Tips for buying an ocarina?

July 8, 2007 1:48 PM

Do you have any tips or insights for someone buying an ocarina?

I see they've been mentioned before but there's nothing on AskMe particularly specific to ocarinas. Types? materials? Makers and vendors? It doesn't need to be particularly cheap, and I'd like it to have some aesthetic value. Something for a campfire on a beach. You know what I mean.

posted by nthdegx to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (4 answers total)

Best answer: I got mine from Lark in the Morning, in an actual store.

I got this one, because it seemed the most like the one Totoro plays.

I think you'd be hard pressed to really spend much on an ocarina.

I never got very good at playing it.
posted by aubilenon at 2:08 PM on July 8, 2007

Best answer: While reading the fpp mentioning ocarinas I came across Songbird Ocarinas, which in addition to having pretty ocarinas (imo), let you hear the ocarina you're purchasing (though with some links there's also background music) and let you select tenor, baritone, etc.
posted by artifarce at 3:30 PM on July 8, 2007

Best answer: I don't have a lot to compare them to, but Hind Ocarinas are attractive, well-made, and have a gorgeous sound. In addition, Charlie Hind is a friendly guy, and the selection is good, including a spiffy double ocarina. The downside is that they're kind of pricey. I got a couple at a craft fair type thing, and I don't recall them being nearly as expensive as the website shows. That was a few years ago, though.
posted by musicinmybrain at 5:16 PM on July 8, 2007

how about the produce aisle?
posted by snofoam at 5:32 PM on July 8, 2007