Tsugaru Shamisen Set “Kenzō”

I named this shamisen “Kenzō” (賢三). The first kanji 賢 means “wise” and the second kanji 三 means “three”. I wish for all of the strings to grant to some wisdom when learning how to play the shamisen 🙂 Learning an instrument also makes you learn a lot about yourself and life 😀

The style of this shamisen is futozao, typically used for Tsugaru Shamisen playing style. With this instrument you’ll get the most authentic shamisen sound thanks to the natural front skin. The back is freshly skinned with synthetic skin. It’s super durable and improves the sound due to its tight stretch.

You get it for such a fantastic price because it’s not equipped with the golden thimble-like fitting at the bottom of the sound box and part of the neck that sticks out at the end (doesn’t change a thing about the sound, just improves the price!!) and the fingerboard shows some wear. It’s a really solid instrument that is comfortable to play (I tried it out and enjoyed it a lot) and sounds great! It’s already equipped with a dougomu (anti-slip mat) and a fujaku strip, so you’re getting a really full set and can start playing once you pick a koma and bachi (see below).

Wood:

The instrument’s neck is made from shitan wood – a traditional high-end hardwood for shamisen making. It was the #1 wood for shamisen building before koki wood’s deep dark sheen and crazy figurations emerged in the last decades. This means even when you advance as a player, this instrument will still sound great and never sound like “not enough”. In my personal opinion, shitan wood sounds livelier and more multi-faceted than koki. It’s personal preference, what you think is best.

Accessories and Skins:

The instrument comes with a vibrant purple neo and a black vintage leather doukake. Also included in the package are a set of fresh strings, a tenjin cap, and a dougomu. Bonus: A fujaku strip is already attached, so you can start playing right away without figuring out where the positions are.

The dou is skinned with natural skin on the front and with Hibiki synthetic skin on the back.

Neck:

This neck is 32,5 mm wide and 31 mm high at the top and widens slightly towards the dou. The fingerboard is 31 mm wide at the narrow end. Its hatomune – the part where the neck enters the sound box – ends in a sharp edge that makes it possible to play up to position 20 and slightly beyond on this instrument. The fingerboard shows some use but it plays absolutely nicely (I tried the instrument out thoroughly to make sure). It’s a normal sign of wear when you play a lot. If you want to lengthen the fingerboard’s life span, make sure to play with shortened fingernails and only apply as much pressure as needed for a full tone (your hands will thank you for that, too).

Itomaki:

The itomaki (tuning pegs) are made from ebony wood and are nice and chunky – the typical tsugaru style!

Sawari (buzz):

The installed azuma sawari lets you adjust the sawari (buzz) to your liking. This means you can switch it off completely (for modern pieces, pop/rock/metal genres or certain ensembles) and also have the perfect buzz no matter how high or low you tune your shamisen. There’s been a previous repair on the sawari – I guess the head joint glue gave up at some point and had to be redone causing a bit of a gap that was filled up (see photo). All is firm, smooth and well, and the bit is covered by the big string when the instrument is set up.

More:

The tsukigata (the curved end of the tenjin) is in perfect condition, and the instrument’s wood has a beautiful reddish shade and beautiful grain. The neck is crafted in mitsuori style: It can be separated into three parts. This makes travelling with the shamisen very easy – even if you have to get by with light and small luggage. The joints are crafted in the ordinary basic way and have a very nice and tight fit.

All you need to add to your set to start playing are a koma, a bachi and a yubisuri. Depending on the style you intend to play and your personal preferences, you want to pick a certain kind of koma and bachi. Yubisuri come in different sizes, and I didn’t want to deprive you of the difficult yet fun choice between all the wonderful colors. I also recommend getting an adhesive dougomu or a hizagomu that will prevent the instrument from slipping off your thigh.

If you need help with picking the right additions to this set, don’t hesitate to send a message and we will find the perfect match for you together.

If you have any further questions, reach out and send me a message and I’ll be happy to help.