The saxophone is a popular instrument worldwide due to its unique sound, which during the 20th century became synonymous with jazz and the blues.

At a local level, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej played a leading role in introducing the instrument to the Thai people. As well as being a cultured saxophonist himself, the King has been responsible for creating numerous jazz compositions, and has played along some of the true greats, including Benny Goodman and Stan Getz.

An affordable alternative
One reason that not many young people have had the opportunity to play the saxophone is that it is a prohibitively expensive instrument. This situation has led one local entrepreneur to try and address the situation by developing the world's first polymer-based saxophone.

Phiyaphat Thayakit, managing director of Vibrato, the company which developed the instrument, says music is a language the whole world can understand. A keen musician himself, Phiyaphat says everyone should get the chance to learn to play a musical instrument whether they're rich or poor.

Brass saxophones can cost anything from 30,000 baht (US$900) to more than 100,000 baht, which is clearly beyond the reach of all but Thailand's most wealthy citizens. This led Phiyaphat to try and find an alternative raw material so more members of the public can get the opportunity to produce a similar quality of sound at a more respectable price.

Phiyaphat invested more than 10 million baht through loans and his own savings to conduct research and development (R&D) into this cut-price instrument. After two years of R&D, Phiyaphat was ready to launch the instrument, which received the support of leading local saxophonist Sakpon Aunsumrand, better known as 'Koh' Mr Saxman.

Light and easy to play
Phiyaphat said many foreign manufacturers had already tried to produce a similar cut-price saxophone, but most had failed by using a form of resin as the main raw material. Resin is prone to cracking easily and so instruments produced from this material had not proven popular over the long-term.

The 'Vibrato' is the first non-metallic saxophone to have been produced using polycarbonate as the main material, and the company now hold patents for it both at home and overseas.

The company's target market is aspiring young musicians who should find the Vibrato's selling price – 8,000-9,000 baht – a bit more accessible.

The instrument weighs just 800 grams, Phiyaphat revealed, adding that it is quite easy to play. The fingering configuration and mechanics of the cheaper version are identical to those found on a more expensive traditional brass instrument. Unlike owners of brass instruments, buyers of a Vibrato can choose from several different colors to match their personality.

The company expects to export about 90% of its Vibrato output, while it will invest in promoting the product at international music trade fairs, Phiyaphat said. The remaining 10% would be sold in the domestic market, while some of these instruments would be donated to school, he said.