Nitta Model: Size 7 Tsugaru Shamisen

The shamisen is a loud instrument, but did you know it can get even LOUDER? It’s true!

The size of “Size 5” dou (5分大) is considered standard for tsugaru style, and is used for a large majority of tsugaru style shamisen, but the larger sizes Size 6 and Size 7 dou are also made. These sizes are rare and only used by a small handful of players in Japan. Why? Unlike the standard Size 5 dou, there isn’t a standardized doukake shell made for Size 6 & 7, and so it’s almost impossible to get doukake for those dou unless it is special ordered. Masahiro Nitta and his father both use Size 7 dou, and the larger size can cause some wrist pain for some players.

What’s the advantage of the Size 7 dou? It projects like a cannon! The surprising thing is a Size 7 is only 4mm larger than Size 5 (and Size 6 is only 2mm larger), and yet is considerably louder. Great for playing outdoors and dominating your friends in the shamisen group! :-P

Kyle’s Opinion: I built a Size 7 dou for one of my shamisen and it’s my favorite. Granted, I don’t play as frequently as Nitta san and so haven’t experienced the wrist pain he described (performing with it daily might cause the pain). And yes, I do have to be more mindful of my volume when I’m playing with others. But otherwise, I really enjoy the larger size and the beefy tone!

Note: The photos are of Nitta san’s personal Size 7 Tsugaru Shamisen which has rare extra heavy kouki, which has aged to almost black after decades of use. Unfortunately we can’t afford to special order a brand new shamisen just to take pictures of it, so please note that a brand new Nitta Model will have newer kouki wood (and look shinier). To be clear, what makes the Nitta Model special is the larger size of the dou. The build quality and wood quality are the same as any high quality shamisen in Japan.

Extra Note: This shamisen does NOT include Ayasugi nor Kinbozo.