Meinl GU1AM Guiro

I am aware that a lot of percussionists prefer the plastic guiros because of their durability. I cannot speak of durability at this early stage however i can say that the sound of this guiro is excellent imo. It has good presence and is versatile in that it can be used in a surprisingly wide range of ways to create many different sounds.
The wood gives a nice mellowness to that characteristic guiro sharpness.
On the back there are 2 holes used for holding the instrument - but i also like to hold the guiro by the far end with the other end supported by my solar plexus in order to manipulate the holes so that it creates a wah wah effect. The main section is hollowed out and the ends are solid - which can be tapped to create a different sound. If you turn the beater around to use the thinner end you get a higher pitched sound. You can get a lot out of this and it is a pleasure to play, the fact that it is wooden is a bonus for me. It is very good value .

One other point is that the description states the beater is plastic but mine came with a wooden beater - which i prefer.