Will the Sakura Shamisen be available with Advanced Synthetic Skin?
Yes it will! 
I’ll get an update for that today, maybe I’ll be able to get it up today.
NICE:D
Hi Andreas! We just got the price for the Fibersen shamisen. - http://bachido.com/store/sakura-shamisen
Sorry about the price difference, it costs us more to have Fibersen used.
The Sakura Shamisen is a beautiful thing ! I want one really bad! Mostly for my daughter Sofie when she finally becomes old enough to play. But that will be many many years into the future. Heck! I want to get one for myself right now though to tell y’all the truth ! If anything, just so I can go up to my neighbors door and ring the doorbell so I can then point to it with an enthusiastic facial expression just as Kyle Abbott did on YouTube ! Shucks!
Aww, this new Sakura shamisen is beautiful! I especially love the itomaki and the wood’s hue. Almost makes me want to sell one of my two shamisen to get one of these. Decisions, decisions. Well, if you see a selling thread from me one day soon, you’ll know that I’ve finally caved in.
Name seems ironic, though, because… purpleheart, haha.
Yvonne, I did see your thread! But…please pardon my ignorance (I feel like this is something I should know) but I’ve been wracking my brain trying to make the connection of what is ironic about Sakura and purpleheart ? What was the significance again??
Well, purpleheart’s one species of tree, and Sakura is part of another species of tree (Cherry). So to me it’s kind of a ‘rose by any other name’ situation. Like naming a Shiba Inu ‘Husky’ or something, haha.
I really like the colour and thinner neck but I’m tempted by the set in your store 「Kyle’s Recommended Set (TS-KAR) 」, because I need a case (and a non plastic bachi and koma would be nice too…)
How do you feel these two compare? I’ve only ever played a tsugaru once (I have a very cheap jiuta) so I cant really notice the finer differences I’m sure, but I want something for the long (lo—ng) run.
**I guess I want a tsugaru after all. I think I’ll go for the tsugaru set…
I’m kind of in Luke’s exact situation. So I haven’t place my order yet because I can’t make a decision between the Sakura and the tsugaru set { Kyle’s Recommended Set (TS-KAR) } keep going back and forth and its kinda becoming a pain haha. Either one I want with the FiberSen and the nice Faux-Bekkou Bachi. Oh and will be mostly playing Tsugaru Style and improv. What are your imputs, thoughts etc. on this? I’m eager to order! Thanks all for your help in advance!
Hey Luke!
Oh nuts, I’m so sorry for my late response! I was in Japan at that time and wasn’t very consistent in my emails.
Both shamisen are high quality and nice to play. I wouldn’t say one is better than another. It’s really a matter of preference for the neck thickness.
** Good stuff!
Hey Edgardo!
Same thing! Both are really nice to play. As you can hear in this video, I play a tsugaru piece, (The Sakura Shamisen (Bachido Store) - YouTube) and didn’t feel handicapped in any way. Again, it really comes to preference to neck thickness. Either way, you’ll have a great sounding shamisen. It just depends if you want to be wielding a few extra millimeters of wood (which may not seem like much, but does make a difference)
Cheers!
Kyle
That’s what she said.
Ha, ha, Karl…
Well Patrick, I know Kyle set it up for someone like me!
Well decided on the Sakura placing my order this week hopefully. Is there any difference “tone” wise? Also which koma would you guys suggest? This is getting pricey haha. Oh and Kyle your Coffe is definitely a must accesory!
Excellent! I haven’t noticed any difference in tone to any other shamisen. Like all shamisen, The dou is made from karin and to the correct specs (by one of the best shamisen makers in Tokyo). The skinning is professionally done as well. Since the makings of the soundbox is the same, technically there shouldn’t be any noticeable difference between Sakura and other high quality shamisen. Just with an easier-to-play sao and renewable materials.
Please note that each Sakura shamisen is made to order. It takes about 3~4 weeks to make one Sakura shamisen (including skinning time)
Either Bamboo koma will sound great.
Where are you located, Edgardo? Perhaps I should get the coffee roaster fired up.
Puerto Rico actually! Haha. Visited San Diego and LA last July (a friend of mine lives at Camp Pendleton) I fell in love with the little I saw. Really looking foward for another trip to Cali or hey maybe I’ll hop on next years ShamiCamp! Btw im also building a coffee truck business here. We are lucky here there are a lot of coffee growers and roasters. Who knows maybe your next beans might be puerto rican arabica!
Oh really! Geez, you don’t need fresh coffee from me then! 
That sounds like an awesome place to be!
Oh definitely! Most likely, the next ShamiCamp will be in California in March 2016! It’d be great to see you there!
Good luck with your coffee truck business! That sounds like so much fun.