Koma | Plastic

This plastic koma is a typical practice koma used by beginners. The size is pretty versatile but probably most common for Minyo and Nagauta style. Due to the stiffness of the material, the corners can break off easily when accidentally struck with the bachi.

What’s a koma? The koma is the removable bridge that lifts your strings up over the skin. Koma come in different materials, shapes and heights, which will all affect your shamisen’s sound. With the right koma you can alter your instrument’s sound and adjust it to your needs and liking.

How to use it right: The koma is placed approximately 3 fingers away from the neo knot. To slide it under the string, simply pull up the strings with one finger first and then insert the koma with a swift movement and as little friction on the skin as possible. When in place, let the strings slide into the notches. Scroll down to watch a super short instructional video.

Make sure to always remove the koma after playing to keep your shamisen’s skins happy and tight. To remove the koma, use the same technique as when inserting the koma. Scroll down to the bottom of the page for a super short instructional video.