Description

It is said that 80% of the shamisen’s sound quality is determined by the skin. A professional skin replacement is a significant way for bringing out the wide range of tones that comes from a shamisen. Thus, if your shamisen is not sounding as vibrant as it used to, or if it’s ruptured, it may be time for a new skin.

Watch how to properly care for the skin.

Why does a skin rupture?

  • Change in Environment: In warm, dry climates, the skin tightens. In cool, wet climates, the skin loosens. The skin weakens if exposed to these two climates frequently.
  • Force on Skin (1): To get the percussive sound required for the tsugaru aesthetic, the bachi (plectrum) strikes the skin hard. Though tsugaru shamisen uses thicker skin to withstand the impact, regular sessions of heavy bachi strikes will take it’s toll on the skin.
  • Force on Skin (2): When not in use, leaving the koma (bridge) under the tightened strings puts unnecessary pressure on the skin. Thus, remove the koma after every playing session.

Professional Reskinning Options

Hibiki (Advanced Synthetic Skin)

 

 

Exclusively at Bachido, Hibiki is the most advanced synthetic shamisen skin on the market. After extensively searching for new shamisen skin materials, Kyle Abbott finally discovered Hibiki in 2018 and loved it so much, he uses it for his own personal shamisen.

  • Richer Tone: The plastic shamisen skin from the 1990s/2000s was infamous for being so unresponsive that it sounded like a toy. Hibiki boasts an overall sharp and powerful tone while providing a deeper richness and a ringing clarity to all three strings.
  • Durability with a soft touch: Made from a strong nylon weave, Hibiki can be stretched tight as natural skin and withstand bachi strikes from even the most aggressive tsugaru shamisen player. Unlike other synthetic skins, Hibiki has a softer texture which will not wear down the bachi. Being synthetic, it is waterproof and can be played in the rain!
  • Crystal Clarity: When skillfully played, the tone of a shamisen can express a wide range of emotion and flavors tones. Hibiki is perfectly balanced to bring out the best of your playing. When gently plucking, the skin responds with clear resonance, and the buzzing drone of the sawari hums with an electric-like brilliance.
    For Tsugaru style, the special qualities of Hibiki is instantly recognizable from the very first strike of the ichi no ito. With proper tatakibachi technique, the ichi-no-ito punches with depth and sustain. Whether played gently or aggressively, Hibiki provides you with tones filled with a spectrum of color and presence!
    Available in Black and White (Note: White skin can sometimes turn slightly transparent on the top perimeter of the body where the skin is glued to)

Professional Hibiki Skinning available by Kyle Abbott in California


Vintage Tone™ (Natural)

Vintage Tone™ is natural goat skin specially prepared for shamisen. Unlike goat skin used for doumbeks and bongos, Vintage Tone™ is developed by master craftsmen who once made the highest quality traditional shamisen skin (before the recent switch to goat skin). The result:

  • Strength of skin is so high, even a shamisen harikae machine (used for stretching skin tightly on a shamisen) can’t break it.
  • Thickness is masterfully leveled to the same taper as traditional skin, which is thicker on one side and thinner on the other.
  • Tone is very warm and responsive, and the sawari rings clear as a bell. Not to mention, it’s loud!

Read more about Vintage Tone™ in the Bachido Blog!

Professional Vintage Tone Skinning available by Kyle Abbott in California and Taichi Yanaka in Japan

Natural Goat Skin