Just wanted to preface by saying this is my first Pandeiro and I didn't purchase it to play Brazilian music so that obviously influenced my ratings.
*Editing this after owning the product for a while.
I was drawn to this product because of the tuning system and the fact that it has no rims. This system makes the shell thicker that normal - about 18.5mm- so that might be a consideration.
I had initially said the head seemed to be of ok quality on first inspection - I take that back. It not that far removed from the type of skin you'd find on a cheap tambourine. I decided to go about changing it today and when I was taking it off, I was able to rip it like paper. That hasn't been my experience with goat skin normally.
Because of the fact that it doesn't use hoops , the skin is also mounted more like a tambourine. It's glued all around the rim and it stapled on, so you'd some good pliers to remove it.
I have no experience with platinelas but these ones sound nice. They're dry, mellow and quiet. (The brass does look cheap though ) Again I don't think they'd cut through very well in a Samba setting.
To conclude, this is a nice instrument for a percussionist who wants a small, tuneable instrument without the typical rims. However if you're looking for something with a more traditional Pandeiro sound, I don't think this is for you.
