There is a lot to be said for a quality tambourine, as a studio engineer it can really add lovely top-end sparkle to a track. I've owned cheaper plastic tambourines before, and they sound lifeless, dull and cheap. This Meinl is a great upgrade, straight out of the box it has a reassuring weight from the real wood and brass. The quality of the sound is just as good, it has a beautiful glittery sound and a nice long decay.