A versatile cajón having a compact footprint that incorporates actuators for an internal bass-beater and an external hi-hat. The cajón may further serve as a base for supporting additional percussive instruments, such as snare drums, tom drums, cymbals, and Latin percussion. In an embodiment, a bass drum pedal may be secured inside the cajón and having a rotating shaft protruding through a side wall of the cajón. The shaft protrusion may be coupled to a foot pedal in an actuating manner. As such, when a percussionist presses down on the foot pedal (e.g., with a foot action), the shaft rotates the beater head to strike an internal wall of the cajón, thereby producing a bass-like percussive sound. Similarly, the system may include a hi-hat pedal and shaft combination that is also attached directly to one or more external side walls of the cajón.