At first I was a bit shocked by this shekere, as it isn't as subtle as I was originally hoping for. I bought it to replace a natural one, not a fibreglass one, and the beads seemed enormous, to the point of being really loud and not having as much finesse as my old one. However, after doing a few loud gigs with it, it is great, as it cuts through like anything, and I don't have to stand right up to the microphone, plus with it being fibreglass I can throw it up in the air and spin it around without worrying about the consequences if I drop it!
This shekere has really grown on me and I think I now prefer it to my old one. The reason for 4 stars for the sound is that it probably isn't my first choice for recording, as it does have quite a harsh sound, but live, which is how it is mainly used, it means you don't have to play at max volume to be heard, and you can wander about and have some fun and still be heard. As a final point, I have quite big hands, and this one is a good size to hold. I find many to be too small, but this one is comfortable to use, to the point that I use it in place of where I may have used shakers or maracas before because it is a pleasure to use.
Finally, compared to other shekere's, it also makes great bass notes, if you partially cover the hole with one hand while hitting the bottom with the other hand, much more so than any other I have ever used.
