About Percussion Plus
Percussion Plus is a leading supplier of high-quality handmade percussion instruments, many of which are made in the UK.
The company was founded in Market Harborough in 1987 and continues to manufacture a variety of products in our Leicestershire workshop. Over the last 35 years, our company has built a reputation for dependability and exceptional value. We take pride in our high musical standards, insisting on the best tone and most accurate tuning for every instrument we manufacture.
We are especially proud of our reputation in the educational sector and have a strong interest in designing instruments for young musicians. Our distinctive Classic Red Box xylophones and glockenspiels have become essential purchases for schools all over the world, and our Colour and Play series of primary percussion and Wak-a-tubes are now commonplace in primary schools throughout the UK and beyond. And our Slap Djembes are proving to be so popular that we simply can't make them fast enough!
But that's not all; our extensive inventory includes high-quality percussion instruments of all shapes and sizes, for players of all ages and abilities.
Frederick Hyde Ltd owns Percussion Plus, alongside other well-known brands such as Chamberlain Music, Musisca, Octopus Ukulele, and Tom & Will. Our headquarters and main distribution centre are in Haslemere, Surrey, UK.
Our brands focus on creating beautiful musical instruments, leaving Frederick Hyde Music Distribution and key education partners to market and supply our products to schools and teachers all over the world.
We welcome inquiries from schools and teachers, as well as music education suppliers and distributors in the UK and around the world. Get in touch to start a conversation today!
The finest musical instruments from around the world
We believe that our customers deserve nothing but the best, so we source and import from all over the world to ensure the highest quality of our products. Our samba instruments are from Brazil, our djembes are from Bali, our singing bowls are from Tibet, our steel pans are from the United States, and our rain sticks are from Peru because we believe they are the best!
Made in the UK
Some of our most important products are made in our Leicestershire workshops, including a large selection of handmade mallets and beaters for tuned instruments. It's also where we make our well-known Wak-a-tubes.
Our sustainable packaging
At Percussion Plus, we are constantly attempting to reduce the use of SUP single-use plastics. We always re-use packaging sent to us, and where possible, our individually packaged Honestly Made products are packaged in fully recyclable and biodegradeable Glasine bags. Some of our Honestly Made products even make good use of waste plastic in their manufacturing. A number of our Wak-a-Tube sets are also packaged in multi-purpose recycled packaging.
Popular products for education
Wak-a-tubes
Our Wak-Tubes are brightly coloured percussion instruments made from differing lengths of Reach compliant plastic tubing. They’re fun and easy for musicians of all ages to play, providing a simple and inexpensive introduction to music making. They are produced in the Percussion Plus workshops in Leicestershire UK.
Classic Red Box
For over thirty years, our Classic Red Box tuned instruments have been favourites of schools and teachers all over the world, and many of those instruments are still in use today. They are the best education instruments, made from solid woods for a good, rounded tone, with multiple resonance chambers for harmonic sound quality, our unique Percussion Plus Stake & Peg system, and our precision tuned fibreglass note bars.
Honestly Made
Our Honestly Made Musical Instruments are manufactured and imported from developing countries in Africa, Asia, and South America.
The majority of the products are made in independent family workshops that are either too small to join Fair Trade groups or are located in countries where such organisations do not exist. However, we can attest that our suppliers, subsidiaries, and smaller suppliers all adhere to Fair Trade principles, which include:
- Agreeing a fair price
- Use of recycled materials
- Paying significant amounts upfront
- Being loyal and reasonable in all dealings
- Prioritising smaller suppliers over large factories
- Manufacturing methods that do not damage the environment
Slap Djembe and Slap Percussion
Our Slap Djembes and Slap drumming for younger players are extremely popular with starter classes in schools, music hubs, and community centres.
They have a plethora of features that make them easy to play, transport, and most importantly, have a great sound. A well-tuned drumhead with printed how-to-play graphic is at the core of the design, making teaching easy.
Our World Slap Djembes are made in a superb world-leading djembe manufacturing facility in Bali. With a one-piece construction, the design has taken inspiration from the award winning Andy Gleadhill's Slap Djembe book.
We also have a selection of Slap instruments designed specifically for younger players, including gathering drum, bongos, floor tom, tambour, and lollipop drum.