From as early as 2000 B.C., making gongs has been an art form. Perfect tuning and resonance is not something any machine can achieve. Even today, Asian gongs are handmade by skilled craftsman to ring with the iconic sound of the Far East.

Gongs are synonymous with the Far East for good reason. The earliest mention of a gong is in a Chinese text from 500 A.D. They were likely first crafted in Tibet and Burma, but the craft traveled farther south to Korea, Indonesia and the Philippines as well. The manufacturing process was a closely-guarded secret passed down through families, and owning a gong was considered a symbol of wealth and prosperity.

Today, not all gongs are made in Asia. In fact, one of the most respected manufacturers, Paiste, is German. Creating Paiste gongs begins with a disk of metal alloy called nickel silver. Nickel silver has a brassy color. For gongs with silver-colored rims and accents, the metal is heated using a gas torch. This oxidizes the metal and turns it silver.

Next, the inward curve of the rim is created. One craftsman turns the metal disk while another hammers the edge into a carved wood "mold." The gong is then tuned by hammering in the second inner ring. No tuning instruments are used at this point. The strikes are precise, and knowing how much or how little to hammer is an integral part of craftsmanship.

The final tuning is done by comparing the new gong to a master copy. While no two gongs will sound exactly alike, Paiste uses tuning instruments to compare the two gongs and make the final adjustments as close as possible. The completed gongs are strung and ready for sale for use in music, meditation or just for fun.

The Gong Shop
1661 Tennessee St. #2E
San Francisco, CA 94107
11am-5pm Mon-Fri
1-855-225-7372 Toll Free
http://thegongshop.com/