iDIDJ Australia Didgeridoo Cultural Hub

Dear Guan, dear all,

I would need for your help as didgeridoo detective.
I coud purchase the didgeridoo on the attached picture. It looks like a mago but painting is so particular that I am not certain it is a real one.
It is still well visible that inside was well eaten by termites and the sound is very good. The weigh is 3-4 kg, 120 cm long, mouth piece inside 3,5 cm, bell inside 6 cm.
I have this instrument at home for a few days while I have to make a decision.
Many thanks for your advice

Hi
Know what you mean by the painting, looks a bit touristy to me but Guan or Kyle should be able to give you a more accurate assesment

Good luck Paul

Hi Paul,
Right now I think it is not a traditionnal one even shapes are similar to those typical in port keats.
I am eager to get feedback from the experts

Yup Port Keats most definitely, I have a handful like this, they are supposed to be an overtone-absent style of instrument like WAL but sometimes they also play very well in the NEAL style. Yours could be 1990s era perhaps?

Guan

Thanks a lot Guan,
If I well understood this is definitely a traditionnal instrument from Port Keats, correct ?
Sorry to bother but my purchase will be based on this criteria.

...and indeed overtone is easy to catch on this stick. This is a E - A#
The seller wants 300 CH = 321 AUD. I believe it is a good price for such one.

I would be interested to see how yours look like if you have one picture...up to you

Sure, I'll dig mine out of storage and I might even record a MP3 on it

Guan

Here's the instrument in question, its the one at the top, the other 4 are from the same region and show the changes in construction and artwork over time, the earliest instrument is at the bottom and the most recent is at the top.



MP3 of me playing this a moment ago, NEAL style.

Guan

Don't you mean WAL style? Ripper instruments tho!!! jealous!!!

Oops, wrong clip! Will attach again...

G

Here is the right file!

Guan

Nice nice nice !!!!(especially the "pops")

Paul

You do seem to have a nice "lively" recording environment as your files always sound "alive" and bright, where do you do your recording? My kitchen sounds to brash and harsh yet I think sometimes my front room does sound a bit too dead?

Paul

I record in the doorway, the camera is just inside the house sitting on a box and I'm standing outside the door and pointing the instrument into the house. I like this set-up as I get good "feedback" sound to my ears from my surroundings whilst the recording remains faithful acoustically. I like playing into corners too but when I record in such a setting the results sound awful... too much boom and things bleed into each other because of the resonance coming from the corner.

Guan

Thanks for sharing nice picture and excellent playing
Indeed the mago on the top has similar painting patterns as mine's.
I understand now the evolution of the painting and why it looks more modern now.

If I look the classification on your web site would you consider mine's and your's on the top as : "CI 4 Authentic traditional Aboriginal didgeridoo" (to remove any doubt ) ?

I'll put a mp3 or a video on youtube later on

Yup, CI 4 definitely, yours and mine

Guan