Buying a didgeridoo online is not like picking one up in a shop: you can't hold it or play it first. This guide covers the seven things that differ from one didgeridoo to the next, which of them change the sound, and how to choose your first, second or high-end didge. Every section has a short video if you would rather watch.
The short version
- Listen first. Every didgeridoo on the site has a sound sample of that exact instrument being played. Trust your ears before anything else.
- For a first didge, pick a key in the middle, anywhere from C to E. The very deep and the very high ones are harder to learn on.
- After a big, booming sound? Look for a wide bell end and a longer didge.
- Paint, polish and timber are about looks, not sound. Choose the one you like looking at.
- Price follows the maker's time and the artwork. A plain natural didge can play as well as a painted one.
What changes the sound, and what doesn't
| Feature | Changes the sound? | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Key (the note) | Yes | Low keys such as A and B drone deep. High keys such as F and G sound brighter. |
| Length | Yes | Longer plays lower. Of two didges in the same key, the longer one is more resonant. |
| Bell end | Yes | A narrow end gives a tight sound. A wide end gives a big, cavernous one. |
| Mouthpiece | Comfort only | Beeswax is soft and can be shaped to fit your mouth. |
| Painted or natural | No | Purely looks. |
| Timber | Not much | The maker's work and the size of the didge matter more than the species. |
| Price | Not directly | It reflects the maker's time and the artwork. |
Key (the note)
The key is the note the didgeridoo drones in. There is no best key. It comes down to the sound you like.
- Each didge has one main note, set by how the tree grew and how the termites hollowed it out.
- Deep keys such as A and B give a low drone you feel in your chest. Higher keys such as F and G sound brighter.
- Don't read music? Ignore the letters and play the sound sample on each didgeridoo's page.
- Starting out, aim for the middle: the best keys to learn on are C to E. The biggest, lowest didges take a lot of air, and a middle key helps you improve faster.
- High key F and G didgeridoos are great for faster rhythms, but if you're just beginning you probably don't need to go there yet.
Shop by key
Length
Longer didgeridoos play lower notes. Shorter ones play higher.
- On a long, low didge your lips vibrate slowly. On a short, high one they vibrate faster.
- Two didges can share a key at different lengths. The longer one usually has more resonance and a richer sound.
- Choosing for a beginner or a child? Skip the extremes and go for something in the middle.
- As a beginner, the didgeridoo you are after is from 100cm (40 inches), or even better 120cm (47 inches) to 140cm (55 inches) in length.
Bell end
The bell end is the bottom of the didge, where the sound comes out. Its width sets how big the didge sounds.
- A didge that stays about the same width all the way down has a tight, focused sound.
- A wide, flared bell end gives a big, cavernous, resonant sound.
- After a real wall shaker? Pick a big bell end, then turn your speakers up and play the sound sample.
- A bell end also makes the didge louder. If you want to entertain without an amplifier, at home or busking, or you just want to be able to hear yourself better, bell ends are the way to go.
- Very big bells can be impractical: too large to fit into standard bags, difficult to display or store, harder to travel with.
- Straight-ended didgeridoos are incredible projectors of sound also. A bell end is an option, not an essential.
Mouthpiece
A comfortable fit matters more than what the mouthpiece is made of.
- Most didgeridoos have a beeswax mouthpiece. It is soft, comfortable and smells great.
- Where the termites have left a smooth, even opening there is no wax, just natural timber. Some players prefer that.
- Beeswax can be reshaped. When your didge arrives, press and pinch the wax until it fits your mouth.
Painted or natural
The finish does not change the sound. It is purely about looks.
- There are three finishes: plain natural eucalyptus, the same timber polished to a gloss, or painted by an Aboriginal artist.
- Painted didgeridoos are listed with the artist's name and where in Australia they were made.
- Two didges with the same finish still sound different, so listen to each one.
Timber
Don't worry about the type of eucalyptus when you buy your first didgeridoo.
- There are over 1,000 types of eucalyptus in Australia, and termites favour different ones in different regions.
- No timber is the best. Asking for bloodwood because someone said it is the best is like buying a red didge because red is your favourite colour.
- The maker's craftsmanship and the size of the didge do more for the sound. Timber is a subtlety to explore once your ear develops.
How much does a didgeridoo cost?
A didgeridoo costs from $120 for a PVC travel didgeridoo to $2,999 for a top-end handmade instrument. Most of the eucalyptus didgeridoos we sell are between $600 and $1,000.
Price mostly reflects the time the maker put in and the artwork.
- Lower-priced didges are cut close to termite country and made in larger numbers, usually with a natural or polished finish.
