There are many good tabla makers in India. Each have their own styles and uniqueness.
All of them will ship tabla sets to USA, U.K., Australia and any other country. They do a good job of packaging to ensure no damage. Shipping can take 3-4 days.
in general there are two types of tabla sets
- Professional grade. These are used by artists for performances. These are made with extra care and obviously cost more. My suggestion is to buy this in person when you buy for the first time from a particular maker. Once they know your style you can order remote for your next one.
- Student grade. Most of these makers also make sets for student learners. They are also good sets with nice sound and are bit less expensive. If you are a beginner then I recommend getting a student grade set.
There are of course many music shops all over India that sell different grades of tabla from other makers. I expect many of them make and sell decent quality sets. You should try them before buying or have an experienced person try those sets. I have seen some really bad sets and are not worth even if you are a beginner.
To test, play the TA or NA on the tabla. It should resonate for a few seconds. It should not be a dull sound. Same thing on the bayan. Hit it softly with your left hand, and see how long the vibrations longer. Longer the better.
Tabla (the right drum) is made to a specific note such as C (or Kaali 1 on the keyboard). You can tune the tabla up and down a note but not much more or they lose their tonal quality. I have a tabla for each of the major notes – A, B, C, D.
Checklist
- Two pieces of tabla – Dayan or right is made of wood and bayan is made of steel.
- Rings to seat the tabla
- Covers for each
- Hammer For tuning
Tabla Makers in India
Here are some names of really good tabla makers that I know of. Most can be reached out on WhatsApp, including ordering your set.
Delhi
Qasim Khan Niyazi http://qasimtablamaker.com
Mohammed Sharif +91 98106 11659
Pune
Choure Musicals +91 96372 59807
Somnath Kakade +91 9822961726
Mumbai
Haridas Vhatkar http://haridasrvhatkar.com/index.html
Kolkata
Mukta Das http://www.rhythmtablashop.com/about.html
Varanasi
Iqbal Ahmed +91 96164 17972