My friend and I have been playing with this frame drum for the past two years. Bought it when I was looking for a Bendir. Although I haven't treated it with the utmost care, the instrument remains in top condition. The sound changes a lot based on the temperature and humidity, which is expected. One should remember to carry the allen key, to tune it. Very happy with the purchase and I would definitely recommend it. Our teacher was a bit positively surprised with this frame drum. The lower rating on the sound represents the comparison with some of the more expensive instruments in the class.