Dunun (also known as dundun and doundoun) is the generic name for a family of West African bass drums that developed alongside the djembe in the Mande drum ensemble. Dunun patterns are the heart of a rhythm – while the djembe and hand drum parts are often interchangeable, the dunun pattern is unique. The Kenkeni has the highest pitch and usually holds the rhythm together with a simple pattern. The Sangban typically plays a more complex part that defines the rhythm. The Dununba often serves to add depth with widely spaced notes and long cycle patterns.
We stock a huge range of duns, from light weight mini & stumpy duns that are perfect for kids and school programs right up to pro-level hardwood duns from across the West African region.
If you’re a discerning musician looking for a professional level dun set for life then look no further
Our Master Serues duns hit the mark in every respect!
We have chosen the very best premium quality hardwood shells from across the region.
Timbers include the dense Tiger Grain Khadi, the spiritual hardwood Lenke & dark Djala from Guinea, Mali and Burkina Faso.
We then skin our MS duns with thick Australian Dairy Cow.
We use hgh tensile 5mm rope for the rings and vericals so you can be sure every dun will stay in tune longer and require less maintenance.
The combination of the dense hardwood and thick cow produces very pure tonal range and huge projection
Click the cart link below to view our Master Dunun series or watch our video for more details on our Master Dunun series.
Our Master Serues duns hit the mark in every respect!
We have chosen the very best premium quality hardwood shells from across the region.
Timbers include the dense Tiger Grain Khadi, the spiritual hardwood Lenke & dark Djala from Guinea, Mali and Burkina Faso.
We then skin our MS duns with thick Australian Dairy Cow.
We use hgh tensile 5mm rope for the rings and vericals so you can be sure every dun will stay in tune longer and require less maintenance.
The combination of the dense hardwood and thick cow produces very pure tonal range and huge projection
Click the cart link below to view our Master Dunun series or watch our video for more details on our Master Dunun series.
Great quality hardwood duns from Guinea, Mali, Burkina & ICoast
Timbers include super dense Tiger Grain Khadi, the spiritual hardwood Lenke, plus dark Djala and golden hardwood Melina
All these timbers offer pure tonal ranges and plenty of projection.
The Melina range are a lighter weight hardwood perfect for portability
We then skin our PS duns with thick Australian Dairy Cow.
We use hgh tensile 5mm rope for the rings and vericals so you can be sure every dun will stay in tune longer and require less maintenance.
The combination of the dense hardwood and thick cow produces very pure tonal range and huge projection
Click the cart link below to view our Primo Dunun series or watch our video for more details on our Primo Dunun series.
Timbers include super dense Tiger Grain Khadi, the spiritual hardwood Lenke, plus dark Djala and golden hardwood Melina
All these timbers offer pure tonal ranges and plenty of projection.
The Melina range are a lighter weight hardwood perfect for portability
We then skin our PS duns with thick Australian Dairy Cow.
We use hgh tensile 5mm rope for the rings and vericals so you can be sure every dun will stay in tune longer and require less maintenance.
The combination of the dense hardwood and thick cow produces very pure tonal range and huge projection
Click the cart link below to view our Primo Dunun series or watch our video for more details on our Primo Dunun series.
Twenaboa is a medium density timber, lighter than hardwoods. These shells tend to have great bass ranges and offer great portability.
We offer LIFE LONG TUNING on every African Dun bought from us.Just drop your drum in our St Kilda shop and we’ll do our best to crank it on the spot for you, or you can pick it up the next day. We’ll also give you advice on how to best look after your duns.
Click the cart link below to view our Ghana series duns or watch our video for more details on our Ghana series duns.
The drums in this Series are a little rough around the edges but still have beautiful music to give. You’ll find a range of djembes here: some are pre-loved, others are new but have imperfections. We always describe why the drum has been listed in this category; their flaws are usually cosmetic or just the result of being used. As with all of our drums, they undergo careful inspection to ensure that there is no damage that would affect the drums structural integrity. These djembes are covered under our standard warranty so you can purchase with confidence, knowing that we still love the preloved and stand by them!
We offer LIFE LONG TUNING on every African Dun bought from us. Just drop your drum in our St Kilda shop and we’ll do our best to crank it on the spot for you, or you can pick it up the next day. We’ll also give you advice on how to best look after your duns.
Quality djembes at prices for everyone. This Series has drums for all ages, from kids to teenagers to adults. These drums feature high tensile rope, natural goat skins and our signature “Comfort Curve” playing edge. Read more about the African Drumming Indo Series difference.
Buying for Kids & Teenagers
Here’s a quick guide to selecting an age-appropriate djembe. Keep in mind that young drummers grow fast, so consider getting a drum they can grow into and still enjoy in years to come.
2yrs – 6yrs……. The Mini Djembe
4yrs -10yrs…… The Junior Djembe – see our Kids Starter Pack
10yrs +…………The All Rounder or a 10″ Ghana Series – see our Young Drummers Pack
12yrs +…………The Classic or a shorter drum from the Ghana Series – see our Teen Smasher Pack
14yrs +…………The Super Series or a drum from the Ghana Series – see our Afro Starter Pack
Click the cart link below to view our Indo series djembe's
https://youtu.be/btnOBrh3hy0
Our hugely popular range of smaller sized duns hits the mark for young drummers, school programs and anyone looking for a great value portable drum
Portable, light weight but still packing that deep bottom end punch needed from the bass section in your ensemble.
Portable, light weight but still packing that deep bottom end punch needed from the bass section in your ensemble.
Made from immaculately carved eco-friendly Red Mahogany which is a lighter weight hardwood with a gorgeous red glow
Topped with Australian dairy cow.
We offer LIFE LONG TUNING on every Dun bought from us. Just drop your drum in our St Kilda shop and we’ll do our best to crank it on the spot for you, or you can pick it up the next day. We’ll also give you advice on how to best look after your duns.
Click the cart link below to view our Stumpy Dun series or watch our video for more details on our Stumpy Dun series.
Hardwood Shells
The cream of the crop! Immaculate top line shells from our carvers across West Africa.
All these shells are in great symmetry and will provide the best sound quality and aesthetic.
Choose between two styles of finishing. One allows you to put some extra love into the building process, whilst the other has the shell ready to be skinned straight away.
Standard Finish
·Premium, faultless African Hardwood (Lenke, Djala, Khadi and Melina) shells from Guinea, Mali and Burkina Faso
·Cleaned with hot soapy water to remove excess Shea butter and dirt
·Bearing edges prepared down to 40Grit
·One coat of clear Danish oil to preserve the timber
·We recommend more work (sanding up to 400 grit) to the bearing edge. The shell may also be worked on further or ready to skin.
Delux Finish
·Premium, faultless African Hardwood shells from Guinea, Mali and Burkina Faso
·Cleaned with hot soapy water to remove excess Shea butter and dirt·Bearing edges prepared down to a glassy 400 Grit – the ultimate comfort curve!
·Depending on the style of shell, we may sand down to 240-400 Grit. We tend not to sand the body of shells with external scalloping chisel technique
·Two to three coats of clear Danish oil to preserve and texture the timber.
·Shell is fully finished and ready to skin
Ghana Shells
Our most popular duns - Entry level African shells made from medium density Twenaboa timber
These shells are easy to work with and come up really nicely with a sand and oil.
The finished product always strikes a balance of sound clarity, projection and durability.
Lighter in weight than the hardwoods shells they make an easy portable companion!
All our Duns shells come with 8mm rings to match
Click the cart link below to view our Dunun shells or watch our video for more details on our dunun shells.
