what distance do you have between sao and strings on your shamisen ? thank you !
It depends on the koma you are using and therefore the style of music you play. There is no fixed rule.
j’ai un koma qui fait 8mm de hauteur. je posais la question parce que je suis novice en instrument a cordes et ce n’est pas evident à jouer quand les cordes sont trop hautes sur le manche. j’ai un vieux nagauta shamisen. je n’ai pas encore choisis de style de musique, je n’y connais pas encore grand chose.
I have a koma which 8mm in height. I asked the question because I am new string instrument and it is not evident to play when strings are too high on the neck. I have an old nagauta shamisen. I have not yet chosen style of music, I do not know much there yet.
Patrick is right. String height does change with the koma. My koma is 9mm tall, and the strings are about 4mm from the end of the sao.
I think it will range between 5~10mm. If it’s much more, perhaps the nakago (spike which goes through the dou) is misaligned.
thanks for your answers and photo ! I have 5-6mm at this place. I think my shamisen is made from 2 shamisen. one part from one , the sao, and an other one from an another shamisen, the dou and there is a problem at this place : (photo)
many thanks !!
Hey thats my shami you used as a symbolic picture haha sounds familiar i used a file there to make the hole a little wider and the nakago is too short for the dou nevertheless but i found a way to attach a thin neo rope to the 5 mm of nakago sticking out 
My problem is at the other end i might try guitar mechanics after all
… yes , it’s your shami… but it 's so wonderfull that I couldn’t found an another else to explain my problem. ^^"
you have problem with your itomaki ? you will put a mechanic tying guitar ?