So I was working on my first Shamisen last fall, but never updated pics, truth be told time got away from me, it could have even been the end of my spring semester.
Anyway today I cut out some pieces of wenge to make the dou, except African padouk would be more traditional, I’m saving that for my guitar necks.
I’m preparing four dou blanks, but may just end up metering them with some wenge tenon, doing a blind mitter in the back, I still have a piece Intend to fuse to some chechen or Caribbean rosewood.
As far as the fingerboard goes, I’m thinking ebony or ziricote?
Want to try a neck of amara ebony though. With a royal (black and white) ebony fingerboard. I’ll wait until my second build to try that.
As for pickups, I’m thinking of classical active pickup from lr baggs.
Not going to lie, will need a lot of advice on the tenjin. And how to shape it.
Kyle’s book is extremely helpful. Fir getting back on track with building. I do want the bridge to be permanent though.
On a side note, I am also making a carved acoustic from the same piece on wenge.
Carved acoustic meaning an acoustic guitar built like a hollow body electric. Planning to use an electric tune-o-matic bridge with a dual piezo from lr baggs on that. One piezo in the bridge blank the other in the bridge itself. Might bring Shamisen design into it, like a tenjin style headstock any suggestions?
Also has anyone made locking tuners for Shamisen or just friction locked them. Thinking of using electric guitar tuners and nylon-steel strings or brass steel strings instead of the usual since I’ll be making the bridge permanent.
Any thoughts?