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Zagane (also called Fukurin) are the metal fittings attached to…Zagane (also called Fukurin) are the metal fittings attached to the itomaki holes. The idea is that the metal of the Zagane prevents the wood from wearing down. More importantly though, they look cool! -
The Yubikake is a tightly knit sleeve (made by machine)…The Yubikake is a tightly knit sleeve (made by machine) which is fitted over the index finger and thumb. When playing shamisen, the friction of your skin rubs against the neck, making it hard to play. The Yubikake adds a layer between your hand and the neck, reducing friction and making playing much easier. -
Small: 3.2cm wide x 7.8cm long Medium: 3.3cm wide x…Small: 3.2cm wide x 7.8cm long Medium: 3.3cm wide x 8.0cm long Large: 3.7cm wide x 9.0cm long -
Want to represent Bachido on your wooden bachi? Now you…Want to represent Bachido on your wooden bachi? Now you can! This is a standard Wooden Bachi (Oak) with the Bachido logo laser-cut into the handle. Sexy time! -
Size Options 9cm x 16.5cm (Regular) – Normal size for…Size Options 9cm x 16.5cm (Regular) – Normal size for Tsugaru style. 7cm x 15cm (Trimmed) – Ideal if you have average size hands but tend to find tsugaru bachi unwieldy. 6cm x 13cm (Small) – Best for kids or small hands. -
This fukuro is made of rice paper. Like a traditional…This fukuro is made of rice paper. Like a traditional desiccant, it absorbs moisture and thus is put over the dou in order to absorb moisture from the natural skin. (Not required for synthetic skin) -
Made by Bachido member Josh Curry! This bachi is made…Made by Bachido member Josh Curry! This bachi is made with a figured Walnut handle secured to a flexible Blue Acrylic bachi blade. Specifications: Weight: 63g Length: 192mm Thickness at base of wood handle: 22mm Thickness at thin end of wood handle: 10mm -
A collection of fine Tsugaru Shamisen music played by Chikuzan…A collection of fine Tsugaru Shamisen music played by Chikuzan Takahashi. -
This set includes all of the basic essential items required…This set includes all of the basic essential items required to set up a Tsugaru Shamisen. It is comprised of the most affordable accessories we have, just as an option for people who aren't sure what they need, don't care about item colors, and just want to start playing right away. If you're able to, I highly recommend curating your own set, as you will certainly have a better playing experience by investing in a higher quality bachi (plectrum) or koma (bridge). Please note, there's a difference between "Tsugaru" as a playing style and "Tsugaru Shamisen" as an instrument. While you can play tsugaru style on any shamisen, Only Tsugaru Shamisen can fit Tsugaru Shamisen accessories (Tsugaru Doukake - the arm cover - won't fit on Nagauta Shamisen, for example) If you aren't sure if your shamisen is a Tsugaru Shamisen, please feel free to send a picture of your shamisen to store (at) bachido (dot) com and I'll happily verify it for you. :) Contents include: -
The Gokujo ito are the considered to be the highest…The Gokujo ito are the considered to be the highest quality string for shamisen, and ideal for stage use. Note: The ichi no ito will not fit in a nagauta/jiuta shamisen, as the diameter of the string holes in the itomaki are smaller. It can be done if you widen the string hole first, but I've tried using such a thick string on a nagauta shamisen as an experiment, and feel that the tone of the thinner string balances much better with the smaller size of the nagauta shamisen. -
This is the Fujiito brand of ito. They are the…This is the Fujiito brand of ito. They are the most common brand of string for shamisen. It’s considered to be average quality for ‘practice use’, but I use them for performance and nobody notices the difference! -
This is the Tsugaru Ito Set (Fujiito). They are the…This is the Tsugaru Ito Set (Fujiito). They are the most common string used for shamisen. It’s considered to be average quality for ‘practice use’, but I use them for performance and nobody notices the difference! -
This is a very special set of ito made by…This is a very special set of ito made by Marusan Hishimoto Co. (the most trusted maker of shamisen strings, and the only brand of string I sell in the Bachido Store) All strings are dyed red and look very striking against a white shamisen skin. -
This is a very special set of ito made by…This is a very special set of ito made by Marusan Hishimoto Co. (the most trusted maker of shamisen strings, and the only brand of string I sell in the Bachido Store) In the Tsugaru Ito Set - Black all strings are dyed black and look very striking against a white shamisen skin. Just be careful when playing shamisen in the dark! -
This is a very thin, lightweight case which is perfect…This is a very thin, lightweight case which is perfect for casually storing your shamisen in the house or taking out to local gigs or meetup sessions. As there is very minimal padding, please be careful when traveling with it, as the shamisen can still be damaged if it falls or something falls on it. With that being said, if you're in a safe environment already, the Thin Soft Case is a super convenient way to carry your shamisen while keeping it safe from abrasion, dust, and/or spilled coffee! -
Sale!
