Mujitsu and Tairaku's Shakuhachi BBQ

Brian,

I've had a Yuu for over two years and have only taken it apart twice. I took it apart to fit into travel luggage. I see no reason not to glue it. Mine has recently become loose and I'm going to glue it with some light glue, in case I ever want to pry it apart.

Phil

Toffe wrote:

Instead of gluing it I would suggest you take some linnen or cotton thread and wind it very hard around the male part of the joint. Then you greace it up with some wax or flute greace. Glue is a bit drastic.. but that's just me. I may be out of line.

// Chris the Swede

Good idea, or you can simply use a piece of cellophane tape. This works on bamboo flutes as well.

Plumbers tape is a great idea! That stuff is designed to be tight and not let water or air through.

How about electrical tape on the outside to hold it together?  I think they make elec tape in multiple colors, so you could choose your favorite or go for the whole rainbow.  Also, it would be easy to take off if you ever wanted to take the flute apart.

That's why I asked.  Thaks for the replies.  I will probably just use the cellophane tape.  Thanks again.

BrianP
http://www.harpgear.com

Plumbers tape on the inside is best. It comes off easily. Electrical tape is not good for very long. If you leave it on too long it will be very sticky and does not come of well. Especially in summer but all year too. I wouldn't advise you to glue it if you plan on taking it apart again later. Cellophane tape is less than ideal as it tends to crumble ot tear when you take it off.

Chikuzen

There might be a time when you would want to take it apart, or sell it, and then it would be best to remain a 2 piece flute.

Tightening a joint, is easily done with renewable materials, such as winding the male part of the joint with dental floss, or with plumbers tape. Both will tighten and seal, simultaneously.

As those wear, and the joint loosens again, you simply replace them with fresh.

Of course, if you don't take the flute apart, unless needed, the problem will be minimal, anyway.

Rick

If you have a Yuu that's loose at the joint, here's an excellent fix.

Simply apply a light film of Elmers Glue-All to the joint. It's the white glue that's popular for school projects.

I tested this on my own loose Yuu and it provides a very good bond without damaging the joint. Two-months after applying, I decided to see if I could release the bond and sure enough it released with a firm tap. No damage!

I wouldn't try this on a bamboo joint without testing, but it's nice to know it works on the Yuu.

Peace.

Last edited by PSTL (2007-02-26 10:20:33)

eB,

The same way I tested it on a Yuu joint. I don't know why anyone would want to apply it to a bamboo joint. There are better ways, I'm sure. I do know that it's an excellent fix for a loose Yuu.

I'm assuming your question was legit and not an expression of some type of anger.

Peace

edosan wrote:

Actually, a question of puzzlement: Why would you ever want to put glue in the nakatsuge of a bamboo shakuhachi?

Incomprehensible...

eB

Obviously in order to tighten it up, which I understand the loosening joints are a common problem. Since bamboo is porous, unlike the plastic Yuu, I'd think that the white glue would work differently than with the Yuu and soak into the instrument some. That would make it less temporary and require some sanding and some bamboo would have to be removed in order to get the glue off. Probably not the best solution to the problem.

Jeff Cairns wrote:

This is such an interesting thread because, as a player and resident of Japan, these are questions that would never come up.  Not because the problem might not exist here, but because the Yuu is not used very extensively.

I read someplace else on this forum that the Yuu was used by children a lot in Japan. I guess that's not true, and if not, does that imply that the Yuu is manufactured mostly for Westerners? That would explain the steep markup on a mass produced plastic instrument, maybe it's not nearly as mass produced as I thought.

Jeff Cairns wrote:

The question of glueing a nakastugi is also simply one that never comes up.  It seems that it isn't even considered.  There is a purpose behind the nakastugi and that purpose exists with the purchase.

I've been wondering what the purpose of the two piece flute was. The best answers I read was that it made it easier to work on the flute and sometimes it was used to adjust the length. I guess for the player there might be some advantages in transporting the instrument in two pieces. Are there any other reasons?

Jeff Cairns wrote:

If you have a two piece bamboo shakuhachi that is in every other way a well made instrumtent, but you prefer a one piece, sell it and buy a one piece instrument.

This is a naive question because I don't have a teacher to ask, but why would anyone prefer a one piece? The only reason I can imagine is to avoid the inconvenience of having to take it apart. It seems to me that you could avoid that inconvenience simply by leaving it together. Are you supposed to take the instrument apart when you aren't playing it? If so, why?

Jeff Cairns wrote:

If your otherwise well made bamboo instrument leaks at the nakatsugi, then seek professional repair. I personally think that to glue the nakatsugi only to seal la eak with the idea that you might break the seal in the future for whatever reason is inviting aggrevation and possible dissapointment.

I remember seeing on Perry Yung's blog that the fix for loose nakatsugi was to tighten it with a coat of urashi. I guess there're other reasons it might leak other than it being loose though.

radi0gnome wrote:

I read someplace else on this forum that the Yuu was used by children a lot in Japan. I guess that's not true, and if not, does that imply that the Yuu is manufactured mostly for Westerners? That would explain the steep markup on a mass produced plastic instrument, maybe it's not nearly as mass produced as I thought.

The only reason the Yuu might be the instrument of choice for children is its price and the fact that it's less easy to break, however I have rarely come across any child shakuhachi learners.  There are several problems for a child to begin learning the shakuhachi as you can imagine ie. time investment, size, difficulty to name just a few.  I recall a few years ago at a Chikuyusha grand concert on the National Theater stage in Tokyo, Kawase Junsuke III's grandson playing with grandpa as a duet.  I'm not sure what the grandson was playing, but from where I sat, it looked shakuhachi like, though it was quite short.

radi0gnome wrote:

I've been wondering what the purpose of the two piece flute was. The best answers I read was that it made it easier to work on the flute and sometimes it was used to adjust the length. I guess for the player there might be some advantages in transporting the instrument in two pieces. Are there any other reasons?

You've pretty much got it.

radi0gnome wrote:

This is a naive question because I don't have a teacher to ask, but why would anyone prefer a one piece? The only reason I can imagine is to avoid the inconvenience of having to take it apart. It seems to me that you could avoid that inconvenience simply by leaving it together. Are you supposed to take the instrument apart when you aren't playing it? If so, why?

Many jinashi are made in one piece simply because the bore work is less intensive than it's cousin the jiari.

jeff