Hosozao Shamisen Set “Miyuki” – synthetic skins

“Miyuki” is a beautiful shamisen made from the especially hard wood “shitan”. Miyuki will make a reliable, durable and faithful companion. The instrument is really vintage, which you can tell by the especially beautiful tuning peg fittings zagane crafted in flower shape. Another indicator is the slender neck size. If you have large hands, I recommend choosing a different instrument – you can still hang Miyuki on the wall though 😛

Because the neck is so slender and it won’t match everyone’s hands, I decided to make an especially good price! So go for it, if you have small hands or are a collector of beautiful instruments ans don’t mind the slender build.

Specifications:

The style of this shamisen is hosozao, typically used for Nagauta playing style. Because less wood is used in building, this kind of shamisen is more affordable than chunkier types and is very popular among people first trying out playing the shamisen.

The instrument is made from shitan wood – the top choice for shamisen building before koki emerged. The instrument comes with a super gorgeous dark blue doukake (soundbox cover) with a generous floral design.  The deep purple neo (string holder) made from silk adds even more depth to this luscious look. Also included in set is a set of fresh strings, a tenjin cap, and a dougomu (rubber mat). The dou is freshly 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 neck is 23 mm wide and 25 mm high/thick at the top and widens slightly towards the dou. The fingerboard is 23 mm wide. It has an elegantly slanted hatomune – the part where the neck enters the sound box – which is typical for hosozao shamisen associated with Nagauta style. You can play up to position 19 with this kind of neck. The fingerboard is in super great shape, and all the joints are tight and crafted really well (check out the pictures).

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 intricately carved and thus especially durable and providing a very precise fit.

The itomaki (tuning pegs) are made from ebony wood and are carved in a traditional way that makes them easy to grip despite their slender built.

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

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.