Tsugaru Bachi | Bekko | M/L

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 very firm and allows for a very strong playing style. The blade is attached to the handle in an especially neat way. The coloring of the blade is magnificient. It looks like a wild leopard. The corners show some signs of wear but are still very nice and pointy.

The handle is made from black plastic and is rather long. It should be comfortable for players with medium or larger hands.

With its weight of 135,9 grams, this bachi has a nice feel 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: 9,5 cm
• length: 18,6 cm
• hilt width (bottom end): 27 mm
• hilt height (bottom end): 24,5 mm
• weight: 135,9 g