Hello!
My name is Bébhinn and I’m from Ireland.
I have been interested in Shamisen for a few years but I always thought it would be financially beyond my reach until I snagged a shamisen off Yahoo Auctions.
This is where I need your help, I have no idea what type it is!
If anyone could give me an idea that would be great, and I can provide better pictures and measurements when it arrives.
My Shamisen
Welcome. It is probably a nagauta shamisen. You can read this page :
So if it is a nagauta shamisen, I can still play Tsugaru style but I need to go easy on the skin right?
If I want to play some Tsugaru pieces, do I need to use Tsugaru strings or do I just use Nagauta strings?
I think the answers are . . . right . . . and strings according to type of shamisen (nagauta) rather than playing style then again some use fishing line of various thickness for strings so I guess whatever could also be a sort of okay answer 
Perfect, thank you very much How can you tell what gauge strings suit each other? Or does it matter?
I have some nagauta strings of some gauge and that’s all I know . . .
Dear Ryansan, congratulations on your purchase! While shamisen has all sorts of terminology and types and seeming formal restrictions attached to it now, remember that it was a folk instrument. Embrace the folk origin, experiment with string gauge and material and even tunings - players used to tune to their vocal range (why my instrument is always out of tune).