My antique rosewood shamisen (is finally ready to play!)

General
#1

Alas, everyone! My bachido parts finally arrived yesterday and i assembled everything. This is my very first shamisen ever, and it’s an antique rosewood shamisen from the 1940s, reskinned with calf skin by Jessica. The dou, sao, neo, doukake and itomaki all came with it, while the strings, koma, bachi and other accessories are from bachido.

Being a 17-year old with a limited budget this is the “cheapest” i could get (while still costing a lot for a guy my age), but i’m so happy i finally got it! It is a hosozao, but still sounds almost the same as the tsugaru (in my ears).

Immediately after putting everything together i started watching Chapter 1 lessons and i’ve already learned measures 1-8 with timing Kuroishi Yosare Bushi, which i’m happy of. I can’t wait to get better and continue with chapter 2. Big thanks to everyone who has helped me on the forum and you are all awesome for playing this wonderful instrument! I have attached pictures so you can see :slight_smile:

#2

Wow!! Congratulations, Anton! I must say, I LOVE that doukake!

#3

Thanks a lot Kyle! I love it too! I would have loved if there was a “head” doukake too though, since i’m worried about breaking the top!

At the moment i got the uchi down pretty well, but i’m struggling a bit with the hajiki, since i don’t feel there is much room for my fingers to do the pull-off

#4

Anton, while you await getting a tenjin cap, try to put something soft on the edge and you will be fine putting it down.

#5

Hey Karl thanks for the tip! Where can i get a tenjin cap?

Also, what soft thing would you recommend putting on?
By the way great to see someone close to Denmark also playing shamisen!

#6

A cool doukake, indeed!
My shamisen is lacking a tenjin-cap and thus I was thinking about making one on my own.
In Kyles book the use of paper is suggested in creating the doukake.
A few months ago I was stumbling over a Cosplay/Armour-Creating blog, whos artist used a material called ‘Worbla’.
A dozens of youtube-videos later I thought: that could be an ideal material for creating thin-layered objects (doukake, tenjin-cap)!
The clue of this material is its ease of use and reusability just by warming it up and forming into the desired shape you’re looking for. Thereafter it hardens out and stays in its shape. Once warmed up you could even knead it like Play-Doo and be artistic as much as you like. It comes in sheets of different sizes, although a bit costly.

Well, I think it’s better you’d watch some videos on youtube, than reading endless explanations, don’t you :wink:

I wish you fast progressing and fun playing your cool shamisen, がんばってね！

Cheers
Ale

#7

I could send you a used professional tenjin cap for inspiration or it might even fit :slight_smile:

As it happens I dont like the design at all dont necessarily need one AND got a blue wool mini beanie that does the job perfectly even in cold winter :slight_smile:

So if it could be of use for you id love to give it away to a fellow bachido player :slight_smile:

#8

Thanks for the tip Ale! :slight_smile:

To B H:

Wow really? You would give me a tenjin cap?! :open_mouth: Thank you so much!! Does it fit on a hosozao shamisen? :slight_smile:

i’m not so worried about design just now, but i accidently bumped the tip into something which caused a little piece to fall off the head ! I glued it back on but that’s the main reason why i’m a bit worried ( i will of course be a lot more careful now) :wink:

#9

Also, do you guys have any tips for doing the hajiki? It’s not very hard on the 3rd string, but on the 2nd it’s a bit difficult ! i guess it’s just practice and a matter of trial and error, but if there are any neat tips they would be gladly appreciated :slight_smile:

#10

Yeah I’ve been in contact with the Japanese Embassy in Stockholm and as far as they know I’m the only player in Sweden :slight_smile: We had Anne here on the forums for a while but she’s now in California!

I just want to mention that you can really find most questions answered already if you use the search function on the site. Furthermore I would strongly recommend you into buying Masahiro Nittas technique pack. It’s not that money and you’ll learn everything properly.

#11

Sure send me your address so I can make it ready for taking it to the postal office on monday . . .

#12

Thanks guys!
Do i send you in a personal message? :slight_smile: thank you so much man!

#13

… and I have found it! Ready for denmark yes i guess a personal message on bachido would be quick and easy … :slight_smile:

#14

Thank you so much ! I knew this forum was amazing :slight_smile:

#15

Haha I definitely agree and getting that tenjin cap as a gift I am happily passing on to you is not even remotely encompassing the awesomeness on this forum brought into existence by passionate members like yourself or in other words my pleasure … :slight_smile:

#16

Thanks a lot!!! :slight_smile:

#17

And bam (seriously no pun intended) another taxi story after a while of unspectacular times in the business . . .

So I had this guy who got in at my favourite spot at the “city park” shopping mall and he was to go home via a stopover at a pharmacy where he was to receive his substitute medication for his medication addiction okay he seemed slightly out there but was friendly and decent and all so at the pharmacy I waited closeby and had even agreed to put the meter on hold while he was in there after a couple of minutes longer than he had announced it would take he came out running and waving at me the pharmacy door towards me … I thought okay and gah no need to run this is a nice end of the day fare timewise for me anyway I looked at the cab for a moment and then back in the direction he was coming from only to see him crossing a cable car route without looking and the outcome was unlucky … Cable car hit him at full speed and he flew through the air 2 or 3 meters it seriously looked like a cartoon or exagerated live action stunt scene from an action movie … As i approached this scene with him lying on the concrete the cable car driver was radioing for ambulance immediately but then miracously there was no blood he got up by himself and only mentioned a vague pain on his lower ribcage … after I brought him the bag he had left in the taxi he was even nice enough to bring up the topic of paying the taxi fare by himself despite the situation and 10 minutes later the ambulance was there … Well if it was just a broken rib or possibly nothing at all that guy was truly lucky that day …

Cheers with coffee and chocolate and a third aka who’s counting shot of whiskey to start off the weekend cheers oh i already said that earlier :slight_smile:

#18

What an interesting, exciting story! Incredible as well!
Happy drinking too :smiley:

#19

Doukake looks bolivian. =) Nice!
It doesn´t matter how much it costs, just enjoy playing it. =)

#20

B H
I’ll have a shot of whiskey with you especially after seeing that you added the BABYMETAL link there! Cheers!

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