Handmade in Phnom Penh · Khmer craft

Khmer musical instruments, carved by hand

Romdul builds and sells the instruments of Cambodia's classical ensembles — from the gilded Roneat to the singing Tro — so the sound of Khmer culture keeps travelling.

About the product

Made from a single plank, and made to be played

Every Romdul instrument starts as seasoned hardwood — khnor, neang nuon or rosewood — that our artisans carve, assemble and polish over weeks rather than hours. Nothing is veneered, and nothing is rushed.

The voice is what matters. A Roneat rings with cool bronze, a Sralai carries over the gongs, and a Skor Thom speaks with a dry, wooden snap. Each piece is finished with natural lacquer and traditional Khmer motifs, so it looks the way it sounds.

  • Seasoned hardwood and natural materials — no veneer, no shortcuts
  • Tuned by working musicians before the piece leaves the workshop
  • Padded, crated and insured for tracked shipping worldwide
See the collection
Roneat Ek, a traditional Khmer gong xylophone
Roneat Ek, រនាតឯក — the lead voice of the pinpeat ensemble.
The sound of Khmer culture

ពិណពាទ្យ

Pinpeat

The classical court ensemble of gongs, xylophones, oboes and drums that accompanies royal ceremonies, classical dance and masked theatre.

មហោរី

Mohori

A gentler string-and-voice ensemble for weddings and celebrations, built around the Tro, the Khim and the long-necked Chapei.

អង្គរ

Angkorian roots

Instruments we still build today — the arched Pin, the barrel drums — are carved onto the walls of Angkor. We keep those ancient forms alive.

សិប្បកម្ម

Living craft

Each artisan in the workshop trained inside a family tradition, passing carving and tuning techniques from one generation to the next.

Featured instruments
Tro Sau - traditional Khmer two-string fiddle
ត្រសៅ
Tro Sau — Two-String Fiddle

A vertically held fiddle with a coconut-shell resonator, used for the expressive melodies of folk and classical Khmer music.

Kong Vong - circular Khmer gong chime
គងវ៉ភ្នំ
Kong Vong — Circular Gong Chimes

Twelve tuned bronze gongs on a carved circular frame, struck with padded mallets to shimmer beneath the pinpeat melody.

Chapei Dong Veng - long-necked Khmer lute
ចាប៉ីដងវែង
Chapei Dong Veng — Long-Neck Lute

A two-string plucked lute with a long fretted neck, carved from a single piece of hardwood to accompany sung poetry.

From log to concert hall
01

Choose

We select seasoned hardwood and natural materials for the instrument, board by board.

02

Carve

Artisans shape the body, keys and frame by hand, then finish the traditional carvings.

03

Tune

A working musician tunes and plays the piece in the workshop — never on a machine.

04

Deliver

Padded, crated and insured, with tracked delivery straight to your door.

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