Adventures in Itomaki-land in particular and Thai wood in general

Building/Repair
#1

The other day a friend passed on a large branch (about 5 or 6" dia) that had been around for some years I reckon and thought I might be able to make an instrument out of it. The wood is called ไม้รัก, transliterates something like Mai Rak and which more or less means Wood Love. The other day I took my hatchet to the surface to get a little idea of what the wood was like. Bright red when fresh cut, I became intrigued by the way the wood split as I was knocking off some sticky-out bits. A little while later I felt inspired by the wood’s behaviour and thought it might be very interesting the incorporate the movement in the wood into some Itomaki for the instrument that I am currently playing and also the last one that I happened to have made, about a year ago.

A really heavy wood, I don’t know what the Janka number is but it feels really dense. Interestingly it was almost ‘soft’ to carve. The big branch piece has a fair number of cracks and such and that is part of what led me to thinking about smallish things I might make with it.

At any rate, I totally love what came out and thought that I’d pass on my experiences and some photos. They feel so ‘wild’ to me… wild like, wild animal wild which of course I adore. They are also sitting well in the instrument and turning very smoothly. The previous itomaki for this instrument were made from a wood called snakebeam which is really nice but felt a little jerk-y whilst tuning.

Would love to hear thoughts of any sort!

I hope this finds you all well, here are some photos:

1 Like
#2

They look awesome :slight_smile:

#3

:-O!!! Oh my, oh my… I do believe those are the coolest itomaki I have ever seen!!

Simply beautiful, Catherine! Love the color and… everything about it!

#4

Ah, geeze! Thanks Shami-buddies.

One thing that I neglected to mention is that my friend Kung said that using that wood will make people love me, my instrument and my music! (well, I think that’s how she put it)

Not quite sure what to say about that. It sounds good though!

#5

Catherine,

Well I Already love you and your music! But now I must agree with Kyle! Coolest Itomaki Ever! Love you even more now! Kung was certainly right on the money there!

#6

:slight_smile:

#7

Those look epic! I wonder how the headpiece would look using a similar approach. Btw I noticed that there are no brass rings where the itomaki go into the headpiece. Won’t that result in the wood getting worn and if unfortunate broken?

#8

You know Karl, I was thinking the same thing about doing something similar with a Tenjin. I shall ponder that and see what comes about in the fullness of time! I just got a selection of mai daeng wood from a supplier in Chiang Mai and have enough for 4 or 5 instruments. Maybe I’ll try one with that thought in mind! Orrrr, because this Mai Rak wood is so very interesting, perhaps I could laminate it on. The Mai Daeng is pretty straight grained. Hmmm…

Yes indeed, I don’t use zagane on my instruments. I guess it’s a personal choice thing and perhaps a bit from some background in european type bowed instruments. I’ve been using a cello-taper reamer and peg shaver for a number of my other instruments that I’ve made over a number of years now and I guess I just continued on with it when I started to make shamisen. Hell, I don’t even know what the taper IS using zagane!

Kyle! Please! Maybe you might be willing to bring some enlightenment here.

I know a fair number of string players and peg wear doesn’t really seem to be that much of an issue. Other than that nasty old ‘crap wears out’ bugaboo, that is. Mind you, I do also know of some situations (not personal, more from instrument repair people I know) on older instruments where the pegs needed to be re-worked or replaced and also the peg holes in the instrument itself having to be rebuilt. Keeps someone in a job I guess.

I think that sometimes the pegs can get kind of compressed where contact with the instrument occurs. I definitely noticed that when I played viola though I never needed any peg work myself. I suppose it would depend on the wood as well. Let’s see, pegs are usually something like ebony (really dense) being used with maple (pretty heavy but not nearly so much as ebony) on the instrument. Hmm, just pondering, you’d think the instrument peg holes would get more compressed as the wood is less dense. Maybe I just noticed it more on the pegs. Easier to see, as it were.

I guess one might say that because a lot of string players use fine tuners on their instruments that there is less actual peg movement. This is true of course, but I used to use gut strings quite a bit and in that case tuned exclusively with the pegs (other than the high A string which had a fine tuner on it)

blah blah blah away I go. This is all so interesting… in MY head at least! :slight_smile:

Maybe I aught to try out an instrument using zagane!

#9

Also, Kevin, I totally love you and your music too! Especially now that we’re friends on FB. I feel so chuffed!

#10

Brava! Superb.

#11

Also, fine tuning on a fretless instrument seems pointless. On top of that sentiment, some of the most memorable riffs in pop music came from Mrs Mills, an upright piano at the Abbey Road Apple studio that was perpetually a bit out of tune. Shamisen is a folk instrument, and folk music ain’t purfekt.

#12

Wow! :slight_smile: Love the natural look. On the off chance my itomaki ever break or should I feel like a change, would you consider making them for sale?

#13

Hi Cana, for sure I would/could!
Also, thanks so much for all the wonderful feedback everyone. Really appreciate it.

#14

Oh! I didn’t know that! I would love to order some of your itomaki as well! Maybe you could send me a message with prices and details etc.

#15

Those are gorgeous. I really like the way they look like they could be once piece of wood, connected to the neck.

© 2020 Kyle Abbott