Reddit reviews Meinl Percussion 14" Frame Drum, Extra Deep Shell Irish Bodhran-NOT MADE IN CHINA-Goat Skin Head, Brown Burl, 2-YEAR WARRANTY, FD14IBO
We found 1 Reddit comments about Meinl Percussion 14" Frame Drum, Extra Deep Shell Irish Bodhran-NOT MADE IN CHINA-Goat Skin Head, Brown Burl, 2-YEAR WARRANTY, FD14IBO. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
Extra deep hardwood shell: this Bodh ran measures 14" X 6" And is made with an extra deep hardwood shell in order to produce a rich, full sound; sounds great when played with or without a tipperDampening ring: this Irish Bodh ran comes equipped with a dampening ring around the rim, creating a more rounded out tone and minimizing overtonesCross bar removed: This particular model has removed The traditional cross bar to allow room for your hands to apply direct pressure to the head and perform contemporary pitch-bending techniquesGoat skin head: The high quality goat skin head on this produces a warm and bold sound with a short attack, providing a desirable sound for traditional Celtic folk music (tunable with provided Allen wrench)Add cultural sounds: the unique timbre of the body ran drum is designed for traditional Celtic styles but it may be used in contemporary music to add unexpected flavors
I'm actually going to go against the grain here and say that you should avoid one with a cross-brace even for a beginner (though absolutely go for a tunable with a synthetic head). No reason to develop bad habits or dependencies, and playing without a brace isn't really any harder to learn.
One of my past bandmates played one of these for quite a bit while he saved for his Alfonso, and loved it (he called it his 'black sheep'). It's got a much bass-ier sound than you'll find from most (not bad on the surface, but something to know), and was pretty fun to play. I don't play bodhran often, but I'm considering getting one of these for myself - it's a decent intermediate instrument with a beginner-level cost.
I've also heard folks say some nice things about the Meinl ones available on Amazon, though I haven't gotten to play one myself.
And, as mentioned elsewhere, Albert Alfonso and Metloef are widely considered to be excellent drums. If your SO is already a practiced bodhranista, one of these makers may be a good bet.
Outside of those recommendations, my thoughts: