Please tell me about your bachi.

Building/Repair
#1

Onegai shimasu, could I ask folks to share the dimensions of their bachi? Length, width, thickness or other dimension that is important to you.

I ask because I have some beautiful water buffalo horn and a desire to make bachi.

Variation exists - the shamisen master who played with the National Puppet Theater of Japan that came to Berkeley in 2007 had an ivory one the size of a cow scapula - big! Scroll down on this PDF to see the formidable master Tsuruzawa Enza:

If there were a perfect bachi for you, can you describe it? Handle material, flexibility, other qualities that occur to you?

I value any input anyone has to offer. I am not a good enough player to have a well informed opinion, but I have good hands for making things. I could simply copy an existing production bachi, but that is not the kokoro of handmade. I am looking for understanding. Domo arigato gozaimasu.

#2

Good luck, Tomo! I’m sure you won’t need it though. :wink:

I just jotted down the main measurements of mine.
http://imgur.com/AVHqwQY.jpg

Personally, I’m a fan of a heavy weighted handle (280~ grams) with a flexible tip, but tastes really vary. Other players like a light bachi with a very stiff tip. In the end, it all really comes down to personal taste and your hand shape.

On a similar note, I just made a video about reshaping my bachi handle a few days ago to accommodate my hand size -

ganbatte ne!! :slight_smile:

#3

Super! Excellent shots and dimensioning! Video is great as well. Domo.

I have a stock of acrylic pick material, too (Clown Puke, anyone?) - your bachi gives me a good idea on how to use it on this project.

I think I will have to make a variety and see how it goes. Agreed on personal taste - De gustibus non est disputandum, as some dead guy said. Even on my 12-string guitar, I use different picks depending on the song.

Bachi are so inherently cool - it will be fun to play with this shape.

#4

Clown puke is multi-colored celluloid - of course everyone knows that. This kind of stuff:

A Clown Puke bachi would be perfect for playing Kyary Pamyu Pamyu tunes.

#5

Good luck, Tomo! This is my bachi’s size. I don’t feel comfortable with this bachi but it’s the only one that I have and I don’t want to damage it… T_T
http://imgur.com/ElH48zC

Tsuruzawa’s bachi is really big!

#6

Many thanks, Fabian - really nicely rendered views and careful dimensioning to two decimal places! I will strive for such precision.

Yes, Tsuruzawasan really wailed on his shamisen - I was lucky to attend a Q&A with the troupe the night before their performance. Because he is helping to narrate and illuminate the action, his style in wonderfully exaggerated, phrases fitted into the spoken part, full of flourish and deep emotion. His huge bachi is ivory - someone in the group asked if it was. There was an ugly moment when the politically-correct Berkeley crowd sort of booed and hissed - Tsuruzawasan was visibly taken aback. He then patiently explained that his bachi was very old, before trade in ivory was banned. Really bad manners on the part of the booing crowd.

May I ask what is not comfortable about the bachi? Too heavy? Too fat in the hand? Is it a lazy bachi?

#7

Wow! Very interesting story!

I don’t feel confortable with my bachi because I feel it quite heavy and almost no flexibility. I made a 3d printed bachi and it felt really good. Maybe too light. And I tryed different sizes and one of them was veeery confortable. The problem is the material, the bachi breakes easily and I still haven’t found a good material.

I don’t know if anyone can modify the size and material as the player wish… Anyone with any a usefull information?

Good luck with your investigation, Tomo! Please you us some pictures if you made one =)

#8

Ah, yes - I saw your 3-D printed bachi - very modern!

Thank you again for your input. I will certainly post any worthwhile efforts, though it may be Fall before I have anything to show.

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