The best castanets may vary from person to person, depending on each individual’s needs, but it’s not hard to miss a nice pair of castanets when you see them. While most castanets have a few things in common, including their small size, their general set of sounds and the fact that they’re used to clap together, other features like their material, specific size and overall feel can vary from model to model.
For an affordable, albeit high-quality, take on castanets, this LP Aspire Handheld Pair of Wooden Castanets is an excellent pick for beginners and experts alike, offering a bright wooden clack sound generated from nice hardwood.
How you plan to use your castanets may have a big impact on which models you buy. Like the best cajons, the best castanets are simply those most suited for their musical needs. If you’re teaching a class, for example, you might benefit most from buying castanets in bulk. On the other hand, a performing musician may want high-quality castanets that best suit the genre and sound style.
While traditional castanets are typically made from various hardwoods, you can find castanets in several different materials today. Wood castanets are perhaps the most common, though you can also find them made from materials like ebony, fiberglass, plastic and more.
Castanets come in a pair, one of which is slightly smaller and higher-pitched, also known as the female castanet, and the other of which is a bit larger and lower-pitched, also known as the male castanet. Players use the two castanets together, with the dominant hand bearing the female while the other hand bears the male.
The sound quality of a given pair of castanets will matter most to the seasoned percussionist, though it’s worth considering when looking at different castanet models. While the sound quality of castanets can vary based on various factors like their material, shape and size, it can be helpful to listen to videos of a given model to get a feel for their sound, if available.
Getting castanets in the proper size can make or break the playing experience since their size will affect how they fit into your hand and how you grip the instruments. In general, novice castanet players may want to consider starting with smaller castanets. In contrast, those with medium or large hands or those experienced at playing castanets may benefit from a full-sized pair.
While it may not matter for some, choosing a well-known percussion brand can help ensure you get a quality product. Sticking to name-brand percussion companies when buying your castanets is a great way to avoid knock-off items and other products that aren’t the highest quality.
Castanets can tend to range quite a bit in quality and price. In most cases, you can find a cheap pair of castanets for as low as $10. A pair of castanets with higher quality materials for use by amateur and professional flamenco percussion musicians may range from $20-$40.
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LP Aspire LPA131 Handheld Pair of Wooden Castanets
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Where to buy: Amazon
Doxishruky Wooden Finger Animal Pattern Castanets
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Mid-East Dobani Pair of Ebony 2 and 5/8-Inch Castanets
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Where to buy: Amazon
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Peter McGuthrie writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
