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Discussion Starter · #1 ·
I have seen many PVC Saxophone on the web and I would like to know if anyone has some good dimensions I can use to make my own. I actually need it for a project that's due on wednesday...
I've seen one plan so far, but that thing doesn't even look like a saxophone, I'm going for something like


or



and maybe...



Thanks alot!
Sincerely,
Procrastinating Teenager​
 

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Of course some audio files or at least a video would be nice. Not that I hold any high hopes in the sonic qualities of yet another such contraption but just in case I am mistaken and my suspicions prove wrong.............one never really knows. The most dangerous thing is that I see in the background a number of wooden saxophone and I strongly suspect these are the same, or of the same type, of those simulacra of a saxophones made in Thailand that all to often have seen on you tube and, dare I say, were publicised by their maker also on this forum. Totally and utterly useless as saxophones just looking nice as wall hangers. watch especially the last video of how Mr. Koh otherwise a great player struggles to play this thing anywhere nearly in tune while playing with Graham Lyons on his Lyons clarinet (and what Graham says at the end of the " jam"!)

 

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Good luck finding cone shaped pvc pipe to make a true sounding saxophone body. If you could find it in enough diameters you could make your "cone" with a set of successive cylinders as shown below. Acoustically this has been shown to act like a conical shaped instrument and sound much like a saxophone.

 

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Discussion Starter · #5 ·
Good luck finding cone shaped pvc pipe to make a true sounding saxophone body. If you could find it in enough diameters you could make your "cone" with a set of successive cylinders as shown below. Acoustically this has been shown to act like a conical shaped instrument and sound much like a saxophone.

Ok, but what about the mouthpiece? Is there anyway I can avoid actually using a Sax mouthpiece? I was thinking of cutting a pvc pipe at the right angle and using it with a reed. How long Should it be? And where should the holes be drilled?
Thanks again.

Well I just found a video for a mouthpiece, do you think this'll work?
 

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The Santa photo looks like he is using a kazoo stuck in the end as a mouthpiece.

Here is how to make a clarinet out of a carrot:
He uses an alto sax mouthpiece, and it actually plays well.
 

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Building on the point by JBT, the saxophone is a truncated cone. After the mouthpiece, the cone "ends" in your oral cavity. Just a longer way of me saying that if the mouthpiece is approximately conical, it would work.

Additionally, as JBT mentions, it's difficult to make a true cone with PVC. You could try for a wrapped straight-ish design, like the Eppelsheim Tubax (which is why that some people argue that the Tubaxes aren't true saxophones) or, instead of a sax, go for a contrabass clarinet design. People HAVE made those with fairly good success.

It's interesting that the carrot-based horn was mentioned. A carrot is roughly conical ....
 

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It's interesting that the carrot-based horn was mentioned. A carrot is roughly conical ....
...says the broccoli! Hiya Pete!
 

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Discussion Starter · #9 ·
This is exactly what I'm looking for. Can anyone give me hints as to what Dimensions I need to use?
I'm talking about where the holes need to be, how far apart, how big. Should I use my own sax as a model? Would it be accurate if I did it that way?
 
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