Meinl ARTISAN EDITION TARS (PATENT PENDING) 18

Historical Context and Positioning Within the Range

With the Artisan Edition series, MEINL targets percussionists seeking an instrument with character, designed for both stage and recording. This Tar follows an approach focused on material selection, manufacturing precision, and consistent performance from one unit to another, notably through the choice of skins and dedicated design details. The presence of a specific bearing edge, developed exclusively for this edition, clearly places this model at the high end of the brand's frame drum lineup.

Who This Tar Is For

The MEINL Artisan Edition Tar is primarily aimed at intermediate to advanced musicians who want a responsive instrument capable of transitioning from delicate playing to powerful accents without losing control. Its 18-inch size is particularly suited for percussionists seeking a fuller low end while maintaining good definition for fingertip strokes.

In terms of styles, it excels in world music, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern repertoires, as well as fusion, ambient, acoustic, or studio contexts where harmonic richness and response consistency make a difference. The thumb notch helps maintain a stable posture, appreciated during long sessions and fast pattern playing.

Features and Innovations

One of this Tar's strengths is its internal tuning system. It allows you to adjust the skin tension to tailor the feel (softer or tighter) and response (rounder or more precise) according to your technique and environment: dry room, amplified stage, studio, or intimate acoustic playing. This internal design also helps maintain a natural grip and a sleek look without overly prominent external elements.

The skins are selected for uniform thickness, a crucial detail on a frame drum: you get a consistent response across the playing surface, easier control of nuances, and a more predictable feel during crescendos, rolls, and alternating strokes. Added to this is a special bearing edge designed exclusively for these models to optimize skin/frame contact, tuning stability, and attack quality.

Finally, the notched thumb grip improves ergonomics: it secures the hold, facilitates angle changes, and helps maintain consistent dynamics whether you play in a traditional position, with a marked tilt, or in a more modern "frame drum" style.

Sound

The Siam Oak (Hevea brasiliensis Muell.-Arg.) frame provides a balanced sonic foundation: solid low register, clear midrange, and controlled projection. On an 18-inch Tar, this type of wood helps retain definition when you increase volume while keeping pleasant musicality at low intensity. The 2 1/2-inch depth promotes a sense of air and roundness, useful for full basses and open notes that breathe.

The hand-selected goat skin is known for its organic character: it delivers natural warmth, a rich palette of timbres, and lively harmonics. It responds very well to micro-variations in touch (fingers, palm, accents), making the instrument expressive, especially in nuanced passages. Combined with the dedicated bearing edge, the skin gains response stability: attacks are sharper, open notes clearer, and harmonic control becomes more intuitive, particularly when alternating dry strokes and resonant sounds.

Thanks to the internal tuning, you can fine-tune behavior: higher tension enhances articulation and rebound speed for technical playing, while lower tension emphasizes bass and softness for deep grooves and a rounder sound. This is a major asset for adapting your Tar to your style, stage temperature, or studio recording conditions.

Technical specifications

Instrument size	Large	Depth	6.35 cm
Category	handheld	Accessories included	Tuning key
Type	frame drums	Color	Brown
Material	Siam oak	Diameter	45.72 cm
Skin type	Goat

Instrument	Tar (frame drum)	Tuning system	internal
Series	MEINL Artisan Edition	Thumb notch	scalloped
Size	18"	Finishing	Matte
Frame	Siam Oak (Hevea brasiliensis Muell.-Arg.)	Included accessory	Allen key
Bearing edge	designed exclusively for Artisan Edition Tars by Norbert Eckermann