Update June 2024: These bamboo saxophones seem to have vanished. I am keeping this article here for reference, and have updated its references and video.
Yesterday I spotted an interesting alto bamboo sax on eBay. This horn caught my eye because it looked very good, and not primitively made like some we sometimes see pop up around the ‘Net.
Over the 7+ years that I have been writing regular articles for my website, I have come across many examples of bamboo saxophones. That said, this is perhaps the nicest-looking, working version that I have seen for sale on eBay.
Compared to other bamboo saxophones that we have seen, this alto bamboo sax looks like the Cadillac or Mercedes Benz edition of the instrument. Compare/contrast it to the $50 version that Malcolm, the saxophone busker from Mexico, was selling to tourists, and you’ll immediately spot some pretty big differences.
I remembered an artisan named, Waiboon Tungyuenyong, was featured in an article on the CNN International Edition’s Travel section on May 19, 2011. As well as in the Coconuts TV story at the end of this article.
I’m quite unclear who is actually selling this alto bamboo sax on eBay. Is it Waiboon Tungyuenyong himself? I don’t think so. Is it someone doing it on his behalf? Possibly. Or is it someone trying to make a buck off Tungyuenyong’s work?
The seller states the following in the eBay ad copy:
….I tried many years to find the unique music instrument style to be a gift for my dad who is the music lover and like to collect the unique products. I’m most delighted to find the Bamboo Saxophone Craftsman. I had immediately requested him to produced Bamboo Saxophone for me. He made by order with delicate step by step for each piece. I’m sure that my dad will enjoy and very happy to see my special gift on his coming birthday.
This is a good chance for you to get the special experience like me. If you’re interest, I will take a good care to deliver to you.
One thing is for certain, the eBay price for this alto bamboo sax is certainly higher than the one cited in the CNN article. There the cost of the horn was shown to be 5,000 baht, which, according to xe.com, would be $141.86 US today.
True, the eBay sale offers a stand, and it’s unclear if the price mentioned in the CNN article included one, but I can’t see why a stand should drive the price up $253.14 over the opening bid price—let alone $378.14 over the BIN price. ($395.00 and $520.00 respectively.) If the money was going to Waibon Tungyuenyong it would be one thing, but based on the auction description, it sounds like someone else is making the money.
Pix of the alto bamboo sax made by Waiboon Tungyuenyong
The full auction description:
Rare Premium BAMBOO SAXOPHONE ALTO
Thai Handcraft Music Instrument Collection
By The First Bamboo Saxophone Man in Thailand and AsiaProduct Description:-
Material Selected premium grade of Bamboo
Weight light weight only 1.2 Kilogram
Key G
Sound Nice sound like Flute recorder
Shape Very professional, look smart and beautiful
Best for The Beginner, The Musician, The Collecton
Promotion: Buy 1 Bamboo Saxophone now GET FREE full set of 4 design accessories (value $160)(1) Mouthpiece case Cost $10
(2) Saxophone bag handmade Cost $60
(2) Design Stand showcase (can perform part) Cost $75
(3) Fingering chart Cost $15
History of Bamboo Saxophone
Bamboo saxophone model premium collection is produce by the only one Bamboo Saxophone Man in Thailand, Mr.Wiboon Tangyuenyong, who invent this innovation musical instrument by himself from the real bamboo more than 15 years. He has a dream to build them using a unique material and easy to play, like a recorder. He tried for more than 3-4 years to create this innovation thing. He made a working bamboo saxophone like this. The most difficult challenging process was how to make it sound like a real saxophone. At the first time, he was tune with his ear and a piano but now he uses a digital tuner. It is most the reliable way to tune the saxophone.
It takes approximate 3 months to prepare the raw bamboo material, grilled over charcoal to dry it, cut and rest it until ready to use, and take more 10 days to complete construction of 1 delicate bamboo saxophone. So it’s unique, awesome and very limited edition.
His bamboo saxophone is very interesting from many musicians, music lovers, collectors and medias from many countries. There are TV channels and newspapers had visited him to interviewed and see the real product as you can see in VDO clip. Many people brought it before back to their countries. It is a lighter weight more than the metal saxophone but nice sound like Flute Recorder.
I tried many years to find the unique music instrument style to be a gift for my dad who is the music lover and like to collect the unique products. I’m most delighted to find the Bamboo Saxophone Craftsman. I had immediately requested him to produced Bamboo Saxophone for me. He made by order with delicate step by step for each piece. I’m sure that my dad will enjoy and very happy to see my special gift on his coming birthday.
This is a good chance for you to get the special experience like me. If you’re interest, I will take a good care to deliver to you.
Let’s start testing the masterpiece premium product from Thailand – awesome BAMBOO SAXOPHONE limited edition.
If this alto bamboo sax floats your boat, you have to be prepared to bid at least $395.00! The BIN price for this horn is $520.00! 
As I stated above, if the money was going to the artisan himself it would be one thing, but it seems possible that someone else is making the extra money.
The auction for this alto bamboo sax is scheduled to run until August 23—unless someone exercises the BIN option. What are the chances of that? IMHO, slim to none, but hey, I’ve been wrong before. Go ahead, prove me wrong. 😛
Do check out this video of Wiboon Tungyuenyong. It is a story that really is worth watching. I would buy a horn from the man himself. I’d like to try out a bari. I think that would be fun.
While an instrument in F could be called an Alto (as it is in many other types of wind instruments), an instrument in G is usually considered mezzo-soprano. Conn even applied that term to their instruments in F, but that was probably to avoid confusion with their ordinary altos in E-flat.
Thanks for the email. The main thing I noticed about all this was the mouthpiece. In the photos they look to be handmade. In the Ebay ad it even looks like he/they used a hoseclamp for a ligature. In the video of him playing you see him using a regular mouthpiece to test and manufacture his horns and hear his playing. You don’t see him or hear him playing one with the handmade mouthpiece. Anyways. Interesting idea but not new in concept. I am especially aware of how much a good mouthpiece affects a saxophone and seeing the slightly obvious play on emotions of the wording on ebay, I would probably steer away from this one.
Looks like everyone stayed away from that one… It didn’t sell.
Thanks Helen for posting about these. For that price though, I will stick with my Polycarbonate ‘Vibrato’ Alto, also from Thailand, while drooling for one of the rarer solidly carved wooden ones, complete with wooden chromatic Keys (haven’t seen any recently – still being made?)…
I don’t know whatever happened to SaxWood… At least that was what I think they were called. It’s too bad I didn’t save any of their recordings. While unusual, the horns themselves sounded like crap. Nice conversation pieces, but that’s about it.