Our Review of Ling Ting Kalimbas

Portrait of Ambre Montespan, editor of the Instruments du Monde Blog

Written by Ambre Montespan - Updated on May 8, 2026

Table of contents:

Thinking of buying a kalimba in the next few hours or days? You’ve probably heard of Ling Ting, a brand with a solid reputation in the world of thumb pianos. You may be wondering where the brand comes from and what the overall quality of its instruments is really like. Looking for an honest opinion on Ling Ting?

Having played the kalimba for over 10 years now, I’ve had the opportunity to see the various models designed by Ling Ting arrive on the market. I also own a few of them, which I play regularly, so I can share my opinion on this brand, which focuses heavily on lamellophone-type instruments.

Ling Ting, sometimes written LingTing, is a well-known musical instrument maker in the kalimba world. The models available for sale are often high quality and deliver exceptional acoustics.

In this article, you will discover:

The origins of the Ling Ting brand
The different models sold by this brand
An honest opinion on LingTing

Armed with this information, you can confidently decide whether a Ling Ting kalimba is the right choice for you or whether it’s better to go with another brand.

Now, let’s get straight to the point.

A wooden Ling Ting kalimba

Learn more about the LingTing kalimba brand

Ling Ting (sometimes written LingTing) is a musical instrument brand founded in 2014 in China’s Guangdong province, specifically in Zhongshan. The company’s official name is Zhongshan Lingting Musical Instrument Co., Ltd. While it also crafts ukuleles and other string instruments, most of its work centres on thumb pianos. Also, some people mistakenly call the brand “Lighting,” but the correct name is Ling Ting.

Ling Ting has just under 100 employees, and its workshops cover about 2,000 m² (21,500 sq ft). It also maintains an official website exclusively in Mandarin. The brand is committed to producing and developing unique musical instruments with the most beautiful tones, and we’ll see shortly that this goal has absolutely been met.

Discover our take on the musical instruments crafted by Ling Ting

While Chinese-made products sometimes face skepticism in Europe, that’s not the case with Ling Ting. In fact, Ling Ting offers a superb line of musical instruments. Each model is beautifully finished and comes with a host of useful accessories: a hard protective case, a tuning hammer, stickers to label your tines, silicone thumb protectors, and a cute decorative tassel to dress up your instrument. Depending on the model, a pickup mic may also be included.

LingTing also makes a point of using only wood species considered to be noble or luxurious for the soundboard of its kalimbas. You’ll find models crafted from padauk, golden sandalwood, black walnut, or amaranth. These woods are visually stunning with beautiful grain and also deliver excellent acoustic properties. For example, you can listen to the fabulous 21-note K21 model made of black walnut in the video below:

You can spot a Ling Ting kalimba right away thanks to the small gold plate bearing the brand name on the front of the thumb piano. Additionally, the name Ling Ting is engraved into the wood on the back, usually alongside the model number. Looking more closely at the lineup, you’ll find versions both with and without a resonator box, which should satisfy most musicians. Listen to this model called K17Y:

Please note that Ling Ting doesn’t offer acrylic kalimbas or models with fewer than 17 tines, so if you’re looking for those options, this brand won’t be the best fit.

Depending on the model you choose, you should expect to pay around $100 for one of these instruments. This may seem like a lot for a kalimba, but the finish and overall quality are genuinely impressive. Compared to other brands, Ling Ting is more attractive than Hluru and perhaps just a notch below Gecko. It is therefore a very good choice when buying a kalimba, and I can only recommend this brand if you are considering purchasing one.

Get yourself a Ling Ting kalimba now.

It can sometimes be difficult to judge a brand’s true value, especially when it comes to a musical instrument that is still relatively unknown to the general public, such as the kalimba. Although fairly well-known among thumb piano players, Ling Ting is far from being a household name. But as you’ve seen in this article, the brand has what it takes to become one of the big names in this percussion instrument, so it deserves your full attention.

However, be careful when purchasing your future kalimba. It’s not uncommon to encounter unscrupulous sellers online who supply counterfeit versions of certain brands. As a result, you need to be vigilant to ensure you are buying a kalimba that has actually been made by LingTing. This is exactly what the Instruments du Monde store offers, as it works directly with this manufacturer to ensure it delivers the best possible kalimbas.

Choose the quality of a recognized brand and purchase a Ling Ting kalimba by clicking on the image below:

Ling Ting is not the only premium brand in the world of kalimbas. In the same space, you will also find the Gecko brand, which offers fantastic thumb pianos, perhaps even the best currently on the market. So take the time to carefully compare all the kalimbas you could choose from before making your purchase.

Ambre Montespan

I’ve been passionate about world musical instruments for over 20 years, and I’m excited to share that love for these exotic instruments with you. Through my travels around the globe, I’ve come to firmly believe in the benefits of music therapy—using music as a gentle, alternative form of support. Over the years, I’ve helped hundreds of people navigate day-to-day challenges.

Through these articles, I hope to share everything I’ve learned so these instruments are never forgotten, while also offering you an original way to bring more fulfillment into your life.