Tsugaru Bachi | Bekko | 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 nice and flexible. The shape is rather rare and allows for the tips to be more flexible. The coloring is absolutely gorgeous. Light bachi such as this with a light corner are especially popular in Japan as they are said to produce an even better tone. The corners show minimal signs of use and are still super pointy.

The handle is made from plastic and not too long. It should be comfortable for players with medium hands. It has been filed/sanded on both sides by its previous owner to make it more ergonomic for the hands. I personally think that’s not needed, but I know many people who have considered doing that.

With its weight of 138,9 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).

measurements:

• blade: 8,8 cm
• length: 18,1 cm
• hilt width (bottom end): 27,5 mm
• hilt height (bottom end): 24 mm
• weight: 138,9