FAQ's and Useful Information


Have a question you cannot find the answer to below? Just email percussion@marimbaone.com we are happy to be of service

Maintenance Zone: Sanitizing & Instrument Care Tips

Sanitizing your M1 Gear:
We recommend using rubbing alcohol with no greater than 70-80% alcohol applied to a soft cloth - Don't spray your M1 product directly.  It only takes a single length-wise pass on bars, wood, or metal. Everything including the bars, frames, and resonators on M1 instruments and mallets can be wiped down with this and will be fine.
*Important to note that some non-M1 product finishes will be dissolved by rubbing alcohol. Our sanitizing guidelines only apply to M1 products because of the nature of the finish that we use on our instruments and mallet shafts.

General Instrument Care Tips:
Treat your M1 instruments well and they will be your partner for life! Here are seven tips..

  1. When you are not playing, keep your instruments out of direct sunlight and cover. This will protect it from dust and scratches.
  2. Ideal humidity for playing and storing your instrument is 40-60%. In very dry environments, a humidifier should be used; and in very moist environments, use a dehumidifier. Even when the instrument is being stored, it is best to maintain a controlled environment.
  3. The instruments acoustics are designed to be optimized between 68 and 72 degrees. Extremes of temperature should be avoided.
  4. Use only a damp cotton cloth or a micro-fiber towel to wipe down your marimba.
  5. Be CAREFUL when you move your instruments. Consider any tight corners, door frames and other obstacles. If you have a height-adjustable frame, raise the resonators before moving to keep from hitting door jams.
  6. Do not place anything on your keyboard (obviously). The bars are precious, particularly rosewood. They will scratch if you don’t take care.
  7. Speak to it, sing to it.... our instruments are alive.

Treat your instrument well and it will be your partner for life!

Warranty Information

Our concert, Wave, and One Vibe instruments are guaranteed to be free from any manufacturing defects, including the bars, which are under warranty for the first year to the original owner.  We’ll replace them at no cost (shipping not included). Beyond the first year, contact us for bar replacement pricing: percussion@marimbaone.com

Our Educational Series instruments are guaranteed to be free from any manufacturing defects for 1 year from receipt of the instrument.  Contact percussion@marimbaone.com for any defect questions.

Our Mallet GuaranteeAll M1 Mallet heads are guaranteed to stay attached with normal use.  If not, we'll replace the entire pair - For Life.  

Keyboard Bar Chart & Replacing a Bar

Do you need a bar replaced? At marimba one, we keep detailed records of all the marimbas we build, including keyboard voicing information. Please contact us to schedule the replacement and refer to the bars as shown on this keyboard diagram and include your serial number in your correspondence.

Keep your old bars until you receive new ones. That way, you’re never without a bar on your marimba.

Remember: Concert, Wave, and One Vibe bars are under warranty for the first year and we’ll replace them at no cost (shipping not included). Beyond the first year, contact us for bar replacement pricing: email percussion@marimbaone.com

Shipping Address
Marimba One
901 “O” St, Suite D
Arcata CA 95521
707.822.9570

Keyboard Retuning - we service all brands

Bar Tuning Pricing (US$):
5 octave -    $424.00
4.5 octave - $382.00
4.3 octave - $365.00
1 octave -      $85.00

Shipping, duties, taxes not included.  Discounts available for more than 1 keyboard. 

Our master tuners retune marimbas, vibraphones, xylophones and glockenspiels from any brand. Try it--you'll be amazed. 

Your instrument deserves the best of care, and the best sound! Do you want your keyboard retuned? We offer a free retuning of the entire keyboard during the first two years - Limited to all concert, Wave, and One Vibe instruments only. We keep detailed records of all the instruments we build, including keyboard voicing information. Please identify the part number for your replacement bar and let us know if there are any particular bars we should pay special attention to. Do let us know if you have any concerns. 


Please ship your bars to:
Marimba One
Attn: Denise
901 "O" Street
Arcata CA  95521
707 822 9570 (phone)


It’s important that you contact us before shipping your bars so that we can properly schedule the retuning.

Be sure to include your contact information as well as the serial number on your marimba.

As far as insurance, we recommend insurance of US $ 8,000 for Traditional keyboard, $9,850 for an Enhanced keyboard, and $14,000 for a Premium keyboard.

If you have bar bags, please pack the bars in those. Then stuff bubble wrap around them so that they cannot shift while in transit.  Please do not use packing peanuts! If you do not have bar bags, roll them up in a blanket or bubble wrap tightly and put in 2 separate boxes stuffing more bubble wrap around the bars so that they cannot shift while in transit.

*To avoid your bars being scratched during shipping, it's very important that they are rolled tightly with taped cardboard around the springs.  Once packed, give your taped box a shake - If you hear any movement or rattling, the bars are not secured enough and you should repack them more tightly.

Please drop us an email with the tracking number: percussion@marimbaone.com.

We look forward to retuning your instrument and keeping it to the highest standard.

Cord Replacement

$35 plus shipping. Email: denisef@marimbaone.com

Instrument Owner Manuals

Owners and Assembly for our marimbas: MotifMarimba One Izzy™ | Marimba One 3100™ |  Soloist

Watch this YouTube clip of Marimba One artist Lynn Vartan talk about assembling a marimba. It's easy!

Owners and Assembly Manual for our vibraphone: One Vibe

Owners and Assembly Manual for our Concert Xylophone

Owners and Assembly Manuals for our Wave Series instruments:  Wave Marimbas | Wave Vibraphone | Wave Xylophone

Owners and Assembly Manuals for our Educational Series instruments:  3.0 octave Educational Marimba | 4.3 octave Educational Marimba with resonators | 4.3 & 5.0 octave Educational Practice Marimba