Tsugaru Shamisen Set “Katagiri” – perfect for large hands!

I named this shamisen “Katagiri” – a futozao with a bold presence and a beautiful personality. The wood features a striking flamed figure, giving the instrument a sense of depth and character even before you play a note. The neck is on the thicker side within the category of thick-necked (futozao) shamisen. Thus, the instrument will be especially comfortable for players with larger hands. The instrument is pretty new – you can tell by the shade of the wood. A very beautiful and sturdy companion!

The style of this shamisen is futozao, typically used for Tsugaru Shamisen playing style. With this instrument you can play all your favorite powerful pieces with the authentic sound and energy.

You get it for such a fantastic price because the middle and bottom part of the neck has been glued together by its previous owner – that’s usually the case when the joint pen gets damaged and one wants to avoid a pricey repair. The joints fit super smoothly though and you can still make it a little smaller for transport and put it in a suitcase or a long backpack.

Wood:

This instrument’s neck is made from tochi koki wood. This means, it has some really nice – and rare – figuration called “tochi”. That’s the shiny flame-like reflections that sparkle in the light. It’s pretty difficult to catch on camera, but I think the photos give a good first glimpse at the fire! The color is so light because the instrument is still pretty fresh – the wood darkens through natural oxidation over the years.

Accessories and Skins:

The instrument comes with a traditional style tsugaru lacquer doukake with sparkling mother of pearl inlays. The protective tenjin cap has the same matching design. The subtle white neo is a beautiful color contrast to the beautiful wood and matches the skins. Also included in the package are a set of fresh strings, and a dougomu.

The dou is freshly skinned with Hibiki synthetic skins on the front and back.

Neck:

This neck is 35 mm wide and 34,25 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.

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.

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, but the second and third part of the neck have been permanently glued together on this instrument.

There’s a little nick at the saruo (back of the bottom part of the neck) as shown in the pictures. A purely cosmetic thing that I didn’t fix to keep the price low. It is fixable though 🙂 You won’t notice it when playing because a) it’s facing downward so you don’t see it b) your hand won’t even touch it when playing.

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.