Ah yes… Going virtual window shopping on eBay is a bit like going into your local pawn/collectible/thrift/junk store: You never know what you will find. For example, this morning I poked around a bit and discovered this little gem of a homemade sax made of PVC piping.
Source: eBay.com
This is what the seller writes about this rather rothophone-looking-like horn:
PVC Saxophone
This item is a uniquely handcrafted musical instrument constructed principally of PVC plumbing and fittings by Abu the Flutemaker. It is precisely tuned to the standard pentatonic scale. I has a tone quality similar to a barritone saxophone or bass clarinet. With your sax you get 6 easy to apply membranes and a DVD with LESSON #1: How to hold and Play your sax along with :How to make and apply the very very cheap rubber membrane. Ladies and Gentlemen, No more reeds to buy, only the occasional change of the membrane… I give you the world’s best sounding (non-reed) PVC Saxophone. Demo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzBh46s6wl8&feature=related
For your convenience, I’ve embedded the YouTube video from the above-quoted ad.
I just feel compelled to point out here that part of what makes a saxophone a saxophone, is its conical bore. The bore of this instrument is more cylindrical—more like that of a clarinet. I’ll leave it up to you to decide for yourselves if this really meets the definition of a saxophone or not. Personally, I’m not so convinced.
The auction for this reed-free, PVC saxophone/clarinet made of plumbing parts, runs until December 21. The Buy It Now price is $150.
looking for hole placement schematics for simple pvc sax.
Everyone want to tell you how to make the reed/mouthpiece, they are only ten bucks. What I (and others) are looking for it where to place the tone holes; there has to be some formula (like with a 3/4″ bore, and 15″ long the first hole (for key of G) is how many inches from… ). The hole placement for flutes is readily available in many places, but when it comes to sax … looks like the few I saw make them “just knew” where to place them. Well, I don’t just know. Can you help?
According to
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/Music/sax.html#c1
a formula for hole placements in a saxophone is more complicated.
I guess it should have at least nine variables.
Never found one on the internet.
So the best thing is to copy the measurements of an existing instrument.
How does this saxophone work?
Hi Eva. Welcome to my website.
I’m not sure. Since the seller never provided a photo of disassembled mouthpiece/neck section, I don’t know where how the membrane is placed. That said, it would make sense that it would be placed in such a way that allows air to pass through it.
Update: Oops, I just realized that I never added a link to the eBay listing. I must have been really tired that morning that I missed something so obvious. 😳
In any event, this quirky, saxophone-shaped, plastic, plumbing material that doesn’t use a conventional mouthpiece or reed, did not sell. Anyone surprised? I’m not. Not for $150.
I’m curious what Abu the Flutemaker sells his instruments for when you buy them for him directly?