I got my second hand shamisen yesterday off mercari and it came with these two different koma and I was just wondering if there was a reason as to why there’s 2 different ones? Are they used depending on what type of music you are playing and is there a better choice between the two? Thanks
Both koma are bamboo.
The lighter colored one seems to have a (bone?) saddle, but it could just be the picture. It may be taller than the other as well, but it’s hard to tell from the angle.
Anywho.
Koma exist on a spectrum, much like shamisen. The kind of koma you use (these days) is largely a function of taste (and style expectations). Usually we look at the height, materials, and structure (although this is fairly unimportant, outside of a few specific niches).
If you’re just starting out, it’s really not something to worry about.
Shorter koma made of bamboo are typically intended for tsugaru, those which are a little taller are commonly used in general min’yo.