New top skin for Antique Shamisen

Building/Repair
#1

Hello everyone! I just signed up and am looking forward to a long, great relationship with all of you, and i can’t wait to see and hear all the helpful tips from the site.

I am a complete newb at shamisen and have a shakuhachi (Which i am also pretty new at). I have been wanting a shamisen for a long time and finally have found something within my “price range” (i’m 17 years old).

I just won an auction for an antique japanese rosewood shamisen on Ebay, and it’s in perfect condition other than the top skin. I quote from the product information: “This shamisen has been well played yet well loved and, with the exception of needing new top skin, remains in very fine condition”.

My only question is, how do i repair the top skin/get a new skin? The seller is from Portland, USA and i live in Denmark. And how much would a top skin cost? I’ve looked at the “Repair Skin” site here (http://bachido.com/products/repair-skin) and it’s really helpful, but i don’t have any idea which skin i should get.

Looking forward to your help guys! Thanks in advance

I just looked and compared the prices of the two types of skin.
The calf skin by Jessica costs $95 while the FiberSen synthetic skin costs approx. $273.

As a starter, what do you guys recommend? I am on a very low budget, and near broke right now, since i just spent my money on the shamisen, so i really want to know.

#2
  • Another question is:
    Can anyone tell me what type of shamisen this is? I really hope it’s a tsugaru shamisen, but if it’s not then that is okay too.
#3

Hello Anton. It’s a nice karin nagauta shamisen. You can check this page : http://bachido.com/overview/shamisen-styles. That will help you to identify your shamisen. By the way I noticed that the kamigoma is missing. You will need a new one : http://bachido.com/products/hardware-parts.

#4

Hello Patrick! Thanks for the helpful reply.
What do i need a kamigoma for? :slight_smile:
And how do i see the difference on the picture? I can’t seem to see that the hatomune slopes downward.

#5

Here is the place and utility of kamigoma :
Your shamisen has a typical nagauta hatomune :

#6

Is the hatomune the top of the “sticks”? The middle part of it?
Thanks a lot, i really like knowing what each part is called

#7

shamisen styles

#8

Thanks a lot! now i know exactly what type i have. I will order the kamigoma.

now i’m just wondering about the top skin :slight_smile:

#9

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ANTIQUE-JAPANESE-ROSEWOOD-SHAMISEN-STRINGED-MUSICAL-INSTRUMENT-/231157657912?&autorefresh=true

I have seen this shamisen everyday just sitting on ebay :slight_smile: its a lovely shamisen. I’m glad its not just going to end up in someones attic again.

#10

I’m glad to hear that :slight_smile: I have been very nervous getting outbid until last night when i actually won the bidding war haha! :slight_smile:

I guess i just need to equip it with a kamigoma and a new skin and then it’s ready to go!

#11

Welcome to the Bachido Forum, Anton! :slight_smile:

That looks like a nice shamisen, I think you paid a good price for it. Yes, as Patrick says, a kamigoma will be needed, as well as the new skin of course. :stuck_out_tongue:

Because calf skin sounds really good for nagauta shamisen, I would recommend that. Fibersen sounds great as well, and it is waterproof so there’s no chance of it breaking from weather (which can happen with calf skin). It’s up to you, but either will be great. :slight_smile:

#12

whats interesting is in the ebay listing they added a picture of a Geisha with a Kyo-shamisen (Yanagawa shamisen) which is hoshozao (http://uedakeiko-ziuta.com/en/about-music.html) they have similar measurements to nagauta and the same pidgeon breast, but a different thing is the bachi being super thin and the strings being thicker.

So this could be a Yanagawa shamisen for all we know :o I think yanagawa shamisen evolved into nagauta as the link mentions “epic long song shamisen” which I believe is Nagauta shamisen.

Nagauta seems to be played the same way a Yanagawa shamisen apparently was played. As they do not hit the skin with the bachi or try to touch it much at all.

#13

Thank you so much guys! To Cana: The last picture is not related to the shamisen being sold, it’s just to show the history or something i guess :wink:

Love this forum and purchasing the kamigoma right now!

Do you think it is possible for me to have the Ebay seller ship the shamisen to YOU guys, where you then put the skin on, and ship it to my adress?
It would be ridiculously expensive if i had to get the shamisen through customs and through the danish value added tax (which is 25%) twice. It would really be awesome.

Anton

#14

Hi Anton,

Congratulations on your first shamisen. Please note, despite the description that the back skin is damaged as well. You might want to calculate that into your budget and just get both done at the same time (in calf).

#15

Hi Michael,

Thanks a lot! Are you sure i should get the back skin as well? And how much extra would that cost?

Anton

#16

It is certainly up to you but since it is already torn it won’t be holding tension as well and the sound quality will be lower. You might be able to “patch” it but this isn’t the best option either. Who knows how long before it has a complete failure too. Considering your shipping costs etc I would suggest you send it to Jessica for evaluation. You won’t be able to beat her prices. I think you would be happier with the sound if you got two new skins at once.

#17

Alright thanks i’ll do that. I’m already in the process of arranging between the ebay seller and Jessica, so i don’t have to go through customs twice. Thanks everyone! I’ll post a picture of the shamisen when i recieve it and can’t wait to learn :slight_smile:

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