Raw Material Prices Soar, Tihingan Klungkung Gamelan Craftsmen in a Bind

Gamelan artisans in Tihingan Village, Banjarangkan Subdistrict, Klungkung, Bali, are in a bind facing the soaring prices of production raw materials. The price of raw materials in the form of metal mixtures imported from Java has surged by more than 100 per cent.

Nyoman Suartama (52), one of the gamelan artisans in Tihingan, said the price of raw materials has risen since March. According to him, the price of the metal mixture has jumped from Rp125,000 per kilogram (kg) to Rp260,000 per kg.

“It has increased more than twofold,” Suartama told detikBali on Wednesday (6/5/2026).

Suartama explained that the rise in raw material prices has forced him to increase the selling price of the gamelan he produces. However, the problem is that he still incurs losses because some orders were already paid for by buyers before the raw material prices rose.

“The gamelan production process takes three to six months. So there are some that were ordered in January, before the price increase, and fully paid for. Now, it’s awkward to raise the price. As a result, it’s a loss,” Suartama clarified.

In the past, Suartama said, gamelan artisans in Tihingan could mix the metal from tin and copper themselves. However, access to obtaining tin and copper has recently become difficult.

Suartama stated that all gamelan artisans in Tihingan now no longer mix it themselves. Consequently, when raw material prices rise as they are now, they have no choice but to increase the selling price.

Separately, the owner of the Suara Utama Gong Tihingan workshop, AA Rai Astuti (46), echoed the sentiment. Rai admitted to being quite overwhelmed by the increase in gamelan raw material prices.

As a result, the traditional musical instruments sold by Rai have also experienced increases. For example, a pair of 25-centimetre (cm) diameter ceng-ceng, previously Rp1.7 million, now costs Rp2.3 million.

“Each reong was previously sold for Rp2.5 million, now it has risen to Rp3 million,” said Rai.

Nevertheless, Rai admitted she is not too worried if the number of gamelan buyers decreases due to the price increase. It is known that Tihingan Village has long been recognised as a centre for Balinese gamelan artisans.

Enthusiasts of gamelan works by Tihingan forgers come not only from artists and art groups in Bali, but also from outside the region to overseas. “Up to now, there are still those who order and buy directly,” Rai added.