What do you think about this shamisen?

Store/Sales
#21

yeah thats the way I suppose I need to follow. A better one, not too much, but better that this one.

Since you want to save some money, I’d say Kyle was a bit optimistic there. Even for a used nagauta shamisen you’ll end up paying more if you want to get it ready to play from the box :slight_smile:

From what I’ve seen (not much actually) - used nagauta shamisen appears on ebay for 50-100$. Usually with skin to be repaired - (that’s 200$ more and a couple of weeks) - and probably wood issues. And I haven’t mentioned all other essential accessories you’ll have to buy (that’s 50$ for wooden bachi etc.)

So get Kyle’s book and make your own shamisen to be proud of it! It will be your ultimate test of faith and willpower followed by a major level-up in craftsmanship and self-esteem. Needless to say you’ll live happily after that. And not to mention you’ll have our congratulations, respects and a self-made-shamisen-achievement user forum icon. Let the force be with you.

#22

I have the book (really I have two of them, but this is because I´m very clumsy and with only a book I can’t do a shamisen :stuck_out_tongue: Kyle will understand this :slight_smile: ), but I think first it is better to have a shamisen to act as a guide to making a good one. Needless to say that doing a shamisen for yourshelf its a bit scary :slight_smile: , but I dont fall to fear, because fear leads to the dark side…

I really hope someday I will make one, and I want to try, but I never do some woodworks before. I was thinking in doing the clams first, so if I see one nagauto for repairs (I see some a few month ago, and I was tempted to bid and try to repair by myself), because if I can make some decent clams this encourages me to try and do more things. And if I have the clams, I can put the skin on and old nagauta, or at least try it :slight_smile:

And I have other plan that will make me a shamisen´s owner, in october my girlfriend and I will go to Japan (honeymoon :slight_smile: ), but I am a bit impatient and thats why I am searching…and I’m not sure in Japan I will find a cheap one… but anyway, with this things it is better to be patient (but it is hard to achieve! lol) I will create a thread for someone knows shamisen´s shops in Japan. I know a couple of them but only for doing net searching, I never been in one of them, but I will share it anyway.

wow, sorry for writing so much! :blush:

#23

Between a doukake and a dou gomu, the absence of a dou gomu makes it harder to hold up, imho.

Even for a used nagauta shamisen you’ll end up paying more if you want to get it ready to play from the box :slight_smile:

Well, used nagauta shamisen (with skin intact) generally seem to run about $400 on ebay, and often that includes a hard case and all the accessories. Outfitting that Chinese-made shamisen with real shamisen accessories (including shipping) will end up about $300. Getting a hard case would run it up to about $400 all together. Also, you have legit cat/dog skin so it will have the legit sound.

I have the book (really I have two of them, but this is because I´m very clumsy and with only a book I can’t do a shamisen :stuck_out_tongue: Kyle will understand this :slight_smile:

Haha!! No no noooo. :wink: I sent you a book, not knowing that Luke sent you one when I was in Japan.

but I think first it is better to have a shamisen to act as a guide to making a good one.

That’s a good idea, methinks. Not only will you have a shamisen to act as a guide, but you can also have fun playing it. That will allow you to enjoy the time you are building and work more carefully.

And I have other plan that will make me a shamisen´s owner, in october my girlfriend and I will go to Japan (honeymoon :slight_smile: ),

Whoooa!!! :smiley: Congratulations! :slight_smile:
Unless you have the luck of Sid or Shmoolik in getting free shamisen dumped upon you, I doubt you will be able to find shamisen cheaper inside Japan. I may be wrong, but I think auctions.yahoo.co.jp and ebay are the best places to look for shami on the cheap.

Again, auctions.yahoo.co.jp is awesome if you can navigate a Japanese website. :slight_smile:

#24

wow, I see auctions yahoo and it is amazing! Of course only undertand an 1% but there is a lot more that in ebay. there are broken skin shamisens that are at very good price. If I don´t find a good one in japan I will try here :slight_smile:

You think 350$ its a good limit to buy a good one in japan?

#25

Got a free Hagi Yaki (special pottery of the area) bowl yesterday for playing shamisen as a goodbye to the lovely old couple running the most awesome restaurant round the corner. so kinda on a luck roll :stuck_out_tongue: (this time i did accept…and also the home made umeboshi…but seriously how am i going to eat it all before I leave, might end up being secret omiyage).

Anywhoo as I mentioned before, the second hand stores will usually have them (broken). Every single Hard-off (stop sniggering at the back) I have been to has them. I don’t know where you’re going in Japan but looks like they have a map of their outlets here:

#26

Hey thanks for the info! :slight_smile:

I will go to tokyo, kyoto, osaka, Nara, Miyajima, Hiroshima and Nagoya.

I will try this second hand stores :slight_smile:

#27

ooh miyajima is in my backyard. awesome place. If you by any chance are interested in art and design, and also like coffee may I recommend the cafe of a kind of friend of mine which is right between the station and the ferry port here:

http://goo.gl/maps/4m16b

It’s on the corner on the right hand side just before the main road. You’ll know it’s the right place because it has a coffee van inside the (tiny) building. The owner is obsessed with design and the best bit is sitting upstairs playing with toys and just chilling out. and ofc the drinks are nice too.

#28

I will try to go, sounds good :slight_smile:

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