- A high-end maker may spend days finding the right tree, then work it by hand: cleaning out the bore for resonance, chisel work and tuning the toot.
- Artwork adds to the price, from dot painting to ochre applied with a chewed grass brush on a traditional yidaki.
- We buy direct from the makers, and each price reflects the work that went into that instrument.
Didgeridoo prices by type
| PVC and travel didgeridoos | From $120 |
|---|---|
| Natural finish eucalyptus | $200 to $2,999, most between $600 and $1,000 |
| Hand painted | $520 to $1,800 |
| Performance didgeridoos | $850 to $2,500 |
| Traditional Arnhem Land yidaki | $1,380 to $1,800 |
What your budget gets you
| Under $300 | PVC and travel didgeridoos from $120, and the occasional smaller eucalyptus didgeridoo from $200. |
|---|---|
| $300 to $600 | Handmade natural finish eucalyptus didgeridoos, and the first of the hand painted ones from $520. |
| $600 to $1,000 | Where most of our didgeridoos sit: more than half of the range. Mostly natural finish eucalyptus. |
| $1,000 to $1,500 | Larger and more refined natural finish didgeridoos, performance didgeridoos and the first of the Arnhem Land yidaki. |
| $1,500 and over | Performance didgeridoos, hand painted pieces, traditional Arnhem Land yidaki and one-off instruments from high-end makers, up to $2,999. |
Australian dollars, didgeridoos in stock in November 2026. Prices are shown excluding GST: if your order is delivered within Australia, 10% GST is added at checkout. Shipping is calculated in the cart, see delivery times and costs. You can also buy now and pay later.
Which didgeridoo for where you are at
Three short paths, depending on how long you have been playing.
Your first didgeridoo
- Decide whether you want artwork or a natural finish. That halves the choice straight away: hand painted or natural finish.
- Play the sound samples and pick a sound you like in a middle key. What you hear is one of us playing that exact didge.
- Zoom in on the photos and look the didge over.
- Nothing jumping out? Tell us your budget and the sound you like and we will help you pick one.
Your second didgeridoo
- Mix it up. If your first didge is short and high, try a longer, deeper one.
- Expect a challenge: a deep didge needs slower lips and different pressure. You will be a better player for it.
- Try different artwork or a different maker as well.
A didgeridoo for the advanced player
- High-end listings carry as much detail as we can give: bell end and mouthpiece size, timber, maker, note, toots and overtones.
- Each one has a recording of that exact didge being played.
- Start with performance didgeridoos and traditional Arnhem Land yidaki.
- Want to talk it through first? Get in touch. Talking didges is what we do.
Common questions before you buy
Can I learn to play the didgeridoo?
If you can fog up a mirror when you breathe on it, you can learn to play the didgeridoo.
There are no age, sex, height, weight, colour, language, ability, musical experience, taste or style restrictions to qualify to play the didgeridoo. Our free playing instructions will get you started.
Is a big didgeridoo harder to play?
Once you can make the drone on a didgeridoo it doesn't really matter what size it is, the same technique makes them all work!
Will my didgeridoo crack?
It is not uncommon for didgeridoos to develop occasional minor surface or larger cracks. Climatic conditions, termite grooves and timber knots can leave weaknesses that may result in cracks. The good news is that cracks are generally very simple to fix: see didgeridoo first aid.
Instrument or souvenir?
Wherever you decide to get your didgeridoo from, let the shop know that you are after an instrument quality didgeridoo, not just a souvenir. Even if your didgeridoo is only played occasionally to amuse your friends, it should be a good playing and sounding instrument.
We are connected to, support and promote a large number of Australia's most talented didgeridoo makers and artists. Your purchase from Didgeridoo Breath directly supports these talented individuals, their families and the wider community.
Before you add to cart
- I have listened to the sound sample on good speakers or headphones.
- I know the key, and it suits where I am at (C to E for a first didge).
- I have checked the length and the bell end against the sound I want.
- I know whether the mouthpiece is beeswax or natural timber.
- I chose the finish for its looks, not for its sound.
- I have zoomed in on the photos.
- I have checked shipping to my country.
A bag to protect your didgeridoo
Once you have chosen a didgeridoo, measure its length and the width of its bell end and pick a bag that is at least that big. Quilt bags are the simple, lower priced choice. Snakeskins oilskin bags are waterproof and come in padded, full zip and made to measure versions.
Read the Didgeridoo Bag Buyers Guide or browse didgeridoo bags.
Still not sure?
Tell us what you are after: your budget, the sound you like and how long you have been playing. We will point you to a didgeridoo that fits. Contact us.