Pearl
Elite & Primero Cajons |
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Pearl
& Primero Cajons Both models have 4 internal snare wires which are adjusted (i.e. tightened or loosend) using internal tuning pegs which are identical to guitar tuning pegs. Pearl’s documentation states that the snares can be turned off for “Peruvian style playing” or left on for “Spanish Flamenco style” playing. However, there is no simple way to turn them off as you have on a snare drum. What you do have is a basic Velcro strip across the wires which can be removed or left in place. |
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 If
you remove the Velcro strip the snares sound louder of course, however,
if you leave the Velcro strip in place the snares are dampened somewhat,
but still affect the sound. Not a very effective method actually. Some
kind of on/off external knob would be preferable because getting the velcro
strip back in the correct place when you can’t actually see what
you are doing (because your hand is inside the cajon and the access hole
is not very large) is a tricky process to say the least! I think most
players would choose to leave the snares on anyway because for me the
resulting sound is nicer, the snares providing a welcome element to the
sound. Of the two,
the Elite cajon sounds better, producing a noticeably more Elite Cajon Downbeats: Primero Cajon Downbeats: Prices (Feb. 2009): |
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resonant
bass response when playing in the centre of the front plate, and good
high tone “snare” sound along the top edge. It just seemed
easier to get all the sounds you want to get from a cajon using the
Elite. Having said that, the Primero cajon also sounds pretty good,
providing you know how to coax the best sounds out of it – which
is of course is also very much down to technique – and it is nearly
£50 cheaper than the Elite – which is a sizable chunk of
change in anyone’s pocket!