The 4 different type of wood above are the best among multiple West African woods to build Djembes. There is no real better one among the 4 wood types .
Combination of wood type/density, shell shape, weight and proportion of the shell, together with the thickness of the skin head, assembling process are key factors in the musical quality of a Djembe.
The Melina wood (Beige color) is a wood very widely available compared to the other wood types, so this is why the price of Djembes made out of Melina can be slightly lower than the others.
All our Djembes are built by families who have produced the same artifacts from generations. They have mastered the techniques of selecting materials and building instruments for centuries. All 4 woods can provide Djembes with very good sounds, from base to tones and slaps.
