Tsugaru Bachi | Bekko | S

Traditional bekko bachi for Tsugaru playing style. Bekko bachi are the standard for Tsugaru playing style. The flexibility of the blade and the distinct snapping sound when striking the strings is an important nuance of the authentic sound of Tsugaru Shamisen. Playing with a bekko bachi feels entirely different from playing with a standard student plastic bachi. And it transforms the sound of your shamisen immensely, too.

This bachi is from Fuji brand. It is brand new but has some very discreet little insect bite marks along the top edge of the blade that will not have any effect when playing with it. The blade is nicesturdy. Its wide shape allow for a lot of tip to play with. The coloring of the blade is really gorgeous with its many light areas. Bachi that are this light in color are very popular. They’re said to have a higher quality and yield a better tone. As this bachi is brand new, the corners are in perfect condition and are super super pointy.

The handle is made from plastic and is rather short. This bachi will be most comfortable in small hands.

With its weight of 145,3 grams, this bachi feels very balanced and will add an extra momentum to your swing without feeling too heavy. There’s no right or wrong when it comes to weight and it has nothing to do with your body size or playing style. It really is personal preference.

If you’re just starting out with playing the shamisen: It’s pretty common that the bachi feels a bit weird at the beginning. But it should not cause any pain – neither in wrist nor in any of the fingers of your bachi hand. Please make sure not to grip the bachi handle when playing but to have the bachi wedged in your hand in a relaxed way (I know, it’s hard! But that really is the key to a healthy swing, painless play and a great tone).

measurements:

• blade: 9,7 cm
• length: 17 cm
• hilt width (bottom end): 27 mm
• hilt height (bottom end): 23 mm
• weight: 145,3 g