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  • 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 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!
  • 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 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:
  • A collection of fine Tsugaru Shamisen music played by Chikuzan…
    A collection of fine Tsugaru Shamisen music played by Chikuzan Takahashi.
  • [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8hd58MXJgw[/embed] The Best of Both Worlds: Vintage Materials Meets Modern…

    The Best of Both Worlds: Vintage Materials Meets Modern Perfection. Experience a rare "Brand-New Vintage" Tsugaru Shamisen. Crafted from "Golden Age" Red Sandalwood (Kouki) with extraordinary tochi (tiger-stripe figuring) rarely seen in modern harvests, this instrument has been 100% restored by the legendary craftsmen at Tokyo Wagakki. Featuring the brand new Hibiki Sonic synthetic skin (not yet publicly available), this is a collector-grade instrument with the playability of a brand-new professional model.

    • Wood: Highest-grade old growth Kouki with heavy Tochi figuring (Sao & Tenjin). It literally doesn't get any higher grade than this.

    • Skin: Hibiki Sonic (Choice of Black or White)

    • Hardware: Gold fittings (Kinbozo), Zouge Itomaki

    • Condition: Professionally refreshed to Brand New condition.

  • While this shamisen was previously built by an unknown maker…

    While this shamisen was previously built by an unknown maker in Japan (sadly, there are almost never signatures nor identification marks from shamisen makers), my guess is it was made in the 1990s to early 2000s. There is a very light amount of tochi (figure) in the kouki, but has beautiful deep red throughout. This instrument has been fully refreshed to brand new condition by the legendary craftsmen at Tokyo Wagakki, which includes their signature mirror-like polishing technique. This shamisen can be skinned with the brand new Hibiki Sonic synthetic skin (not yet publicly available).

    • Wood: Deep red Kouki with light amount of tochi figuring (Sao & Tenjin).

    • Skin: Hibiki Sonic (White or Black)

    • Itomaki: Elite Itomaki (African Blackwood w/ Amboyna Burl caps)

    • Condition: Professionally refreshed to Brand New condition.

  • While this shamisen was previously built by an unknown maker…

    While this shamisen was previously built by an unknown maker in Japan (sadly, there are almost never signatures nor identification marks from shamisen makers), my guess is it was made in the 1990s to early 2000s. There is a moderate amount of tochi (figure) in the kouki sao, but has beautiful deep red throughout. This instrument has been fully refreshed to brand new condition by the legendary craftsmen at Tokyo Wagakki, which includes their signature mirror-like polishing technique. This shamisen can be skinned with the brand new Hibiki Sonic synthetic skin (not yet publicly available).

    Note: The deep vivid reds in the kouki is more striking in darker rooms with direct light. I've included a few photos of the tenjin in a regular room so you can see it's darker appearance with ambient lighting.

    • Wood: Deep red Kouki with moderate amount of tochi figuring (Sao).

    • Skin: Hibiki Sonic (White or Black)

    • Itomaki: Elite Itomaki (Curly Siamese Rosewood)

    • Condition: Professionally refreshed to Brand New condition.

  • While this shamisen was previously built by an unknown maker…

    While this shamisen was previously built by an unknown maker in Japan (sadly, there are almost never signatures nor identification marks from shamisen makers), my guess is it was made in the mid to late 2000s. There is a minimal amount of tochi (figure) in the kouki sao, but has beautiful deep red throughout. This instrument has been fully refreshed to brand new condition by the legendary craftsmen at Tokyo Wagakki, which includes their signature mirror-like polishing technique. This shamisen can be skinned with the brand new Hibiki Sonic synthetic skin (not yet publicly available).

    There are a few notable points for this shamisen which affect the price, so please read the longer description below.

    • Wood: Deep red Kouki with minimal amount of tochi figuring (Sao).

    • Skin: Hibiki Sonic (White or Black)

    • Itomaki: Elite Itomaki (Amboyna Burl and Curly Siamese Rosewood)

    • Condition: Professionally refreshed to Brand New condition.

  • While this shamisen was previously built by an unknown maker…

    While this shamisen was previously built by an unknown maker in Japan (sadly, there are almost never signatures nor identification marks from shamisen makers), there is a sticker inside the dou with a date of Heisei 6 (1993), so that is most likely when this shamisen was crafted. There is a high amount of tochi (figure) in the kouki sao, although a majority of the tochi is on the side of the sao towards the audience. There is also beautiful deep red throughout. This instrument has been fully refreshed to brand new condition by the legendary craftsmen at Tokyo Wagakki, which includes their signature mirror-like polishing technique. This shamisen can be skinned with the brand new Hibiki Sonic synthetic skin (not yet publicly available).

    There are a few notable points for this shamisen which affect the price, so please read the longer description below.

    • Wood: Deep red Kouki with high amount of tochi figuring (Sao), but only on the audience-side of the sao.

    • Sao: Chuzao
    • Trimmings: Large Azuma Sawari, Ayasugi, Kinbozo (gold fittings)
    • Skin: Hibiki Sonic (White or Black)

    • Itomaki: Elite Itomaki (Amboyna Burl and Curly Siamese Rosewood)

    • Condition: Professionally refreshed to Brand New condition.

  • The Best of Both Worlds: Vintage Materials Meets Modern Perfection.…

    The Best of Both Worlds: Vintage Materials Meets Modern Perfection. Experience a rare "Brand-New Vintage" Tsugaru Shamisen. Crafted from "Golden Age" Red Sandalwood (Kouki) with extraordinary tochi (tiger-stripe figuring) rarely seen in modern harvests, this instrument has been 100% restored by the legendary craftsmen at Tokyo Wagakki. Featuring the brand new Hibiki Sonic synthetic skin (not yet publicly available), this is a collector-grade instrument with the playability of a brand-new professional model.

    • Wood: Highest-grade old growth Kouki with high level of Tochi figuring (Sao & Tenjin) and ribbons of reds. Unlike the TW-001 which requires studio lighting to bring out the intense figure, the tochi on this shamisen is very visible in ambient light.

    • Skin: Hibiki Sonic (White)

    • Hardware: Gold fittings (Kinbozo), Phoenix Elite Itomaki

    • Condition: Professionally refreshed to Brand New condition.

  • 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)
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