Question and Answer Question:  What is the difference between a guatemalan or central American marimba and the marimba found in the United States Answer:  There are quite a few differences between them but I will touch on the biggest differences.  The main difference is the wood resonators found on a guatemalan marimba.  The wood resontor gives a deeper and more "mellow" sound then found on the marimbas with metal resonators.  The guatemalan marimbas also have a hole at the bottom of the marimba with wax on it.  The hole is covered with a piece of pig intestine.  The purpose of this is to give the music a "buzz" when the marimba is played.  The vibration from the bar is amplified for a longer period of time.  The marimba mallets are also different then those found in the US.  They are covered in a natural rubber whereas most mallets today are covered in a yarn.  Question:  Where do you get your marimbas. Answer:  We have traveled all through the highlands of guatemala in search of the marimba makers.  These makers have often been doing it for generations.  They are found in some of the most remote parts of guatemala and are often very distant from technology.  We work with the marimba makers to increase there efficiency so they can increase there wage.  We have gone to great efforts to help these people and their art.  We ship the marimbas into the united States in large quantities so we can save you money. Question:  What is the difference between Mexican and Guatemalan Marimbas Answer:  The borders between Mexico and Guatemala are mostly political and not cultural.  They share much of the same culture especially with the marimba.  On the other side of Huehuetenengo is the mexican state of Chiapas.  They share many of the same attributes with the marimba.  The main difference is in the construction rather than the sound of the marimbas.  The sounds are very much the same with the same wood and Telas used on the resonators.  The looks of the marimbas are different however.  The mexican marimbas usually have small legs and designs of squares of different wood on the front. The gautemalan marimbas have larger legs and mayan carvings on the front.   Question:  What is used for the keys of the custom marimbas Answer:  The keys of the marimbas are made of hormigo.  The identification of wood is very difficult and is complicated when it is in another country.  From my research I have learned that there are primarily two woods used on mexican and guatemalan marimbas.  The one used on non-professional marimbas is granadillo.  Often times people will sell marimbas and claim they are made of hormigo but are in fact made of granadillo.  The hormigo wood is primarily found in the the northern portion of Guatemala near the border with chiapas.  It is also found in southern belize.  Some people recognize the hormigo wood to be honduras rosewood or closely related.  I am conducting more research in this area and will update the website when I find out more.  The following link says that hormigo is in fact honduras rosewood.  http://users.senet.com.au/~jimmc/main/art_mbasa.htm    pay