Hi all,
Just returned safely from Japan with my Shamisen in tact, but before I left I took the dou off and put it in my carry-on. Now I can’t seem to get the sao to reattach flush with the dou completely. Am I just not being forceful enough? I’m afraid to get too rough with it. It’s almost there…
Thanks
it could be that the wood got swollen in japan and then back where you are now it decreased in size?
my shamisen does the same from england - wales
doesnt hold itself together 100% of the time but when it has strings on it it doesnt wiggle or anything
Hi Eric,
First make sure that you haven’t put the sao in upside down - that seems obvious, but it’s an easy mistake to make. Once you are sure of that, you need to apply some force if it’s not going in - if it’s a new shamisen, it’s supposed to be tight.
Put the sao in as far as it will go (probably less than a centimeter from being flush with the dou). Sit in a chair, or seiza style on the floor, and put the shamisen upright in your lap, with the front to the shamisen facing you, and the sao at 90 degrees to the floor. Grip the sao in both hands at about chest height and give it a quick, sharp downward tug. The sao should click in to place.
That should do it, but let me know if my directions aren’t clear enough.
Alright, thanks Gerry. That got it, though it took a few pushes to get that last fraction of a centimeter. It is a brand new shamisen, and that was the first time I took out the sao. I was just nervous about being too forceful with it. It’s all good now though, thanks!
Glad it worked, Eric. I understand your nervousness at forcing the joint - it’s hard to believe that they are that tight by design!
Ah yeah. That happens with brand new shamisen. 
Like with bachi strikes, though assembling shamisen tends to require a solid thwack, it’s always good to err on the side of caution. Kudos to that.
Masahiro and Hiroshi (as well as Isono san, right Gerry?) lock it in with a sharp downward strike of their fist. Tugging is a bit safer though, but capping it off with smack ensures that it’s locked in place.
capping it off with smack !
Let’s not get too gangsta now Kyle!
Seriously though glad that worked Eric. Was getting worried there for a minute.