DIY 40-key Kalimba - Sound test, comparison and more

If you follow my Instagram (@kalimba.om) you'll know that we tried to make a 40-key doublelayered chromatic kalimba over the weekend. It was a fun experiment, and I am absolutely happy with the outcome. The kalimba, as you see in this video, was originally built differently, with the two rows of keys quite far apart. I dedcided to move the lower keys up to make it easy to play on both rows, hence the glue residue. I took some snapshots of the process and shared them on Instagram, if you're interested in the story behind it, please check it out.

In this video, I'm testing the sound of the 40-key kalimba and comparing it with Lingting K21W. There are two things I wish could be better on the 40-key: if only the keys were softer and the kalimba were less heavy. However, I think it exceeds my expectation, given the materials available.

Total cost: US $13.6
Cost breakdown:
- Body (Cutting board): US $4.28
- DIY 20-key kalimba kit (x2): $4.66 x 2 = $9.32

Kalimba Details:
- Board material: Walnut wood
- Board dimension (cm): 13 x 24 x 2.3
- Measurement between bridge and z bracket  (each set): 1.8 cm
- Measurement between top bridge and bottom backstop: 2.5cm
- Order of installing: bottom row first, top row last
- Logo engraving done at a laser printing shop


Watch my other DIY video in which I made a 34 chromatic kalimba: DIY Chromatic Kalimba

If you have any questions, please leave them in the Comment section below. If you enjoy this video, please Like and Subscribe to my channel for more kalimba covers. Thank you for your support! ❤️

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