January 3, 2007
You'll Never Lose Your Kalimba With This Kalimba Necklace

Monday through Wednesday of this week, we're featuring tips from the Kalimba community. This tip was written by G.P. Jennett.
--Mark

I finally got around to doing my hiking and dog walking modification to my board type alto kalimba.

I used a very sharp 5/16" wood bit at a very low speed. Did the countersink of the hole with a 3/4" twist drill bit that is also new and sharp. It is important to drill from front to back as the kiaat wood is brittle and some might split off when the drill breaks through the back. I lost a little chip. Where I did violence to the wood, I treated it with lemon oil.

I used large parachute riser cord, but leather or any other cord of about the same size would be just fine. The thick P-cord is soft and won't cut your neck. The cord is tied to the kalimba with a cat's paw knot by making a bite in the middle of the cord and pushing the bite through the hole. The knot is finished by passing the working ends through the bite. The working ends are joined to make an adjustable loop with a fisherman's knot that is left just loose enough that the two ends can slide. I have noticed no degradation in the sound of the kalimba. I think it is best to tie the cord directly to the instrument. If you used a "D" ring or jump ring, there would probably be some rattling sound.

This modification might also be useful as a safety for performance work where certain players we know get very absorbed in the music.

--G. P. Jennett