My high school is in the process of purchasing a marimba. It will be used year-round, for marching and concert - so we have to go with a synthetic, for now. My band director and I are debating between Kelon and Acoustalon. I prefer the Acoustalon - resonance, feel, etc. She is open to either - based off of what other people have suggested. Most have gone with Kelon. Could anyone who has played extensively on either give me positives and negatives? I've also heard of the Acoustalon being affected by heat. When I've played on one, I've never had a problem with it. Acoustalon has a feel close to rosewood. Whenever we audition for district band, Solo & Ensemble, etc., a rosewood marimba is usually provided. Wouldn't that seem resonable enough? I want some input, here. Thanks!

Given the choice - Acoustalon or Kelon - it's a slam-dunk, no-brainer: go with the Acoustalon.

I find it difficult to believe that "most have gone with Kelon" in discussing the matter with your teacher. (Julia, I believe *you* when you tell us that; I just find the fact that most went w/Kelon hard to believe.)

Acoustalon isn't comparable to rosewood by any stretch of the imagination, but Kelon is an evil, evil substance...

JW

Hi Julia - There are several threads on this site that will partially answer your question. The first is #-1662 from (kyle) and is easily found if you do a word search on "acoustalon". The second is #-739 and requires the search term "synthetic" to reach that thread. The third thread starts with #-280 using the search word "kelon". Most of the commentary you will find has to do with the debate over synthetic vs. "real" wood, but understand that these musicians have 'NOT' restricted their remarks to just the domain of "marching percussion" instruments. Their intent is to guide the 'serious' students to instruments capable of the repertoire written for marimba and concert works and I find no fault with their advice given that setting. However, your quest led me to search elsewhere
and if I may suggest the GOOGLE.com accessible 'Newsgroup' (rec.music.maker.percussion) all you need do is drill down thru to the group shown and use the same search terms as above and you might also add 'marching marimba' too.

The most insightful commentary that I came across was from Tien "Trent" Dang a former Univ. of Oklahoma percussionist who has at least 100+ contributions on the above forum. I found his email address and I think you would be well served in sending the same question you posted here to him directly at (t.dang@netzero.net). There is a deep well of music knowledge in the 48 (first level) music groups at Google. The very fact that Greg Malcangi and Sean Olsen were contributing to a thread there kicked my enthusiasm way-UP!

My own .02 cent opinion is that the Musser M63 marching marimba, which I just purchased, on e-Bay sounds a little too bright into the range of the xylophone. I suppose that prejudice of mine comes from listening to Guatemalan Marimba all day at work and missing dearly the octave and 1/3 of bass that's not on this 2-octave baby. Yes, if anyone has these 15 keys in acoustalon I would be very interested in knowing your price per bar.

Good Luck with your research! (dn)

Note: I chose the M63 to practice with outdoors in CA 100% humidity and coastal fog at the lowest cost; sound familiar?

I have to agree with Jim Walker..Kelon is an "evil substance".. but I would add, so is acoustalon..same stuff really...but the holes do wonders...Personally, I would never play either one..when I tune fibreglass I wear a full-body jump suit, a face mask and plastic hat that looks like something from a Pluto space cadet outfit, a chemical filter breather mask and thick rubber gloves...
BUT, if you must use one. I would suggest the asoustalonaphone..It is closer in sound to rosewood...ALSO BUT, no matter what you get, if the instrument is abused the bars will break, even on a plastiphone...so be careful, good luck...

Bill