Hi
Does anyone have a photo, or know where on the internet, that there is one of a kase (capo)?
I want to make one, so a need a close up photo.
Jacqueline
Hi Jacqueline,
It was good to run into you again this summer, and I’m glad to see you on Bachido!
The kase is a little strip of wood, about 5mm wide and long enough to span the width of the neck of the shamisen. It needs to be flat on the bottom, and the top is typically rounded. Traditionally they are held on by string that is wrapped around the neck several times, but newer versions use elastic, which is much easier to use. I have one, but it’s kind of annoying to put on (see the video below), and I’ve ended up using a simple banjo capo instead at times.
I found a YouTube video that explains how to put on as kase, and has some good shots of it:
And google image also has a lot of useful pictures - I’m not sure this monster link will work:
https://www.google.ca/search?q=三味線のかせ&client=firefox-a&hs=0Fr&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=sb&tbm=isch&imgil=h4E9O9kGfjschM%3A%3Bdt-kpkg4SI_TzM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Ftwtrland.com%252Fprofile%252Fnijitomomi&source=iu&fir=h4E9O9kGfjschM%3A%2Cdt-kpkg4SI_TzM%2C_&usg=__om5tmgPif4g5d7f82dl9uLBvHC0%3D&sa=X&ei=k8IQVMLrG5CpyASwpII4&ved=0CCoQ9QEwAQ
I hope this helps, and if you make one, you should post about it here so other people who might want to try can have a look too.
Hi Gerry
Thanks for the links (they both work), I will study them carefully.
At the same time David H. has arranged for some kase to be ordered from Japan, but I will still try and make my own when I get the time .