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This desiccant pouch is meant to remove moisture from the…This desiccant pouch is meant to remove moisture from the Manyo sheet (which in turn is meant to remove moisture from the natural skin on shamisen) once it becomes saturated with moisture. To use, put both the "Manyo Desiccant Pouch" and “Manyo: Advanced Moisture Control” sheet inside a plastic bag in order for the pouch to effectively remove moisture from the sheet. -
The third string on the shamisen (which is the thinnest…The third string on the shamisen (which is the thinnest string). Gintsuki brand. Can be used for Nagauta style and Jiuta style (and technically Tsugaru style as well, but note that the aggressive style might break the silk strings quickly). Sold as a pack of five silk strings. -
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! Note: These Zagane require a reamer with a 7 degree taper for a perfect fit. It's possible to use other reamers (like cello reamers for example), but you might have to fill in gaps with wood filler. I highly recommend the Hozan K-441 Reamer. -
This is a full plastic koma with a height and…This is a full plastic koma with a height and shape typical for nagauta style. Note: Plastic koma are known for not sounding as good as koma made from bamboo, kouki, or anything else. We're offering it for those who specifically require it for nagauta style, but if you aren't formally pursuing that style, I'd highly recommend choosing any other koma. -
Looking to have the skins of your shamisen replaced with…Looking to have the skins of your shamisen replaced with a fresh natural 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 new natural skins. 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. Note: Currently, Kyle is replacing natural skin for nagauta and jiuta shamisen. For those wanting high tension natural skin for tsugaru shamisen, he will connect you with his partner in Japan.Possible extra costs
- 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.
- 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.