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#1 2008-12-01 14:24:19
- harlequin
- Member
- Registered: 2008-12-01
- Posts: 6
Making my first shakuhachi.
I have been a woodworker for years and I worked building pipe organs for 3 or 4 years and have built my share of guitars, hammer dulcimers and penny whistles but this will be my first attempt at building a shakuhachi. I found a near perfect culm and dug it up. I learned an important lesson when I cut it to length which is to score the bamboo before cutting it. It splintered and the splintering went down toward the root end across the top node for about 3 inches. I also cut another piece from the same culm to make a nakatsuki. My question is, should I attempt to make a two piece shakuhachi or, since this is my first attempt at making a shakuhachi, should I just live with the flaw. It is such a nice piece of bamboo with incredible root figuring that I hate to chuck it. So here are my options:
1. I could use the piece as a learning tool and work around the flaw.
2. I could make a nakatsuki.
3. I could make a one piece shakuhachi with a solid joint
4. Find a new piece of bamboo and go from there.
Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.
thanks in advance.
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#2 2008-12-01 15:16:08
Re: Making my first shakuhachi.
harlequin wrote:
1. I could use the piece as a learning tool and work around the flaw.
2. I could make a nakatsuki.
3. I could make a one piece shakuhachi with a solid joint
4. Find a new piece of bamboo and go from there.
Hi Shawn,
Welcome to the shakuhachi.
I think what to do depends on you.
One argument would be to keep it simple at first and just work with what you have. It's not difficult to make a basic, playable shakuhachi. However, it takes many generations of flutes before a maker begins to develop the feel to make good shakuhachi. It's a very slowly developing thing. In that respect it may not be practical to put all your marbles into one flute but rather include the more involved steps as your making develops. That's how I would approach it.
However, if you're more of a detail type person, or you are interested only in making a flute or two, there is no reason not to attempt any of the more involved steps. It's a learning experience either way. My hunch though is that once you make a flute or two, you'll want to make more and more!
Good luck!
Ken
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