Sela SE-ION5

The Sela Guinean íon SE-ION5 is a replaceable side striking surface for the Sela Iconic Cajon series. This percussion accessory is inspired by the traditional djembe from Guinea and adds a warm, round percussion sound to the modular Iconic system. The striking surface is crafted from natural birch wood and features a sturdy, natural goatskin head. Thanks to its greater head thickness, the Guinean íon is suitable for more powerful strikes and offers a different tonal response than the other íons in the series. The simple assembly and adjustable skin tension allow you to tailor the sound of your Sela Iconic Cajon to different musical styles and playing techniques.

Inspired by the traditional djembe from Guinea
The Sela Guinean íon is inspired by the rich percussion tradition of Guinea, a West African country where music and rhythm play a central role. Guinea is known, among other things, as the home of Les Ballets Africains, an internationally renowned dance and music company that has been showcasing African percussion for decades. An important instrument in Guinean music is the djembe. This traditional hand drum is played with the hands and is known for its combination of deep bass tones, open beats, and sharp percussive accents. Djembes are traditionally covered with natural skins, including cow and goat hides. With the Guinean íon, Sela brings some of this sonic character to the Iconic Cajon. The natural goatskin produces a round, full sound that complements African rhythms and percussion patterns well. This allows you to combine the traditional bass and snare sounds of the cajon with an additional playing surface inspired by the djembe.

Sturdy goatskin with a warm, round sound
The Sela Guinean íon features a natural goatskin that is generally thicker than the bleached goatskin of the Cuban íon. This difference in material results in a different tonal response. While the Cuban version has a more direct and brighter character, the Guinean íon produces a rounder sound with its own frequency response. Due to the greater head thickness, the playing surface is also able to withstand more powerful strikes. This allows you to play with greater intensity and add rhythmic accents without having to constantly worry about using a light playing technique. The combination of the natural goatskin and the birch wood construction produces a distinctive percussive sound. The Guinean íon is therefore a great addition for musicians who want to add warm, full tones to their cajón playing.

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Suitable for powerful playing techniques
Within the Sela Iconic series, each íon has its own tonal character and strike response. The Guinean model stands out due to its combination of a rounded sound and a sturdy drumhead. The thicker goatskin makes this íon suitable for percussionists who like to play with a more powerful strike. This aligns with playing techniques derived from the West African percussion tradition, where various hand strikes are used to create rhythmic patterns and accents. The Guinean íon can be used for African rhythms, world music, and acoustic percussion sessions. Even when combined with other musical styles, the playing surface offers additional sonic possibilities, especially when you’re looking for a contrast between the direct snare sound of the cajón and a rounder percussion tone.

Easily interchangeable thanks to the Iconic system
The Sela Guinean íon was developed for the modular system of the Sela Iconic Cajons. These cajons feature two interchangeable side striking surfaces, allowing you to add additional percussion sounds to the instrument. To replace an íon, use the Allen wrench that comes with the Iconic Cajon. It is usually located at the bottom edge of the sound hole. Use the wrench to loosen the eight mounting screws, after which you can remove the existing striking surface. Next, place the Guinean íon into the opening and tighten the screws again. Thanks to this design, you can swap out different íons without having to make any adjustments to the cajon itself. You can mount the Guinean íon in either of the two side positions and combine it with another striking surface from the Iconic series.

Adjustable skin tension for personalized sound tuning
In addition to swapping out the striking surface, you can also adjust the sound of the Sela Guinean íon. The tension of the goatskin head is determined by the eight mounting screws. By tightening or loosening these screws, you can change the tension of the head and, consequently, the tuning and tonal response. Higher skin tension can produce a higher pitch and a more direct response, while lower tension allows for a rounder and deeper sound. This enables you to tune the Guinean íon to the desired percussion sound and match it to the other playing surfaces of your Iconic Cajon. Sela recommends adjusting the screws in small increments, for example, by a quarter to a half turn per screw. By gradually adjusting the tension, you can experiment with different sound settings. It is important not to loosen the íon too much. Proper tightening ensures that the striking surface remains securely mounted and responds well while playing.

Combine Different Percussion Sounds
The Sela Iconic series was developed to bring together multiple percussion sounds within a single cajon. The interchangeable íons allow you to adapt the instrument to your personal playing style and the music you play. The Guinean íon can be combined with the other models in the series, including the Peruvian, Cuban, Turkish, and Kenyan íons. Each variant has its own material composition and tonal character. For example, you can combine the warm, round sound of the Guinean íon with the bright response of a Turkish íon or the traditional woody sound of a Peruvian íon. This allows you to create various sound combinations without having to use multiple separate percussion instruments. The Sela Guinean íon SE-ION5 is therefore an ideal addition for percussionists who want to expand the sonic possibilities of their Iconic Cajon with a sturdy natural head and a percussive sound inspired by West African djembes.

Sela SE-ION5 features:

• Guinean íon interchangeable side striking surface
• designed for the Sela Iconic Cajon series
• inspired by the traditional West African djembe
• based on the percussion tradition of Guinea
• Natural goatskin head
• thicker goatskin than on the Cuban íon with bleached goatskin
• constructed from natural birch wood
• warm, round tone with its own frequency response
• suitable for more powerful strikes and more intense playing techniques
• sturdier head than models with thinner goatskin
• Adjustable head tension and tuning via eight mounting screws
• Recommended adjustment in increments of one-quarter to one-half a screw turn
• Easy to adjust using the Allen wrench included with the Iconic Cajon
• Suitable for mounting on either side of the Iconic Cajon
• Can be combined with other íons from the Sela Iconic series
• part of the modular Sela Iconic “ion” system