Meinl Percussion DDG-BOX Compact Travel Didgeridoo, Mahogany (8 1/2" x 5")

So, I bought this on a lark, since it was so cheap.I think the company is doing this just so I'll buy a full size one.Or 10. I probably will, lol.I watched a frikkin youtube vid on how to make sound with this, and it took only like 15 minutes.I can't even make sound for 30 seconds yet, but I'm only on day two of playing the thing.TL;DR;If you are even REMOTELY interested in playing a didge, go ahead and get something from this company.Get this one if you want to pack it.It DOES sound like ones I've heard friends play.Long Story:Just FYI, my family makes & sells beeswax candles. Handrolled beeswax candles, 12" tall.So, we usually have several 1-4" leftovers laying about.I naturally understood, after trying for 10 minutes, exactly where the wax needed to be placed on this instrument, and I was able to fashion a used beeswax candle as needed.I did have trouble forming my mouth to the instrument itself.I feel as a newbie, you NEED to use wax for the mouth-seal.For others, I would recommend simple paraffin canning wax, as you can cut a piece, hold it in your hands for 15-25 minutes, and shape as you see fit. (Depends on how hot you are, heh... )For the beeswax candle, I had to use a hairdryer and quite a bit of persuasion. Resulting in slightly crisp fingers on my left hand.Profuse amounts of alcohol previously during the night helped to bear the heat...I think the reason for the beeswax vs paraffin is due to the higher melting point of beeswax?Not sure.But I think that once you actually get the beeswax shaped as you want, it will not deform from your body heat. Try the paraffin first, if it moves, it's easy to reshape.If reshaping it bugs you, then go to beeswax.To sum up, excellent value for money, get one if you have the SLIGHTEST interest.I got going in 30 minutes, including the wax.

I received this item and began carrying it in my suitcase approx. 6 weeks ago. I am a weekly business traveler and had been looking at a travel didj for a while. This was the best rated of the ones I looked at, so I figured, "why not?". The wood is smooth and uniform with no sharp edges or splinters. It feels to be rather solid and well made, and has held up well so far with 6 weeks of usage. Is it anywhere near as loud as a five foot long eucalyptus didgeridoo? Not even close, but that's one of the main characteristics I was looking for (aside from size). I know that I can sit in my hotel room every night and rock out on this thing and not have to worry about the people in adjoining rooms calling the front desk to complain about me. As far as negatives (to some, not me), higher pitched vocals seem to be out of the question, and it feels like it takes a lot more lung power to keep a strong rhythm going. As such, I don't know that I would recommend this to a beginner or to someone who is looking to really play. To me, this is a purpose built instrument and fits my needs perfectly: compact enough to easily fit in a carry-on (without having to sacrifice too much space), quiet enough to play in a hotel room and convenient enough that I have no excuse not to play every night. If you're in a similar situation, or if all you're looking for is something to circular breathe on to build/maintain lung capacity with, I highly recommend this product.

I bought this almost a year ago, and have used it 5 minutes to 20 minutes a day, along with an incentive spirometer, to improve my lung capacity. I sleep better, and my flow meter and spirometer numbers are greatly improved. I knew that if I used a regular big ole' didg, it would stay in the closet, but this portable unit sits on an end table and gets picked up and used with ease. It's humid here, and I need to worry about saliva inside not drying, so in the wet season I put it near (but NOT too near) to the heater overnight to make sure it doesn't grow any mold. Keep it a few feet away -- mine bubbled up a little on a part of the varnish when it got too close. No big deal, just a few bubbled up bits, but take care. I alternate 8 - 12 long blows on the didg, aiming for the longest, steady drone, then a similar number of draws on the spirometer. I had steady, slow improvement for 4 months or so, and then a breakthrough that I could feel just opening up, and a really big, continuing improvement that just took off a week or so after I thought, "Oh, I'll never get to a normal spirometer draw for my age." Well, I did, and then I surpassed that. I've never tried anything more effective for me. Your mileage may vary.

What I love about this didj is the beautiful wood, light weight, and miniature size (like a somewhat long & fairly thick paperback book). It's incredibly handy and great to carry along on trips. I always have it beside my desk to grab whenever I feel like having a little practice. The sound is pretty decent for such a small instrument, but it doesn't begin to match even a modest-quality "normal" wood or pvc didgeridoo. In that regard, the 4 star rating is a bit generous. But the convenience of this little didg means that I do a lot more impromptu practicing than I would otherwise. And the price is reasonable, it's fun to play, and it's very easy to carry around--so I'm happy to give it a high recommendation.