Out of The Box Thinking: Cajons

Cajons (ka-hons), which originated in Peru, are box-shaped drums traditionally made from thin plywood. The musician plays by sitting on the cajon and striking the front playing surface, or tapa, with their hands. A hole is cut into the back of the cajon to allow for sound to reverberate.

This unassuming percussion instrument can produce a wide range of rhythms and tones. It is also much more portable than traditional drum sets, making it popular amongst traveling musicians.

Columbia Forest Products recently collaborated with a cajon manufacturer, JBC Cajons, to provide 10 travel-size and two full-size cajons to Guilford Preparatory Academy, along with lessons. The students put on an excellent performance, and their music instructor plans to continue honing their skills with the unique instrument.

Jay Hutchins, the owner of JBC Cajons, first discovered PureBond when he was out of his usual plywood and went to Home Depot to find a replacement. When he asked the employee for their highest quality product, he pointed to PureBond.

After creating a cajon with Columbia’s plywood, Jay quickly found it was easier to work with and sounded better than what he used before. The first cajon he made with PureBond was for The Issacs, a well-known Blue Grass Christian group from West Virginia. Moving forward, PureBond is the material of choice for his creations.

“When searching for the perfect product, many variables are involved. I look for local first, followed by the best materials for my end user to enjoy in their finished product. Musical instruments are sensitive to craftsmanship and material quality, and when I found all the boxes checked in PureBond, my products got better. They sounded the best, looked fantastic, weighed less and incorporated more of NC. We will continue to use PureBond as it has elevated our drums and instruments as a global contender everywhere we go and with everyone we meet. ” – Jay Hutchins, JBC Owner, Craftsman.

Have an interesting PureBond use case? Let us know!