Deagan Marimbas


Deagan "Diana" Model 40

The Marimba originated in Africa and consisted of bars of resilient wood mounted over gourds and were used by the natives of Africa as war drums. The African Marimba usually consisted of from one to four tones to an instrument.

Later the Marimba came into use through the natives of Central and South America, the instruments being more complete and of larger range than the African instruments.

The South American Marimba consisted of a series of diatonic notes mounted in one row and although the South American Marimbas were a vast improvement of the African instrument they were nevertheless a very flimsy impractical instrument. The first practical Marimbas were designed and manufactured by J. C. Deagan and since the manufacture of the first Deagan Marimba many improvements have been made, and many letters patent have been allowed J. C. Deagan by the civilized governments of the world and today a Deagan Marimba is universally acknowledged as being "a real musical instrument," as well as the only practical instrument of its kind in existence.

Marimbas are daily coming into greater use, there being two principal reasons for same, one being that the Marimba while operated similar to the Xylophone is very much easier to play as the tone of a Marimba is sufficiently sustained so that rapid execution and fine technique is not necessary in the playing of same as with a Xylophone.

And again the tone of a Marimba being soft, sweet and mellow is very much more preferable in many cases to that of a Xylophone and as a Marimba is played with soft mallets which will not injure the bars, a Marimba will last a lifetime.

All metal parts of the Deagan Marimbas are highly polished and triple nickel plated and all wooden parts are finished in natural wood and highly polished the same as a Piano.

The floor racks on which the Deagan Marimbas are mounted are of the famous Deagan design and are made of the finest seamless Steel Tubing and are of the slip joint type, there being no screws to get loose or out of order.

The frames on which the bars are mounted are of the very finest native quarter sawed white oak and on the wooden instruments the bars are suspended above the frames between posts so that the bars do no come in contact with anything but the supporting cord, thus leaving them free to vibrate.

Deagan Marimbas are expecially designed for traveling use and the instruments can easily be taken apart and packed in very small space, and any Deagan Marimba can be taken down and packed or unpacked and set up in but a minute's time.

J. C. Deagan, the manufacturer of Deagan Marimbas, is universally recognized as being the world's greatest acoustician, and as Deagan Marimbas are built by Marimba specialists, in the finest musical instrument factory in the world, under the most critical supervision and by artisans skilled with many years training in the manufacture of high class musical instruments it necessarily follows that no one can produce an instrument equal to the Deagan Instrument.

In presenting the many different styles of Marimbas listed in the following pages we are sure you will find just the instrument suited for your purpose, and we absolutely guarantee a Deagan Marimba to give absolute satisfaction under any and all conditions.

Source: Deagan Catalog G


Deagan Marimbas

Instrument Model Number Name Octaves & Range Bar Size Date built Notes
Marimba 350 3 F-F 1918-25 First Deagan Marimba
Marimba 352 3.5 F-C 1918-34
Marimba 352B 3.5 F-C 1918-34 Brass Resonators
Marimba 354 4 C-C 1918-34
Marimba 354B 4 C-C 1918-34 Brass Resonators
Marimba ??? Century of Progress 3.5 F-C 1933 75 built
Marimba ??? Century of Progress 4.5 C-F 1933 25 built
Marimba Century of Progress
Bass Marimba		 1.5 C-F, 2 C-C 1933 1 of each built
Marimba IMSO King George 4 C-C, 4 F-F, 3.5 F-C 1934 101 built
Marimba King George
Bass Marimba		 2 C-C 2 built
Marimba 52 Masterpiece 3.5 F-C 1934-39 Updated version of model 352*
Marimba 52B Masterpiece 3.5 F-C 1934-39 Updated version of model 352*
Marimba 54 Masterpiece 4 C-C 1934-39 Updated version of model 354*
Marimba Queen Anne 3.5 G-C 1936
Marimba 330 Stu-Dette 2.5 C-F 1937-41
Marimba 60 Imperial 3 G-G 1937-42
Marimba 62 Imperial 3.5 F-C 1937-42
Marimba 64 Imperial 4 C-C 1937-42 Ad 1, Ad 2
More images (restored by Salazar Fine Tuning)
1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6
Marimba 66 Imperial 4.5 C-F 1937-42
Marimba 68 Imperial 4 C-C 1937-42 Wide Bars
Marimba 70 Imperial 4.5 C-F 1937-42 Wide Bars
Marimba 38 Diana 3.5 F-C 1939-42
Marimba 40 Diana 4 C-C 1939-42
Marimba 318 C-C 1939-42 Wide Bars
Marimba 325 2 C-C 1939-42 Wide Bars
Marimba 335 Mercury 3 F-F 1940-42
Marimba 330R Stu-Dette 2.5 C-F 1941-42
Marimba 36 4 C-C 1943-45 WWII - No Metal
Marimba 50 Caprice 4 C-C 1946-49
Marimba 333 Studette 2.5 C-F 1947-52
Marimba 333R Studette 2.5 C-F 1947-52
Marimba 444 Mezzo 4 C-C 1948-50
Marimba 484 Bolero 4 C-C 1949-50
Marimba 485 Bolero 4 C-C
Marimba 410 Wellington 3 F-F 1950-53
Marimba 490 Imperial Bolero 4 C-C 1950-53
Marimba 470 Diana 51 4 C-C 1951-53
Marimba 400 Student 400 2 C-C 1952-54
Marimba 600 Diana IV 4 C-C 1961-66
Marimba 1200 Imperial Custom 4 C-C 1961-66 Deluxe Concert Grand
Marimba 652 Diana Deluxe 4 C-C 1966-82
Marimba M-52 Victoria 4 C-C 1971-77
Marimba 612K Studio 3.5 F-C 1972-77 Synthetic Bars
Marimba 653 Bandmaster 4 1/3 A-C 1972-78
Marimba 654 ABM 1.5 C2-F3 1975- Amplified Bass Marimba
Marimba 343R Studette II 3 F-F 1976-78
Marimba 343K Studette II 3 F-F 1976-78 Synthetic Bars
Marimba 654 Bandmaster 4 1/3 A-C 1978-
Marimba 678 Marching Marimba 2 1/6 C-D 1978- Synthetic Bars
Marimba 380K Studette 3 F-F 1980- Synthetic Bars


* Updates included foldable split frames and open saddle bar supports instead of closed loops.