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Sale!One of our first and most popular shamisen has finally…One of our first and most popular shamisen has finally returned! The Eclipse has been absent for many years due to the unavailability of tochikarin (highly figured Karin) in matching colors. For example, the lumber for sao wood was tan and the lumber for the tenjin would be brownish-pink. Why does this matter? Well, unlike other shamisen which can be stained or colored with tinted urushi, the Eclipse is finished with Tokyo Wagakki's renowned polishing technique, which takes two weeks to apply and uses no lacquers nor colorings. Such a polish gives the entire shamisen a deep warm glow, but retains the colors of the natural wood. Thus, while a shamisen with different color tones wouldn't affect the sound, the craftsmen at Tokyo Wagakki weren't pleased with the visual aesthetic, and so we paused production of this model... until now! After many years, tochikarin wood in matching colors came back in stock, and we're finally able to bring the Eclipse back to the Bachido Store! Read more about this exciting shamisen below! Also, check out our exciting new Eclipse: Special Edition!
Color Will Vary
As you can see in the photo, the left Eclipse has a redder hue than the right Eclipse. There is no difference in quality nor tone, but it's simply the natural color of the polished wood. As stated above, the Eclipse uses no stain or lacquers, so please know that any particular Eclipse shamisen might be redder or tanner than another.
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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!The Akatsuki Shamisen, made by the legendary makers at Tokyo…The Akatsuki Shamisen, made by the legendary makers at Tokyo Wagakki (the oldest and most respected shamisen workshop in Japan). Includes Ayasugi and Non-Slip Itomaki as optional upgrades. Read below to get all the details about this shamisen!
Special Bonus!
To help you get started with your brand-new Akatsuki, 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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Sale!Easily our most popular model on Bachido! Made by one…Easily our most popular model on Bachido! Made by one of the finest shamisen workshops in Japan (Tokyo Wagakki) the Raven is made with Shitan wood and expertly lacquered with jet black urushi. Although the urushi is black, the Raven's color changes depending on the light! The darkness of the black urushi is strong when illuminated, and when the light is gentle, the natural browns of Shitan will emerge. An incredibly cool element of this shamisen! Product Updates: The red acrylic itomaki are now available in both Soragara style (star-shape) and standard Hexagon, and the optional Ayasugi (intricate carving inside the dou) is now available! Note, the Ayasugi option is shown in the product photos. If you choose "No" in the Ayasugi box, the inside of your dou will be smooth. Custom Options: Would you like the itomaki in a different color, shape, or material? Or perhaps a different wood or size? Each shamisen is made to order direct from Tokyo Wagakki, so we can easily accept custom requests! Please send your Custom Raven requests to me via the Contact Us page and let's have a fun chat about the options available! 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!To learn more about the Beginner's Shamisen or the accompanying…To learn more about the Beginner's Shamisen or the accompanying accessory set, please click on their respective links below!
Special Bonus!
To help you get started with your new Beginner’s 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
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A standard kind of pitch pipe, which is used by…A standard kind of pitch pipe, which is used by a majority of shamisen players. Simply blow into the designated hole for the pitch you want to tune the string to, and raise/lower the pitch of the string until the sound matches the pitch emitted by the pitch pipe! For some it can be easier than using an electronic tuner (which works just as well).
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Flex Options: Hard: This is very rigid, almost like Plastic…Flex Options: Hard: This is very rigid, almost like Plastic Bachi, or cheaper bekko bachi. Only choose this if you are accustomed to hard bachi and especially prefer it. Medium: This is a similar level to the Faux Bekko Bachi, as well as most bekko bachi available. Soft: This is ideal for beginners. (Flex level has no connection to skill level – many professional players use soft bachi) Soft bachi are comparable to high end bekko bachi, as very flexible shell are reserved for expensive bachi. (Hard/Medium bachi can be high end as well, but it’s much harder to find natural soft flex in the lower price ranges) The extra flex makes it very comfortable to get a satisfying percussive snap against the skin, and unlike stiffer bachi, it doesn’t get caught in the strings as much. Masahiro Nitta’s personal bachi has a similar flexibility as this, and it’s my favorite as well. Size options: (Length x Width) Large 167mm×93mm Medium 164mm×88mm Small 161mm×83mm
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This line of Lacquered Doukake are made by Kyle Abbott…This line of Lacquered Doukake are made by Kyle Abbott and shipped from sunny Santa Cruz, California. These Doukake fits ONLY Tsugaru Shamisen (Size 5 dou). Please do not order if you have a Nagauta/Beginner's Shamisen or Jiuta Shamisen. All Lacquered Doukake are made to order. Please allow two weeks for crafting and lacquering.
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This line of Lacquered Doukake are made by Kyle Abbott…This line of Lacquered Doukake are made by Kyle Abbott and shipped from sunny Santa Cruz, California. These Doukake fits ONLY Tsugaru Shamisen (Size 5 dou). Please do not order if you have a Nagauta/Beginner's Shamisen or Jiuta Shamisen. All Lacquered Doukake are made to order. Please allow two weeks for crafting and lacquering.