Hello @NorthernNotes.
Welcome to Bachido!
I would like to say that everyone is unprepared at the start of a learning journey.
But the Shamisen learning journey is very fun, and our community is really kind and supportive.
My name is Jonny, and I’m the “Jonny Five” Mark mentioned.
I second the SH-259 recommendation that Mark has done.
That is a great Karin Tsugaru Shamisen, great for a beginner, and at a good price.
If you can go a little bit over budget, the SH-264 is a fantastic choice, and a very high end shamisen.
And from my experience, the tariff is hovering around 10%, but it could depend on your state or USPS branch. But in the past few months, most people have been getting packages without tariffs being applied, and the few that have had it, it stays on the 10%.
Regarding as to what you should look for, there are aesthetical considerations, which impact the looks and the price, but not the sound or durability. And there are durability considerations, where the better the wood the longer it will last (though most will last several decades if well cared for). Sound considerations are focused on the skin, though the type of wood influences it a bit. But in your case, your main driver is the style (Tsugaru in your case), and as a beginner, having a complete kit with everything you need to play is essential.
If you don’t know what to buy, and considering that Tsugaru is the most expensive type of shamisen, I would recommend starting with a second hand shamisen, which is usually more affordable. All our second hand shamisen are fully revised, and include a complete kit so you can start playing right away. But buying extra strings is always recommended.
As for teachers, please send a message to kyle about it. There’s a good chance he will be able to connect you to a teacher, even if it’s one-on-one online lessons.
Regarding maintenance, check the Bachido Youtube Channel.
There are many videos there about the fundamentals of maintenance, stringing, assembling, etc.
As for time invested in learning and playing, I would say as much as you can get based on how far and quickly you want to advance.
But the thing that will get you going the most is frequency. Every day makes a huge difference, even if it’s just 15 minutes. 2 straight hours one day a week is not as good as 15 minutes every day.
Technical drills, as opposed to trying to play a song, also help, so I’d recommend you spend at least 10% of your time on that.
And please feel free to ask any other questions you may have.
