I asked at my local music shop if they had unmounted drum or banjo heads and they didn’t have them but suggested I get a bigger mounted head and cut the skin from that. It might actually be a good idea considering having it pre-stretched will help make it easier to stretch even tighter, plus it opens up the option of using some Remo “fiberskyn” heads and see how they sound.
Failing that, I’ve been looking up some skin alternatives that I could test out. What’s especially got me interested is synthetic tattoo practice skin. Most ones to buy I’ve seen online have been too thick and not stretchy enough. But my sister had some when she was in training and they looked thinner and stretchier so if I find some more like that, it could work out really well! If it doesn’t, there’s some white faux snakeskin made out of stretchable vinyl I could try if I cut off the loose fabric backing. Could end up making it look like a hybrid sanxian, but so far I’ve not seen any faux white leather that’s had a fabric backing I could cut off.
I don’t mind using real skin (that isn’t dog, cat or reptile), but considering the drastic temperature and humidity changes the UK has on a regular basis, it’s just a lot more convenient to have something I don’t have to worry about rupturing as much.
Plus my sister hates using animal products for aesthetic reasons. Even leather. She’s threatened to destroy my shamisen if I don’t take the dog skin off in the alley next to our house (out of sight) as soon as I get it at the door and still greatly dislikes the idea of me using goatskin or calf skin as a replacement kawa.
So yeah. Synthetic is the only way I can really go right now until I get my own place.
At least I can gain some experience with it, eh? Give my feedback on which one works better, record and upload sound samples, etc.
A meet would be cool. I don’t know if there’s any shamisen players in Liverpool (probably only sanxian players) so being able to meet others that want to learn or even to jam with would be epic.
