About Adaptatrap

Adaptatrap has been part of Brighton’s musical life since 1994 — a shop devoted to world music instruments, founded and run by Les Sherwood. For three decades it has been the place to find djembes, drums, percussion and instruments from every corner of the world, with a trusted reputation for quality and know-how.

The home of the handmade kora

At the heart of Adaptatrap is the kora — the 21-string West African harp. Les has been building koras for the best part of thirty years. Adaptatrap instruments are in the hands of leading players around the world — among them Sekou Keita, Dawda Jobarteh, Jally Kebba Souso and Fili Cissokho — and every kora is still made by hand, to order. Commission your own kora here.

A new chapter with Siesta Crafts

Adaptatrap is now part of the Siesta Crafts family. Siesta, a family-run Fair Trade business established in 1983, has imported handmade instruments and crafts from around the world for more than forty years — so we have always shared the same values: real instruments, made by hand, traded fairly.

Visit us in Brighton — or shop online

The bulk of our range now lives here online, where you’ll find more instruments than ever — singing bowls, drums, kalimbas, shakers, flutes and more. But you can still see, hold and play instruments in person: Adaptatrap has its own section in Siesta Crafts’ new Brighton shop. Come in, have a play, and say hello.

Questions? Get in touch — we’re always happy to talk instruments.