Play it and get it dirty let your skin oils and dirt get on it, it will start turning darker and will soon play like a dream.
U have to play it alot more for it to break in and absorb sweat as maple is more or a slippery wood type, like most natties.
Yo so I started playing my striped zen really haven’t play on a natty is there any tips or is it just get easier over time ?
Note: some natties break in better than others. Tight-grained woods like maple won't absorb your sweat easily so get ready for a longer break-in process. Other woods like ash and beech, however, will soak up your sweat and play like a dream much quicker (which is why GT loves using ash for its raw tamas). In summary, pick your natties well. If you haven't played on a natty yet, I recommend a beech complete or any setup with an ash tama. Good luck!
@Brandothebug merged with a previous thread that also happens to have the video to which people have referred you.
Just play the dang thing. Every day. That’s all you need to do. Playing it will help it get more accustomed to your style of play, so when it is broken in thise lunars or stalls and whatever else you’ve been working on will feel natural.
just picked up a BH americano GT and I quickly noticed how slippery it is compared to painted damas. Any tips on how to get some tack, or how long it takes before you notice it?
Nothing better to do to a natty than just jam it and get sweat and oils from your hands on the tama!! Could also get kenditioner, don't know how it works but worth a try.
Kenditioner will make it a bit more durable, which means it'll be that much harder to break it in. But yes. The only tip/trick/shortcut to breaking in a natty dama is to PLAY IT How long it takes to break in is dependent on you.
If you’re looking for tack, jam with tama grip constantly. The more your hands are on the tama, the better.
I've noticed that different wood types break in differently. I've probably put in 5 hours on a beech natty, and probably even more time on my natty maple, The beech seemed to break in a lot quicker than the Maple. While both are still slick, that slickness is something you will get used too/ will make you a better player in the long run. I personally need some more slick, when it comes to tricks like lighthouses/ insta-lighthouses. I saw a video with Jake Wiens, explaining how to make a natty break in faster. Raising the grain is the key, and can be done with just the oils from your hands but also the oils form your face/beard. Whenever I play my natty dama for a while, I make sure to rub my hands and face (sweaty forehead, get it all on there) on the tama especially near the bevel. Greasy tamas are the best tamas IMO, however I have noticed this effect will wear off if you don't play with the tama super consistently. The oils from your face and hands either get absorbed or just replaced with a layer of dust after only a day or two. Getting your favorite natty honed in can be a challenge but I personally would never go to a competition, or go out filming with at least one Natty slayer. God speed good sir.
Yeah my natty cherry dries out if I don’t jam it for while. Then it really just takes one good sweaty session to get it back where you want it.
Been jamming my Kaizen 2.0 + Raw Hickory from GT for a while. 2 months I believe. After good day sessions it's finally tacky enough to do lunars, that and my skills/technique got better. Love Natties cuz of the relationship you make with it. The more time you spent, the better. Teaches you to preserve. So keep at it.