How is a gong made
Why Gongs Are So Expensive | So Expensive
the unmistakable sound of the gong
has held spiritual significance in
southeast asia for centuries
hand beaten from sheep materials the
labour intensive shaping
and delicate paintwork result in
beautiful percussive instruments
souvenir gongs can be bought for just a
few dollars but large
finely tuned gongs made from the best
materials can fetch tens of thousands of
dollars
so what are gongs actually used for and
why are they so expensive
this is thailand's gong highway a 21
mile stretch of road that is home to
more than 50 family-owned gong companies
who collectively produce roughly seven
thousand gongs each year
in the heart of the gong highway is
bunrak
has workshop as a third generation gong
maker
bunlak has been studying and practicing
gong making for almost
50 years
later
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the process begins by cutting the sheet
material into a circle
no materials go to waste here even the
offcuts are used to make the largest
shape
possible it's at this early stage
where the eventual cost of each gong is
determined
today
once the edges have been smoothed a
welder attaches the sides
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this flat dish is then ready to be
hammered into shape
the gongs made here in thailand are the
bost variety
where a center knob is surrounded by
smaller nipples
this design is stenciled on the back of
the gong with a homemade compass
and bangers begin to hammer out the
shape
the bangers use templates engraved into
tree stumps that allow the knob and
nipples to be hammered out fully
and evenly
then comes the hardest part the tuning
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tuners observe and train for years to
master their skill
he strikes the gong in different places
and listens for acoustic imperfections
using a mallet to make slight
alterations he continues this process
hoping to reduce dissonance in the sound
frequencies emitted from the goal
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once satisfied with the sound the gong
is coated in enamel
ready for intricate artworks to be
hand-painted
bunlax workshop produces gongs of all
different shapes and designs
including specially made gongs which can
sell for up to one million baht
or around 33.000
this way the cultural significance of
gongs is clear to see in uban ratchatani
a major city at one end of the gong
highway where the world's largest gong
towers stand proudly next to the watam
kua sawan temple
the use of gongs is deeply ingrained in
buddhism and according to the tourism
authority of thailand
the gong highway is responsible for
supplying most of the country's 30
000 buddhist temples with their gongs
so what about the rest of the world in
the west gongs have become commonplace
not only in popular culture but also in
meditation studios
and symphony orchestras the largest
non-asian gong manufacturer is paiste
based in germany it's been producing
gong since 1906
and its largest gong an 80 inch
symphonic model
retails for around 27 000.
this type of flat face gong sometimes
referred to as a tam tam
gives more of a crash sound which is
different from the tuned tones of a
bossed gong
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paiste's method for producing gongs are
more scientific than those on the gong
highway
with acoustic testing equipment used to
evaluate the gong's frequency
but the quality and traditional
craftsmanship at bunlax workshop is
clear
to sea and the historical importance of
the gong is felt throughout southeast
asia
now
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