanding or planning smooth any splinters or scaling caused by the surface lifting. Splits are an inherent possibility with any wooden product and all manufacturers experience queries regarding splits from customers. We would like to ensure customers that the reliability of the product is not reduced and that we do not consider splits as faults, or that any of our products exhibiting splits is faulty. In most cases once the inner core of the wood has dried to the same level of the atmosphere virtually all splits will disappear.