Tsugaru Bachi | Bekko + Horn | S/M

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.

The blade is medium thick and has firm corners. The coloring is absolutely beautiful and reminds me of creme brulee 🙂 The corners show slight signs of use and there’s tiny insect bites. The bachi remains super sturdy and comfortable to play. But you get a juicy discount for the imperfections 🙂

The handle is made from buffalo horn and feels gentle in your hand. It should be comfortable for players with medium or smaller hands.

With its weight of 156 grams, this bachi feels pretty solid and adds some extra swing to your strike.

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).