To learn more about the Starling Shamisen please click on…To learn more about the Starling Shamisen please click on the link below!Special Bonus!
To help you get started with your brand-new Starling Shamisen, I am including several learning materials for free!- Bachido Shamisen Crash Course
- Premium Shamisen Course: Sakura
- Premium Shamisen Course: Ringo Bushi
- Premium Shamisen Course: Yasaburo Bushi
- Premium Shamisen Course: Tosa no Sunayama
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Sale!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqW8lIoATN4 At Bachido, we know that shamisen are very expensive…https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqW8lIoATN4 At Bachido, we know that shamisen are very expensive instruments to learn. Though some people know shamisen is for them upon hearing the first strike of the string, it's difficult for most of us to spend $1000 on an instrument without trying it first. Fortunately, Nitta san managed to find shamisen built for school use, and he ordered a whole fleet of them in bulk for a discount rate in order to pass those savings onto you! We're so happy to finally have this shamisen set available so people can start their three-stringed journey with greater ease! The Shamisen Starter Set includes everything you need to start playing shamisen. As you can watch in "Unboxing the Shamisen Starter Set", the shamisen and the entire set of accessories are shipped together in one box. Many other shamisen stores in Japan will ship their shamisen fully assembled, which for overseas deliveries very often results in broken necks and shattered dreams. (Truly, I've had to fix many broken shamisen which customers received from other stores) At Bachido, we ensure safe delivery by shipping shamisen fully disassembled with every part carefully wrapped. Since 2014, we've shipped over 700 shamisen with a nearly perfect delivery rate. So when you get your shamisen at Bachido, you can rest assured knowing your shamisen will arrive safely! Now, the safest method of delivery does mean the shamisen will need to be assembled and accessories attached after arrival. A daunting task it seems, but fear not, In my "Step-by-Step Guide to Shamisen Assembly", I will carefully walk you through the entire assembly process. From putting the neck together to tuning the shamisen, we will confidently set up your new three-stringed friend! Afterwards, you can learn how to play using the video lessons included with your purchase!Specifications
- Hosozao (thin-neck) Shamisen
- Sao: Mitsuori (Three-piece neck)
- Itomaki: Ebony
- Skin: Fibersen
- Wood of Sao and Dou: Karin (Note) Darkness/color of wood may vary.
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Included Accessories
- Bachi (plectrum)
- Bachigawa (skin protector)
- Bamboo Koma (bridge)
- Doukake (body cover)
- Fujaku (position mark strip)
- Ito (strings)
- Kamigoma (shamisen nut: requires glue for installation)
- Keychain Accessory (fun stuff!)
- Neo (tailpiece)
- Pitch Pipe
- Soft Case
- Yubikake (fingerpants)
Helpful Videos
Step-by-Step Guide to Shamisen Assembly (using the Shamisen Starter Set) Unboxing the Shamisen Starter Set DaFAQ: Shamisen Masterclass Series (it's free!)Kyle’s Opinion
Having tested it out myself, I am very happy with the quality of this shamisen. The clear and resonant tone almost surprised me, it’s so nice! The tone gave me great satisfaction, which is something I wasn’t expecting from a shamisen of this price. Unlike other beginner level shamisen, this one sounds like… like a real instrument! Also, the itomaki are made from real wood and the shamisen sparkles with a luscious lacquer, making this a beautiful instrument to admire as you play it. This is a shamisen that sounds great and looks beautiful. If you are ready to start learning, this is the instrument for you. You may pick this shamisen up as a beginner, but you will cherish it for many years to come. You may have heard terms such as "Nagauta Shamisen", "Jiuta Shamisen", "Tsugaru Shamisen", and more. These basically refer to shamisen which are set up for those particular formal styles (Nagauta, Jiuta, and Tsugaru* style respectively). Such styles use very particular sizes of bachi (plectrum), koma (bridge), skin tension, and some visual aesthetics like width of overhanging skin on the dou (body). Such factors only matter for those who are pursuing a particular formal style. The Shamisen Starter Set's instrument is prepared in the folk style, which uses shamisen as a rather informal instrument. The instrument's frame is used for Nagauta Shamisen, but the skin is prepared with a folk/tsugaru aesthetic (I.e, the overhanging skin is wider than the short-cut overhang of classical styles), and the set includes the easy-to-use tsugaru koma (bridge). It's a shamisen made for folks who just want to learn and enjoy shamisen as an instrument, without getting bogged down about formal paradigms. There's nothing wrong with formal training, but from personal experience, I develop a greater connection with the instrument when being able to enjoy musical instruments as what they are - instruments of personal expression. :-) *Although Tsugaru style is often considered the modern "wild" style of shamisen, there is also a formal classical branch of the style which is very strict about the aesthetic.Special Bonus!
