Minyo Shamisen Set “Saki”

I named this shamisen “Saki” (咲). The name means “to bloom” and immediately came to mind because of the charming floral doukake in retro pink. And oh how the sound blooms on this one! It has especially dark koki wood which gives this shamisen an extra classic and classy look. This one is a real steal!

A truly beautiful shamisen with a medium-sized neck (chuuzao), typically used for Minyo playing style. Thanks to the adjustable azuma sawari, this shamisen can have its delightful buzz no matter how high or low you tune your instrument. Within the range of medium-neck shamisen, this one is average.

Wood:

This instrument’s neck is made from koki wood – the most sought-after wood in contemporary shamisen culture. Koki can have different shades of brown, and this one is particularly dark – almost black! Check out the beautiful luster of the curved head in the pictures to see what I’m talking about.

Accessories and Skins:

The instrument comes with a silk doukake in retro pink with a floral pattern and a contrasting deep purple neo. Also included in the package are a set of fresh strings, a tenjin cap, and an attached dougomu.

The dou is skinned with Hibiki – the newest generation of synthetic skins with a warm tone that’s closer to the sound of natural skins than any of its predecessors.

Hibiki skin is extremely durable and robust. In comparison to natural skin, you don’t have to worry about humidity or sudden rain when playing the shamisen outdoors (you’ll still want to try to avoid both to protect the wood though). This means, you won’t need to use a washi bag to protect your shamisen’s skin.

Neck:

The neck is 28,5 mm wide and 29,25 mm high at the top and widens slightly towards the dou. The fingerboard is 27,5 mm wide at the narrow end. As you can see, the fingerboard is shiny and smooth! There’s a tiny nick on position 9 (see photos), but it does not affect playing in any way.

The neck features well-crafted joints in ippon mizo (一本溝) style. That makes the joints more durable and the fit even tighter.

Itomaki:

The itomaki (tuning pegs) are made from ebony wood and have a very balanced size that makes tuning comfortable and easy.

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.

More:

The tsukigata (the curved end of the tenjin) is in perfect condition, and the instrument’s wood has super beautiful deep brown shade – almost black! 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 very well crafted with a very nice 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.

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.