Hicks Sticks, Traditional Aboriginal Yidaki and Mago

Cameron's instruments are highly prized and collectable, especially since he has passed away. This one has medium low backpressure, great clarity, nice deep resonance, great harmonics and clear vocal response. This makes it excellent as more of a big bore contemporary style instrument with traditional heritage, than as a mago style instrument per se. As such it is a little atypical of Cameron's work, but is a great bargain made by one of the traditional masters. I personally selected this instrument last time I was in Arnhemland.

ac090101
Maker: Ambrose Cameron
Key: C
Length: 53"
Bell size: 3 3/8"
Mouthpiece: wax
Weight: 7 lb 14 oz
Price: $ 250

rb090902
Maker: Russell Brien
Key: E Flat
Length: 45 1/2"
Bell size: 2 3/8"
Mouthpiece: wax
Weight: 2 lb 13 oz
Price: $475

Really nice lightweight resonant mago which I personally selected on my trip to Arnhem Land in 2008. Easy playing backpressure, great traditional mago style response with good reaction to "passive vocals", retroflex tongue technique and throat accents. Don't let the small size fool you, great things sometimes come in small packages! Painted in natural ochre pigments in the hand print/body painting style endemic to the area.

jn090501
Maker: Jack Nawalil
Key: E flat
Length: 54"
Bell size: 3 1/2"
Mouthpiece: wax
Weight: 7 lb14 oz
Price: $325

A plain looking straightforward solid mago with direct sound and good traditional sound characteristics for a great price! Good sound projection on the brighter end of the sound spectrum, with quite a bit of bite and grit/coarseness in response to retrofex tongue movement and passive vocalization. It has middling backpressure and a slightly flat blunt playing feel.

dhu050710
Maker: D***gur*n Gulungurr
Key: F
Length: 44.5"
Bell size: 2 5/8" x 3"
Mouthpiece: wax
Weight: 3 lb 10 oz
Price: $550

Wonderful and just excellent lightweight mago from my personal collection. Small in size but not sound. It has a very classic mago tonality, a bit dry with respectable bass response due to its light weight and thin walls, prominent harmonics and nice passive vocal response. It also has nice backpressure for it's unassuming shape plus can take a lot of push. Nice rarrk artwork in ochre.

Nice mago, personally selected on my trip to Arnhem land in 2008, at an excellent price! Often, low pitched mago lack the "passive vocal" kind of roughness in sound quality that typifies the traditional mago sound, but this one has quite a bit of it, coupled with a slightly "pipey" character. Quite satisfying for playing those" Dit-m-ro" mago style rhythms with good medium backpressure relative to the pitch. Painted in natural ochres

rb090103
Maker: Russel Brian
Key: C#
Length: 49"
Bell size: 3 1/2"
Mouthpiece: Wax
Weight: 5 lb 5 oz
Price: $350

Nice middle of the road easy playing, trad sounding mago, personally selected on my trip to Arnhem Land in 2008. Medium volume, medium traditional sound with some good harmonic complexity, and medium response to "passive" vocals. Easy playing moderate backpressure typical for mago. Painted in natural ochres in the handprint, "body painting" style prevalent from the area.. Bargain price!

rb090101
Maker: Russel Brian
Key: D
Length: 51.75"
Bell size: 3 1/8"
Mouthpiece: Wax
Weight: 5 lb 5 oz
Price: $350

Purchased directly from Bill, I have enjoyed this instrument immensely, and am reluctant to sell it, but I have another almost identical in all respects. Though Bill's playing style is unique, this didge is very mago like in character with stellar tonal balance, good bass resonance, moderate backpressure and nice vocal response. Just a solidly performing didge, and at this price a nice bargain!

har090901
Maker: Yiduma Bill Harney
Key: E flat-
Length: 48.5"
Bell size: 3 3/8"
Mouthpiece: Wax
Weight: 6 lb
Price: $375