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The
Xaphoon is made by Brian Wittman, a Maui resident who invented the instrument
more than 20 years ago.
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| The Xaphoon starts with raw bamboo stalk cut from the rainforests of East Maui. Each is slightly different in its dimensions, inside diameter and consistency, making mass production nearly impossible. The bamboo is cut down to the proper size and dried for at least six months before instrument making begins. |   |
| The mouthpiece is done first, formed by cutting the solid end at a fixed angle and then rounding it to a parabolic shape. The inside is then carved out with a great deal of skill -when the reed vibrates, it must form a tight seal with the mouth of the opening. Wall thickness and other variations have a tremendous influence on the quality of the sound. |
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All the bamboo pieces are slowly "roasted" over a flame, giving them the unique burnt finish. |
| Tuning the instrument is an art in itself. Without making any measurements, the length, inside diameter, and inside shape of the mouthpiece are examined, and the bamboo is pierced by a red-hot iron at the place deemed appropriate by the creator. A note is blown and checked against a chromatic autotuner. A perfect "D"! |  |
| Mineral oil and a varnish are then applied, and the instrument is then hand-sanded down to a flat finish. |  |
Click here for a Most Impressive Video clip showing how the Xaphoons are tuned by Brian. This is an excerpt from the "Maui Xaphoon - How It's Made, How to Play" DVD available from the online Xaphoon Store.
Next: Fingering Chart
