Didgeridoo Buyers Guide

Not everyone is fortunate enough to come and hang out with us in the store at Didgeridoo Breath to chat about all things didge. We have put together this thorough didgeridoo buyers guide to teach you the key differences and things to look at when choosing your didgeridoo online.

 

Introduction

 

The Bell-end

Key Points

• Each didgeridoo is completely unique based on how the tree is grown and how termites have hollowed out the inside
• You should listen to the drone the didgeridoo makes first when buying
• The sound can range from a low, deep drone or a high-pitched drone
• There is no best note/key for a didgeridoo. Its based on your personal preference
• Let us know if you're stuck, post a question in the comments section below

 

Length

Key Points

• Each didgeridoo is completely unique based on how the tree is grown and how termites have hollowed out the inside
• You should listen to the drone the didgeridoo makes first when buying
• The sound can range from a low, deep drone or a high-pitched drone
• There is no best note/key for a didgeridoo. Its based on your personal preference

 

Mouthpiece

Key Points

• You don't need a beeswax mouthpiece if the end is smooth, but most players prefer one
• Beeswax mouthpieces are nice, soft, natural antibiotic. Keep the didgeridoo comfortable
• Customise your mouthpiece to your mouth
• Adjust the beeswax mouthpiece to find your sweet spot

 

The Note (Key)

Key Points

• Each didgeridoo is completely unique based on how the tree is grown and how termites have hollowed out the inside
• You should listen to the drone the didgeridoo makes first when buying
• The sound can range from a low, deep drone or a high-pitched drone
• There is no best note/key for a didgeridoo. Its based on your personal preference
• The biggest, lowest sounding didgeridoos are often bad for beginners because of the amount of air it takes to play them. If you don't have the basics such as circular breathing mastered, then a didgeridoo with a middle note will help you improve faster.

 

Painted or Natural?

Key Points

• The finish of the didgeridoo does not affect the sound
• The different finishes are: plain natural eucalyptus, polished eucalyptus, or painted
• The painted didgeridoos at didgeridoo breath are painted and bought from aboriginal artists
• Make sure to listen to didgeridoo before buying it as they all sound different
• The different finishes of didgeridoos are personal preference

 

Timber

Key Points

• There are over 1000 types of eucalyptus trees all over Australia
• Termites love different types of woods based on the region in Australia
• The different specific types of woods are similar to liking different finishes. Its more personal preference and don't really affect the sound
• If you've been playing for a good while and can pick out different subtleties of the woods, then you can be more selective
• Don't worry what type of eucalyptus the didgeridoo is made out of when buying your first didgeridoo.

 

Price

Key Points

• Most important factors in pricing effort put into the instrument by the maker, the sound quality and artwork
• The cheaper priced didgeridoos might be chopped up from trees and produced on a larger scale so less time is taken in selecting and refining each didgeridoo. They generally come in natural or polished finishes
• The more work and craftsmanship thats put into a didgeridoo generally the more expensive it will be.
• A craftsmen might search deep into the forest for days to find the perfect wood and put in extra work to smooth out the tone and quality of the didgeridoos feel and sound.
• Some other factors affecting the price are:
  Has the didgeridoo been reinforced?
  What is the artwork made out of?
  Has it been painted in a more traditional style such as using chewed up grass as the brush and ochers for the natural paint?

 

Buying your first didgeridoo

Key Points

• Choose whether you would like artwork or natural. This splits your selection in half
• Then pick what sound you want. Listen to the sound samples (each product on DidgeridooBreath.com has a sound sample)
• Then inspect each didgeridoo. Move your cursor over the photo to zoom in and check out the didgeridoos in more details.
• If you're still not sure, pick the Didge Starter Pack. When you do that, one of our experts from the shops runs down to the didgeridoo forest in the shop, plays them to find the best one currently in stock of that category, brings it upstairs and ships it off to you.

 

Buying your second didgeridoo

Key Points

• We recommend mixing it up and diversifying your style
• Is your first didgeridoo shorter and higher pitched? Mix it up and purchase a larger, deeper sounding didge
• Try purchasing a didgeridoo with different artwork
• By mixing it up, you can challenge yourself and learn to play something completely different

 

Buying a didgeridoo for the advanced player