Meinl Pickup Bongo Cajon Play & Plug Set - ESET-3

Product Description

A complete little pickup rig in one box: a compact bongo/cajon hybrid with a built-in piezo pickup, a folding stand and a 10 ft instrument cable. Play it with your hands or with brushes, run the cable to an amp or the PA, and it stays audible even when the rest of the band digs in. Everything mounts on a percussion rod or on the included stand, so it takes up very little stage space.

The idea behind the set is simple. You unpack it, mount it and play amplified without first hunting down the right cable and the right stand. What would otherwise be three separate purchases arrives in one box.

The sound

The body is built from Baltic birch and follows traditional Peruvian construction without snares, which gives a clean, woody tone with no rattle. High and low playing areas sit next to each other much like a pair of bongos, so you can place a low note and a brighter accent without moving your hands far.

Amplification

The piezo pickup is built in and runs out through a 1/4" jack. The volume knob sits on the instrument, so you can trim the level from where you are sitting instead of signalling to the engineer. The included cable has straight 1/4" connectors and a flexible PVC jacket that resists tangles and keeps handling noise down.

Mounting and stand

An eye bolt underneath takes a standard percussion rod, so the instrument can hang wherever it suits your setup. The stand is black powder-coated aluminium with an L-shaped 3/8" rod, adjustable height and folding legs. It is designed for the Meinl Cajon Pickup Tom and Snare Taps, and since the 3/8" thread is a standard it also takes other common percussion hardware.

Who it works for

A good choice if you play acoustic or semi-acoustic sets and want percussion that carries through a PA without a microphone setup: singer-songwriter gigs, jam sessions, smaller stages and the studio. This is not a full-size cajon to sit on. It is an add-on that mounts alongside what you already play.

If you already own a cajon or a stomp box and want to extend the rig, this is a straightforward way in, since both the mounting hardware and the cable are already in the box.

Our Tips

• Turn the volume knob down before you plug the cable in, and you avoid the pop through the speakers.
• Brushes give a softer groove, hands give the attack. The same instrument covers both.
• Set the stand so the playing surface meets your hands where they naturally rest, which keeps the stroke even.
• The cable also works with other MEINL Percussion pickup instruments and stomp boxes, so it rarely sits unused.

Specifications

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need anything else to play amplified?

An amp, a PA or an audio interface. The instrument, the stand and the cable are included, but the amplification itself comes from whatever you already use.

Can it be played acoustically?

Yes. The pickup is an addition rather than a requirement. The acoustic level is lower than a full-size cajon, so on stage you will usually want it plugged in.

Does the stand fit anything other than the Meinl taps?

It is designed for the Meinl Cajon Pickup Tom and Snare Taps, but the 3/8" thread is a standard, so plenty of other percussion hardware will mount on it.

Does it have snares like a regular cajon?

No. It follows traditional Peruvian construction without snares, which gives a cleaner tone with no rattle.