To help you get started with your new Shamisen Starter Set, I am including several learning materials for free!- Bachido Shamisen Crash Course
- Premium Shamisen Course: Sakura
- Premium Shamisen Course: Ringo Bushi
- Premium Shamisen Course: Yasaburo Bushi
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Sale!
To learn more about the Shamibuddy or the accompanying accessory…To learn more about the Shamibuddy or the accompanying accessory set, please click on their respective links below!Special Bonus!
To help you get started with your brand-new ShamiBuddy, I am including several learning materials for free!- Bachido Shamisen Crash Course
- Premium Shamisen Course: Sakura
- Premium Shamisen Course: Ringo Bushi
- Premium Shamisen Course: Yasaburo
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Sale!
This is a very high-end Tsugaru Shamisen made-to-order by Tokyo…This is a very high-end Tsugaru Shamisen made-to-order by Tokyo Wagakki, the oldest and most respected shamisen workshop in Japan. To learn more about the Rose Shamisen please click on the link below!sSpecial Bonus!
To help you get started with your brand-new Rose Shamisen, I am including several learning materials for free!- Bachido Shamisen Crash Course
- Premium Shamisen Course: Sakura
- Premium Shamisen Course: Ringo Bushi
- Premium Shamisen Course: Yasaburo Bushi
- Premium Shamisen Course: Tosa no Sunayama
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Sale!
To learn more about the Raven please click on the…To learn more about the Raven please click on the below link!Special Bonus!
To help you get started with your brand-new Raven Shamisen, I am including several learning materials for free!- Bachido Shamisen Crash Course
- Premium Shamisen Course: Sakura
- Premium Shamisen Course: Tosa no Sunayama
- Premium Shamisen Course: Kase no Yakko Odori
- Premium Shamisen Course: Advanced Kamashi
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Sale!
Made in Japan by Tokyo Wagakki, the Matsu shamisen features…Made in Japan by Tokyo Wagakki, the Matsu shamisen features a sao (and tenjin) made from Akamatsu - Japanese Red Pine. With a hard Shitan fingerboard providing clarity, the lighter Akamatsu wood gives this shamisen a uniquely delicate and woody tone. Read more about the Matsu Shamisen in the Description below!Special Bonus!
To help you get started with your brand-new Matsu Shamisen, I am including several learning materials for free!- Bachido Shamisen Crash Course
- Premium Shamisen Course: Tsugaru Jonkara Bushi (Kyu)
- Premium Shamisen Course: Tsugaru Jonkara Bushi (Shin)
- Premium Shamisen Course: The Nitta Ryu Intensive Technique Pack
- Premium Shamisen Course: Advanced Kamashi
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The Magical Shamisen Comic Book, written by Kristi Conley-Brockie and…The Magical Shamisen Comic Book, written by Kristi Conley-Brockie and beautifully illustrated by Edward Rooks, tells the story of a special shamisen which, when not played, turns into a dragon! The comic book is perfect for young children and any shamisen enthusiast! Ships from California -
Designed with a perfect half-size sao and a natural skin,…Designed with a perfect half-size sao and a natural skin, you can get an authentic shamisen sound with a size convenient enough to take hiking or on the road. -
Designed with a perfect half-size sao and a natural skin,…Designed with a perfect half-size sao and a natural skin, you can get an authentic shamisen sound with a size convenient enough to take hiking or on the road. Important: This shamisen does NOT include any accessories required to play (no strings, plectrum, etc). Unless you already have accessories, please consider selecting The Beginner's Shamisen Accessory Set option for all the essential items required to make your shamisen playable. Otherwise, by selecting The KoShamisen only, you will receive the masterfully built shamisen in an unplayable condition. The Beginner's Shamisen Accessory Set consists of entry level items so users can get the most affordable option to start playing. If you'd like to select your own accessories (to get preferred colors, choose particular bachi, add extra strings, etc), please go to Essentials and choose the best items for yourself. Need help in curating your shopping list? Learn about the most essential items here!
