It has eleven (chakhe)[2] or twelve (krapeu) raised frets made of bamboo, ivory, bone, or wood,[3] graduated between 2 and 3.5 cm in height,[2] which are affixed to the fretboard with wax or glue.

[3] The player, sitting beside the instrument, uses their left hand on the fretboard while plucking the string with their right hand using a 5- to 6-cm long, tapered plectrum made from ivory, bone, or water buffalo horn, which is tied to the player's index finger, and bracing it with the thumb and index finger.

[2] The instrument produces a buzzing sound because the strings are raised slightly off the flat bridge by a sliver of bamboo or other thin material such as plastic.

Among the Khmer classical instruments, the takhe is probably the most recently introduced; it is assumed to be adopted from Thai music.

[3] Chakhe and krapeu are also related to the Myanmar/Mon mi gyaung (kyam), which has realistic zoological features and not just the abstract form of a crocodile.