I have never owned a frame drum, or any type of drum really, so bought this on faith...(err, price). My main desire was to learn how to call down the spirits while simultaneously bugging my neighbors with the noise, then maybe walking barefoot to a nearby park and joining a ganga smoking drum circle to show off my lack of skills.<br /><br />Seriously, I bought this little drum strictly for pleasure. I've always been a fan of drumming but never owned any of my own.<br /><br />It is a quality made product, for sure, the only ding against it is that the product description (as many others have said) is not accurate. No it doesn't have holes or a thumb hole in the rim, which I suppose would've been a plus. (Really, that's my only critical comment about the product)<br /><br />I'm a newbie, and I look forward to playing with this to learn the basics! The 10 inch drum feels awkward to me though, but that's mainly because I've never used a frame drum before. We'll see how this goes! :-)

The drum is top quality, no doubt about it. The tone is so beautifully clear. I am absolutely in love with this drum. The only thing I would say is that people with small hands like mine should be aware that the frame is really wider - wider than I would have imagined - and it unfortunately does not have a cut-out to make holding it easier. If you have small hands, I would consider the thin frame.

perfect for my son just starting out.

Nice sound. I just wish it had come with a drumstick.

For sound, I wish I could have ordered a bigger drum with a deeper sound. But bigger would not have fit in my suitcase (!). For holding in my hand, I wish I could have managed with a smaller drum. If I need to do a lot more, I will probably drill holes in the frame and put leather strings through to make it easier to hold. All in all, though, given the constraints I had, it worked well for me.

Nice little drum, but not the deep sound I like.

Thought there would be a cutout handle, there is none. However, emits a great sound.

Let me just get the con out of the way so that I can begin to describe this wonderful instrument.<br /><br />Con: In the description it says that this drum comes with a thumb notch, and four holes around the circumference of the drum allowing for rope or string to be used to suspend the drum, this is not the case. Though the thumb notch is present, there are no holes to suspend the drum.<br /><br />Now onto the happy stuff. This drum is a very enjoyable instrument. If you're at beginning drummer and don't want to deal with the hassle of tuning a drum, or wether issues getting in the way of your playing, this is the drum for you. The sound is nice although if you want a lower tone, you will need to go to a 16 or 18 inch drum or higher. It has an almost melodic tone to it. It's lightweight and very very fun to play. A wooden spoon will suffice if you don't want to spend the money on a remo mallet at this time. I've had my drum for almost a month, and enjoy playing it daily. May you have much enjoyment with your instrument!