Hicks Sticks, Traditional Aboriginal Yidaki and Mago

Trad voice all the way, internalized tone, great reaction to tonguing and throat accents, easy playing backpressure, super easy toot transition, very fast response especially for the pitch, Medium in volume and power. A ripper for Yolngu style playing.

guy050502
Maker: Guykurda Mununggurr
Key: E Flat, Overtone: E
Length: 61.75"
Bell size: 3.5"
Mouthpiece: 1 3/16 x 1 1/16"
Weight:10 lb
Price: $525

A good basic yidaki at a great price. This one has medium backpressure, medium loudness, slightly flat playing feel, and enough edge for good " Dith dhirrl" response with good technique. The sound is well balanced with good harmonic and vocal response. Musical third/octave toot intervals also make this one a good cantidate for more modern playing styles. Gur**r**uy just recently passed away, so this is a bit of a rare opportunity to buy one of his remaining instruments.

gur060608
Maker: Gur**r**uy Munyarryun
Key: D, Overtone: F#
Length: 59 1/8"
Bell size: 4 1/8"
Mouthpiece: 1 1/4" x 1 3/16"
Weight: 6 lb 15 oz
Price: $325

A solid yidaki with medium solid backpressure, a fair bit of blunt playing character, and aggressive bright somewhat rough gritty sound. This one responds well to strong technique with a lot of pop, edge, and prominent passive vocal response. The minor third toot interval and very complex harmonic response add a dark brooding tonalty to an otherwise bright sounding instrument... a fascinating and unique comination. The ochre rarrk work on this yidaki is even finer than most of Djul'djul's work. It is a very high level art piece as well as being a fantastic player.

bur090101
Maker: Burrnguburrngu Wunungmurra
Artist: Djul'djul' Gurruwiwi
Key: F, Overtone: A flat
Length: 53.25"
Bell size: 3.75"
Mouthpiece: 1 3/16 x 1 1/8"
Weight:8 lb 9 oz
Price: $725

yal060601
Maker: Yalyal Munyarryun
Artist: Rerrkirrwanga Munungurr
Key: E-, Overtone: G+
Length: 54.75"
Bell size: 3.5 x 4"
Mouthpiece: 1 1/8" (Sugar bag)
Weight: 6 lb 5 oz
Price: $725

An incredible yidaki that crosses the line between traditional and contemporary character beautifully. It has an open bore, but brilliant medium backpressure and enough edge to react to traditional style toungings and accents. Also has brilliant harmonics, clear vocals and a very musical octave second toot for contemporary style playing. It was repainted with exceptional Djapu minyt'ji (sacred design) art by Rerrkirrwanga Munungurr, a rare design for yidaki. The same design is used by Dhalwangu on bark paintings and log coffins. A very special instrument.

lir050505
Maker: Lirrpiritj Gondarra
Key: E flat, Overtone: G/ E flat
Length: 52 1/2"
Bell size: 2 1/2"
Mouthpiece: 1 1/8 x 1 1/16"
Weight: 4 lb 10 oz
Price: $295

Blunt fiesty little ripper this one. It has bluntish character with a lot of grit and brightness. Moderate backpressure with slightly flattish rhythmic feel and a lot of traction for Yolngu style tongued accents. Lirrpiritj is from the Golumala clan, he lives In Dhailybuy and the artwork is typical of that area. I feel lucky to have this one. His instruments are quite good but not many make it to market. Decorated with rarrk guya (fish) motifs.

Wow! what a unique and stellar instrument. Very trad response with nice bluntness and some internalized character. Excellent response to Yolngu style tonguings and accents. Easy/ blunt sounding toot. Barrapu's coarse looking artwork is prized and Barrapu's bark paintings are currently fetching big money in Yolngu art collector's circles.

I won't be dissapointed one bit if this one never sells!

bar090101
Maker: Barrapu Yunupingu
Key: F#, Overtone: G
Length: 54 1/4"
Bell size: 3.5 x 4
Mouthpiece: 1 1/8 x 1 1/16"
Weight: 8 lb 15 oz
Price: $725

A good instrument at a bargain price for a Djalu. Moderate backpressure, flat-ish rhythmic response, somewhat dry rattly sound quality (in a good way), with a unique sounding midrange bump in its frequency response. It has a bit more bell viewed from the top and a curvy shape that the Gurruwiwis say represents their clan totem Wititj (olive python) that is not evident in this photo. Painted in acyrlic with "mani-dak" body painting style

dja050921
Maker: Djalu Gurruwiwi
Key: D, Overtone: G
Length: 60"
Bell size: 4 1/8 x 4 1/2"
Mouthpiece: 1 5/32"
Weight: 7 lb 5 oz
Price: $ 385 SOLD

gur060601
Maker: G**rara*wuy Munyarryun
Key: E flat-, Overtone: G/ E flat
Length: 55"
Bell size: 3.5"
Mouthpiece: 1 3/16 x 1 1/4""
Weight: 4 lb 13 oz
Price: $425

Despite it's plain look, this is a stellar ripper of a yidaki. The drone is full but not boomy with a bright mid and high frequencies and burning harmonic response. The taper gives it excellent medium solid backpressure and a fast restless rhythmic feel, it responds very well to traditional Yolngu style technique and is open enough for unrestricted vocal barks and hoots. The major third toot interval is very easy to hit, and It has an octave second toot if you want to play multiple trumpet tones. This is another of the E flats I am hesitant to sell, but I have too many. If one goes I'll probably keep the other.