I noticed the bachido store has an option for “nagauta” or “tsugaru” style yubikake, with 3 sizes for each. What’s the difference between them?
A nagauta yubikake has a thinner loop for your index finger and a thicker ring for your thumb.
A tsugaru yubikake has thick rings on both ends.
This is to accommodate neck differences and slight play-style differences.
you can use whatever kind of Yubikake you want (if you don’t care about being a purist) the main difference is the amount of material around the thumb and index finger naguta tends to have one side with a high wall of knitting and the other being a thin loop to go around the other finger, Tsugaru has two high knitted loops for the fingers.
Naguta-https://thumbnail.image.rakuten.co.jp/@0_mall/arabasta/cabinet/00090694/yubi03.jpg
Tsugaru-
Hm interesting. I guess I will buy a new one for my incoming tsugaru shamisen, then I can sell the other with my nagauta.
But what’s a yubikake? I know don’t know anything ahah!
But what’s a yubikake? I know don’t know anything ahah!
It’s the “finger pants” that go over the index and thumb of your left hand and let your hand slide up and down the sao more freely.
After playing my tsugaru shamisen for a little while I realized the benefit of the tsugaru style yubikake… your thumb rubs on the sao a lot more than on the nagauta shamisen because the sao is so much thicker. If you only have the thick part of the yubikake on your index finger like on nagauta style then you have a lot more friction and start developing a blister on your thumb.
As a beginner I totally did not use the yubikake thinking, I’m up and down the fretboard on guitars all the time, this seems really useless. But wow what a difference it really makes. Now I’m wondering if I should keep wearing for guitar lol.
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Hey guys … speaking of yubikake styles. Total noob question here. Is this right for tsugaru yubikake??
Or should it be twisted so the base is at the bottom on both the thumb and index? Lol so noob I know.
That looks weird me… the “tube” part should be on the top of both your index and thumb (like it is on your index finger)
OMG I am such a noob LOLOLOL. After I read your message Kamil I picked up the yubikake and realized all I needed to do was invert one of the loops around (like imagine if your shirt was inside out) and voila all good. WOW so embarrassing lol.
Great 
No need to be embarrassed, that’s why we’re all here!