Tsugaru Bachi | Bekko | 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 of this particular bachi is rather thin and has flexible corners. The coloring is a beautiful mix of dark brown and light spots. The corners show the slightest signs of use and are still as pointy as can be.

The handle is made from plastic and not too long. It should be comfortable for players with medium or smaller hands.

With its weight of 173,2 grams, this bachi is very 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. But if you have injured hands, I would recommend considering a more lightweight one.

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: 9,1 cm
• length: 17,3 cm
• hilt width (bottom end): 2,6 mm
• hilt height (bottom end): 24,75 mm
• weight: 173,2 g