Sup guys,
Kinda new here. I am really interested in folklore traditions, and i found out about the shamisen and my taste grew. So now i ain’t a millionaire but i could do some neat stuff. What i wanna do is this:
Well, first things first, electric shamisen do exist. There’s one on Ebay last I checked. As to how that translates into a bass, I have no idea. 
But, it’s somewhere to start, at least.
Sounds like a three string fretless bass.
DISCLAIMER: I AM DOING THIS FOR PERSONAL USE NOT COMMERCIAL! COMPANIES SHOULD LEAVE IDEAS ALONE.
Where Is The Pickups On The Electric Shamisen, is it a mic or a sensor thing? Cause i was thinking about the Pizeo Sensor - Jack http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Sound-Pure-12-String-3-Piezo-Sensor-Guitar-Pickup-System-with-Endpin-Jack-New-/152277040847?hash=item23746b3ecf:g:VFsAAOSwmfhX6c2X
AND Including a set of Magnetic Pickups http://www.ebay.ca/itm/2-Pieces-Noiseless-Single-Coil-Pickup-Ceramic-Magnet-for-5-String-Electric-Bass-/162007550571?hash=item25b8670a6b:g:B9AAAOSwZVlXtH9P
Double the AWESOMENESS,
but the problem is the material cover of the dou.
I was thinking of this BASE model but bigger version - For The Bass Part
And was thinking of adding the glowing leds i saw on this post:
Maybe in the 3 lights on the itomaki, 4 lights on the dou (https://www.lilarose.com/sites/default/files/img/Guitar_with_lights.jpg), AND a chain of lights inserted in the sao holes to make a design (like on this kind of model: https://www.allparts.com/assets/images/p/PMO-web.jpg https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/db/8a/b5/db8ab5c6ce5f85c6ed4abaa4cc811aee.jpg http://evolver.fm/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/tabber.png)
AND the Custom Bachi i saw on the Post. http://imgur.com/waok6yN.jpg
http://theawesomer.com/photos/2010/04/041910_led_light_picks_4.jpg
And Coloring - Dying The Strings In Glow In The Dark: http://static.wixstatic.com/media/2b5af7_dd6f4b2994ae3a87fa74a25450797efe.png_srz_2550_3300_85_22_0.50_1.20_0.00_png_srz
For The Programming and stuff - The Arduino Thing:
My purpose is for Rock And Metal Genres.
If This Instrument Is Success, I’m going to do a similar style personal
version the Koto (Kotamo).
Thanks!
Yes I am all for light effects that could be way cool 
could imagine that 3 piezo thingy is probably enough although I don’t know as I am not familiar with bass sounds - also using a preamp module with 9v battery for about 10 euros for example is another option - magnetic pickup only works with metal strings
If you haven’t already found them, here are a couple earlier posts about bass shamisen.
As for pickups, I’ve had good luck using a homemade “bridge” pickup. I use a thin flexible piezo sensor (see link below) that I place under the Koma. The sensor is wired to a female 1/4 jack that can output to whatever amp I’m using. Fair warning, the solid metal connectors on the sensor are rough and can scrape the skin so you’ll want to cover them.
Okay So Magnetic Pickups Won’t Work, Only If I Use Nylon Steel Wrapped Strings. I could use one for the third string. And the First 2 Could Be Nylon Plain?
Because i was thinking combining the Pizeo Sensor and Magnetic Pickups so i can use Bass Strings AND Nylon Strings.
The Systems Are Going To Be IN The Dou.
I Don’t Want To Keep Playing With The Batteries Inside The Systems.
The Problem Is How Am I Gonna Cover The Dou?
Like What Kind Of Material? And If I Do Holes For Pickups?
Can I Like Make A Openable ‘‘Door’’ In The Dou ‘‘Cover’’?
And Will It Change The Sound Dramatically?
Thanks!
can’t be sure but you might get good enough sound with a good topside of the dou and can have some removable backside cover I think the backside would be of somewhat less importance here
If no one mentioned it yet, I recall that in a video with Reigen Fujii he was using an electric shamisen but there was no skin on one of the sides…
Who’s Reijin Fujii?
Reigen Fujii is one of the amazing instructors on Bachido Sakura.
OK… does he teach tsugaru shamisen?
He is an amazing instructor for pretty much any style. He is playing jazz on his shamisen too. Really creative musician but busy too because his is really popular.
You can listen to him with Coalescence but I think you have to buy the CD from him…
I will see…
Robert, wow, sounds like an interesting custom project. I don’t know anything about electric parts. I got a Sweetwater catalog and couldn’t figure out what most of the stuff in it was used for! Anyhow, post us updates. I would help me learn more and curious to see how this turns out.
I saw a YT video recently and thought it was cool. I had listened to a track by Pascal Plantinga remixing Okinawan sanshin, singer, activist Shoukichi Kina. It was great so I searched YT for videos, to check if there was something to see, then bumped into this video on custom instruments and watched their fun.
In that video at about 1:31, there is something like a Theremin, very kewl sounding stuff. I wouldn’t love it everyday but I can see where it would be great at times.
