Hello!
I just got my new tsugaru shamisen threads. My question is about this kind:
It has a “silver” end, do I thread this end into the itomaki? Or do I need to do something special with it? 
Sorry if it sounds stupid but you never know :))))
Also, into which category do these strings belong? (ex. practise/ student class, concert…)
Thank you for any answers!
Howdy.
Marusanhashimoto makes three grades of string for shamisen. They are divided by quality of silk.
極上 Gokujyou -> Green pack
銀付 Gin(d)zuke -> Orange pack
金先 Kinsaki -> Yellow pack (though I’ve never seen it in person)
The first, Gokujyou, is the highest quality. It’s made with performance in mind. The last, Kinsaki, is the lowest quality. It’s made with practice in mind.
Ginzuke is somewhere in between.
You should thread the silvered end through the neo, but I’m not sure if it actually matters :V
Cheers~
Hello Christopher,
thank you for your reply! 
Have the same strings, the orange package. They sound phenomenal, but they barely last a day, at least the third string, so just realized most likely will buy another type for practice next time as these are quit expensive.
It’s very uncommon to use silk thirds in Tsugaru. One hears about Chikuzan-style players using them from time to time, but the issue you’ve encountered is the exact reason why most of go nylon or tetoron for the san-no-ito.
When I’ve tried these in the past, they do break quickly, but usually in a couple of weeks not in a few days.
I basically only use nylon now since I haven’t had one break on me yet after years of use, though I’m not exactly playing for hours a day.
