Orange Sem

Building/Repair
#1

Skinned with orange table cloth and sporting far out itomaki it looks like I after all got something to play with . . . :slight_smile:

As it stays in tune which was the main problem area earlier so this is worth fooling around with other koma and pickups in the future and I can already get into playing again after several months of not playing anything in the past I hope you excuse the authentic hangover look in the clip above too . . .

http://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/t31/1795904_402402809897189_1254408586_o.jpg

http://scontent-b-fra.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/t31.0-8/10010017_402403496563787_1399336894_o.jpg

http://scontent-a-fra.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t31.0-8/1658474_402404483230355_2020949366_o.jpg

#2

Congratulations, BH! At last, your kouki shamisen (sem :slight_smile: )is playable! (Not that I have anything against ‘air shamisen’) How tight is the cloth? I really like the sound from it.

Have you tried it with a shorter koma? If you are wanting it louder, a shorter koma will achieve that, I believe. :slight_smile:

That really sounds awesome, you should be proud! Can’t wait to see another video with it plugged in!

Oh yeah, also nice to finally see a glimpse of the real live too. :wink:

#3

Yeah and thanks . . . :slight_smile:

since I basically just wanted to cover the dou somehow I was very surprised that the cloth only ‘stretched’ a bit by hand so it would look flat actually is not dull but produces a little drum like sound when you gently tap on it! I find that amazing that already a simple table cloth stretched by hand while the express wood glue dried would do so …

Still it is way too soft / weak to support a regular koma so as long as its cloth skin and I’ll keep that for now the koma needs to be that long so it is supported by the dou wood frame . . .

Upside is that I can play also at night and louder playing with pickup will be possible . . .

I hesitated long as for using guitar mechanics but it works and with cracks going through itomaki holes the violin maker said they are beyond professional repair anyway without replacing wood parts so I only messed up a part of the tenjin that would need to be replaced anyway in case such a professional and expensive repair to then use itomakis should ever be done . . .

anyway okay enough talk I think I’ll get into sakura and ringo bushi first as for seriously learning a whole piece revisiting your great video lessons for those what can I say cheers and thanks . . .

© 2020 Kyle Abbott