Overall length 692 mm - 27 1/4"

Inside diameter 16 mm - 5/8"

Outside diameter 20 mm - 11/16"
Distance from sharpened end to CENTER of:
Thumb hole 288mm - 11 5/16" (on "bottom")
First finger 315mm - 12 7/16" (on "top")
Second 345 mm - 13 9/16"
Third 374 mm - 14 11/16"
Fourth 401mm - 15 3/4"
Fifth 431 mm - 16 15/16"
Sixth 458 mm - 18"
Seventh 481 mm - 19 1/8"
Devil hole #1 543 mm - 21 5/16" (on "bottom")
Devil hole #2 584 mm - 23" (on "top")
Devil holes #3 622 mm - 24 1/2" (two, one on each "side")
Diameter of holes 8 mm - 5/16"
These measurements are taken from the Macedonian kaval I currently play. Toleran
ces are to the nearest mm or 1/16". The note we call "A" sounds at 444 MHz, A#
on the piano. The all-fingers-down note, we call "C" and it sounds as C# on the
piano. The intonation is not well-tempered, that is, some of the notes sound a b
it sharp or flat when compared to the piano. I consider this not a serious probl
em, because I'm playing with an old-style Macedonian gajda, and the intervals on
the gajda are also a bit off, when compared to the piano. I adjust by lipping e
ach note up or down to match the gajda.
In 1978, I worked at a place that had a full machine shop, where I could sweet-t
alk the technicians into allowing me to use the lathe and drill press after hour
s. With my husband helping a lot, we sawed the pipe into correct lengths, then h
e ran the lathe to bevel the edge of the mouthpiece. (Yes, we used goggles for e
ye protection.)
PROCEDURE kaval
If the length of pipe survived that process, I then inserted it into a template
I'd gotten the technician to make for me, based on the numbers (see above) I'd g
iven him. It was square-cross-section metal tubing, a bit larger than the plexig
lass pipe, with the holes drilled at the correct locations. I'd wedge the butt e
nd of the pipe into the metal template with little pieces of wood or cardboard,
hold this down on the platform of the drill press, and then ever-so-carefully br
ing the drill down on each hole in the template.
Once the holes were all drilled, I'd use a little curved de-burring file by hand
to smooth the outside edges of the holes on the pipes that survived that far. I
didn't go so far as to bevel the holes, just softened the edge of the holes a b
it so they'd feel nicer under the fingers. I'd push a 1/2" wooden dowel down the
pipe to knock off the few curls of plexiglass that would cling to the inside ed
ges of the holes, and clear out any shavings that remained. I sanded the beveled
and butt ends a little to smooth them off, too.