Greetings and Air Planes

General
#1

Sup Gangstas,

Nice to meet you all. I got a quick question about air planes and shamisens. I live in japan at the moment and am planning on coming back to the US for a couple weeks in December. I have a Nagauta style shamisen that I would like to take back with me to LA. So…

One, are they going to confiscated it from me at customs (because its dog skin) and tazer me to the floor? And two, what are the chances that the skin will pop because of the change in pressure? If anyone has done it before Id love the help. Thanks so much!

#2

Hi Nathan,

Welcome to Bachido!

The chances of them confiscating it are low. If it was plain sheets of dog skin, yes. But being that it’s part of a Japanese instrument, highly unlikely. They won’t even know that it’s dog skin, so if by chance they ask what it’s made from, be unsure. If you say you don’t know, they won’t care. Don’t lie, of course. Just be . . . ignorant. I do it all the time, and I don’t even have to try! :stuck_out_tongue:

The chances of the skin popping off are high. Fortunately, I made a video addressing this problem! :slight_smile: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5coooyYB3Y

#3

hmm , i never thought about the danger of popping the skin with the temperature change on the plane…well, i have travelled several times to japan from Ireland and back and nothing happened, lucky me…i got few odd questions from the custom officers though but nothing scary… you will be fine.

#4

I’ve told them that it was dog skin and that the bachi is tortoise shell. Still have all my stuff and have never had trouble. However, I’ve always had my shamisen as a carry on, since I’m far too worried about the skin.

#5

Grant you probably have one of these: http://badmofowallets.com/wallets/tan1.JPG

I can recommend you all to get one. There will be no problems at the airport.

#6

lolol agree

#7

Thanks for the advice guys. And nice video Kyle. I guess everything will be fine, especially sense I had bad ass mofo branded into the skin of my shamisen anyway.

#8

Nathan: I want you to go in that bag, and find my shamisen.
Customs Officer: Which one is it?
Nathan: It’s the one that says Bad Mof**.

#9

When you order a shamisen from Japan, it usually comes via an airplane one way or the other (courier, air mail, etc.). Mine have always arrived just fine when shipped by air. When I carried back two “by hand” from Japan one year, one came on the plane with me and one went in the luggage hold (that one was packed as if for shipping). No problem with either one. If you/the dealer take care in the packaging, you should be fine.

P.S. - In all instances, the shamisen were in “broken-down” format, fyi. I did ship one “assembled” once, which I was leery about, but that one arrived fine as well, fortunately. Also, in all cases, I left the shamisen in its packaging/case upon arrival at the destination so it could acclimatize to its new environment before trying to play it.

P.P.S - coming from Japan is easier than going to Japan, because they know what a shamisen is and how to treat it!

#10

When I received mine the sao was not firmly attached to the dou. It was in there and didn’t move but was about 1-2 cm from being firmly attached. Is this a better way to ship it?

I can understand that you lessen the risk by giving the parts space to move. Or maybe the shipment simply made it come loose?

In any case when I put it in I got the wonderful click sound and when I disassemblied it I had to put quite the effort into it, so it feels like it was shipped in this way.

© 2020 Kyle Abbott