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  • Made in Japan by Tokyo Wagakki, we've got three beautiful…
    Made in Japan by Tokyo Wagakki, we've got three beautiful styles of ebony itomaki: Mentori (trimmed edges), Soragara (star shape), Soragara Mentori (star shape with trimmed edges). These itomaki are intended for tsugaru shamisen. Theoretically they could be fitted in smaller shamisen (nagauta, jiuta, etc), but those shamisen have smaller tenjin, and thus the itomaki would be more difficult to use, and so it's not recommended.
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  • If you play your shamisen and notice particular notes sounding…
    If you play your shamisen and notice particular notes sounding especially dull or harshly buzzy, there's a good chance your sao has kanberi. Kanberi is basically wear-and-tear naturally caused by the act of pressing the string against the sao repeatedly over the course of years. Releveling the sao completely removes this wear and restores the full resonance of a shamisen, making it sound brand new again. After purchasing this service, Kyle will send you an email with instructions for shipping. Please be prepared to ship your whole shamisen.
  • Get closer to your shamisen idols! The Signature Bachi are…
    Get closer to your shamisen idols! The Signature Bachi are made in collaboration with the hottest shamisen stars of today. Every star player involved has given us their preferred weight, balance and shape of their favorite bachi, and the maker creates them with synthetic bekko called Neoko. Check out the exact weight and measurements of each bachi below!  
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  • Sale!

    The Shamibuddy

    $299.00 - $470.00
    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
    Important: This shamisen does NOT include any accessories required to play (no strings, plectrum, etc). Unless you already have accessories, please consider selecting The ShamiBuddy Accessory Set option for all the essential items required to make your shamisen playable. Otherwise, by selecting The ShamiBuddy Shamisen only, you will receive the masterfully built shamisen in an unplayable condition. The ShamiBuddy 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! Note: A Bachido membership (free) is required to access the courses.
  • 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:
  • Made out of clear acrylic and looks very stylish. Perfect…
    Made out of clear acrylic and looks very stylish. Perfect for that clean look in your performance.
  • The classic Faux Bekko Bachi. Features a similar flexibility as…
    The classic Faux Bekko Bachi. Features a similar flexibility as natural shell while being 100% synthetic.
  • Made by Bachido member Josh Curry! This bachi is made…
    Made by Bachido member Josh Curry! This bachi is made with a Rosewood handle (with Tori Gate inlay)secured to a flexible Orange Acrylic bachi blade. Specifications: Weight: 80g Length: 193mm Thickness at base of wood handle: 26mm Thickness at thin end of wood handle: 12mm
  • Skin Replacement (Hibiki)

    $99.00$250.00
    Looking to have your broken natural shamisen skin replaced with…
    Looking to have your broken natural shamisen skin replaced with a synthetic shamisen skin? No problem at all! All you have to do is send your dou (soundbox) to Kyle and he will remove the old skins and replace them with Hibiki: Advanced Synthetic Skin! After you order the service, Kyle will send you the shipping information and will start working on your repair as soon as he receives your dou.  
     

    Possible extra costs

    1. Broken Dou: The glue on vintage shamisen is known to fail due to age. Sometimes, the corner joints of the dou are already separated and are simply held together by the skins alone! When this happens, the dou must be reglued before reskinning. Please note there may be a $50 to $100 extra fee if this happens.
    2. Rubber Pad (Dou Gomu): If your dou has a rubber pad (dou gomu) attached to it, please remove it before shipping. Unlike new dou gomu, (which peel off easily and cleanly) the rubber of old dou gomu are often partially disintegrated and crumble when trying to remove it. It's a considerable hassle, and there may be $20 extra fee to remove it.
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  • This case is designed to hold a shamisen with a…
    This case is designed to hold a shamisen with a fully disassembled sao. The interior is more minimalistic compared to the Soft Shell Mitsuori Case. (Less interior foam, but relatively more space to fill with miscellaneous items.)
  • The Mitsuori Case has a soft, padded interior with a…
    The Mitsuori Case has a soft, padded interior with a sleek nylon exterior (like the Pack Case). Lid of Mitsuori Case has a special compartment for the bachi, and a side pouch for strings and yubikake. Straps connect on the backside for carrying on your back. If you don’t need to carry it on your back, the straps can conveniently slip into a zip-up pouch (shown in pictures).
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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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