This is my first otamatone and I really like it! I'm still getting notes into muscle memory, but I'm having a lot of fun with it! The volume control is really helpful when I want to play it in the middle of the night. I haven't tried the original ones, but I like the large finger board on this one-- the degree of pitch change seems good to me (as a former violin student).
They're fun, I think I'll be back for a smaller one, to carry in my pack ^^