Episode 30 Rowntree Marimbas

December 15, 2025

Student Marimbas

How Mike accidentally fell down a rabbit hole of making the perfect student marimba

📍 Houston, Texas

Their website: https://www.spacecitypercussion.com/ 

Thoughts and Reflections

I was happy I accidentally stumbled uponRowntree Marimbas. I was going to Houston and had trouble finding instrument makers in this cultureless wasteland (I'm joking of course), but with only anecdotal evidence I will wager to say that Houston has a lower luthier-per-capita than that of most major American cities.

While Mike does the building, Josh does all of the business-facing and communication. I got in contact with Josh who warned me that Mike is fairly private and he might decline to be in the video. However, after a few days, Mike agreed and it was all set! I want to thank Josh for organizing it, and Mike for being open to having me see his home/workshop as well as sharing the knowledge of his instruments. And once Mike started talking, it was clear his excitement and passion for his craft was evident.

The previous day (also in Houston), I met Dave of Lindale Banjos, and the semblance between the two was quite uncanny. Both of them moved to Houston to attend Rice University studying History. Then they moved into a Houston home; and without much woodworking experience, bought some tools so they could fix up their house a bit. After finishing that, they both had tools lying around, and they respectively fell into an accidental rabbit hole of instrument-building as a hobby on top of their fulltime jobs. I hope they can meet sometime in the future, I think they'd get along.

Also as inferred in the video, the evening I met Mike, I had dinner with my cousin (who lives in Houston) and told him about my day and about Mike Rowntree. And my cousin goes, "oh yeah, Mike, I know him. He works in my building, on the fourth floor! Ask him if the elevators are fixed and working now!" Wow Houston, small world... (also a joke, it takes a full day to drive across the metropolitan area).