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Make your own music at the Original Kazoo Company in Eden

The Original American Kazoo factory is open 6 days a week
Posted at 4:01 PM, Aug 13, 2022
and last updated 2022-08-13 16:01:53-04

EDEN, N.Y. (WKBW) — Just 30 minutes from Downtown Buffalo, the town of Eden brings you sweet tasting corn, beautiful sights and an unforgettable sound. Metal kazoos are played and created at the Original Kazoo Company more than 100 years ago.

"This little sheet metal plant brought the manufacturing of wooden kazoos up from Macon, Georgia and decided to make them out of metal. Ever since 1915, this has been the original kazoo factory," said Karen Smith, owner of the Kazoo Boutique.

They make metal kazoos, kazoos shaped like trains and even kazoos shaped like corn. People come from all over to learn about an instrument they say is the cream of the crop.

"It's a very happy instrument and it makes people happy all over. We like to say here at kazoo, you cannot frown or cry and play kazoo at the same time," said Smith.

All it takes is some good technique to get that classic buzzing tune.

"If you blow, you'll get hot air out the other end, if you hum, you can make any kind of music you want," said Smith.

Simple to play, but quite complicated to make.

"Every single kazoo is put together by hand," said Smith. "The factory's owned and operated by SASI, they work with adults with disabilities and they do a terrific job of making metal kazoos."

It's the only metal kazoo factory in the country, according to smith. Workers use the same machines from hundreds of years ago to make kazoos and ship them worldwide Tuesday through Thursday.

You can give it a try and make your own for $5.99.

"You have bragging rights forever because you're gonna have that kazoo for a long time. We don't recommend it on airplanes because those people get cranky, but other than that, it can go anywhere," said Smith.

You can learn about kazoos, go on a tour and visit the boutique Monday-Saturday.

Click here to visit their website.