Hey all,
I was wondering what does the average process of taking care of a shamisen look after play sessions. I know removing the koma is always recommended, but what about the other stuff.
Do I just wrap it in a Dou Fukuro with the strings attached and I’m fine? or do I de string the shamisen and wrap it as such.
Well after every session is always recommend to take out the koma, you don’t need to take out the string, just release the tension on the strings (get em pretty loose) in that way you don’t put tension to the zao, then wrap it like that on the dou fukuro, after every session clean the shamisen with a piece of fabric, for example silk, clean the itomaki, the sao, the dou, front and backside.
Nice, thanks for the info given Its appreciated.
Might be an unrelated question. But do you also find your self going through a lot of strings, like if they break or snap, If so how frequently.
Well to be honest in 2 months only broke the 2 string lol, but was because I over tuned it hahaha.
If yours get broken constantly it might be your bachi tho or putting over tension to them…
Soni,
The rate at which you will go through strings will depend on a variety of things. I generally get a month to a month and a half of play out of the second (silk) and third strings(nylon or tetoron) on my tsugaru. I have used silk for the third string and gotten a single song before breaking - although the sound was sublime.
The first string lasts a tremendously long time, although the quality does start to degrade rather quickly.
For regular min’yo and otherwise, the life span is roughly similar; although the first string will tend to pop somewhat sooner.