The Rose
Bachido's partnership with Tokyo Wagakki only happened by an incredibly random chance of luck. Otaki-san (the president of Tokyo Wagakki) happened to be an long-time friend of the father of Yanaka-san, who is now my business partner but at the time was just a guy who invited me to his Ibaraki home back in 2013. And my connection with Yanaka-san was only made in thanks to Katoh-san, who introduced us after Yanaka-san took interest in my book sitting in Katoh san's store. I'm always humbled by the timing of life, because Bachido and Tokyo Wagakki would never have connected if that sequence of connections didn't occur in the right order, and without the support of Katoh-san who started the friendship.
Because of that, I felt it was a special opportunity to create very unique high end shamisen. After all, you can find the usual Karin and Shitan shamisen at any shamisen shop in Japan (as well as in the Bachido Store), so instead we collaborated to create shamisen that couldn't be found in any shamisen shop. The Sakura, Eclipse, Akatsuki, Raven, and Starling are all unique shamisen only available at Bachido, made by the top makers makers of shamisen in Japan.
View image gallery
(18 pics)
Recently, Yanaka-san (who's father helped establish our relationship with Otaki-san) reminded me that although Tokyo Wagakki can create any shamisen with ease, kouki shamisen is their favorite, as kouki has the right balance of wood oil and hardness to make a mirror-like polish without any lacquer. So at last, it was finally time to make available Tokyo Wagakki's specialty, the Rose!
Specifications
- Sao: Kouki
- Sao Size: Chuzao (28.5mm wide) or Futozao (30mm wide) – Mitsuori (three-piece neck)
- Mitsuori (three-piece neck) (Kinbozo available in Mastergrade model)
- Itomaki: Soragara Mentori (star shape with edges recessed). Kouki jointed to black ebony
- Skin: Hibiki (Black/White Synthetic) or Vintage Tone (Natural)
- Dou: Karin – Size 5 (Ayasugi available on Premium model)
- Hardware: Azuma Sawari, Rindo, Zagane, and Kamigoma
- Accessories not included
Mindful Use of Kouki
As you might’ve heard, kouki wood is scarce, so it’s important to know that the Rose is not made with new kouki. Basically, through a long chain of connections, we know someone who horded seasoned kouki wood after he retired from being a shamisen maker in the early 2000s. Kouki wood purchased in the early ’90s was just sitting in a secret warehouse collecting 30 years of dust! (no joke) So, after some discussions, he allowed us to use his remaining supply kouki for our shamisen.
Releasing the Bling
This is the first “standard” shamisen we’ve released from Tokyo Wagakki. When I say standard, I mean unlike the Akatsuki or Raven, you can find kouki shamisen like this at shamisen shops in Japan. Thus, we’ve decided to finally offer the fancy aesthetic options that usually come with high end shamisen – the intricate herring bone carving inside the dou called ayasugi, and gold fittings in the joints, called kinbozo.
You might ask, “Kyle, if the other shamisen like Akatsuki and Raven are high end, why didn’t you offer ayasugi and kinbozo for those as well?” Well, for decades there has been a myth that ayasugi and kinbozo increases a shamisen’s acoustic quality, a myth I was always skeptical of. Traditionally, those features were only added to shamisen priced around $10,000 to $30,000 or higher, just to give the full masterpiece treatment. At some point in history, I suspect some makers wanted to sell more of their higher-priced wares, and so told players that gold fittings and carved pattern greatly improves sound quality. That myth spread to this day, and with the power of the internet, so many are led to believe that spending thousands more on these features resulted in better tone. Well, my partners and I don’t believe that, and it didn’t feel right to take advantage of this myth by offering it. Thus, we never offered it before.
However, I recently made a ayasugi/kinbozo sound test which compares identical Roses with and without these features, in order to have an objective comparison. I believe it proves that these features do not improve sound quality.
In fact, it ended up proving that simple changes like moving the koma by 1mm will affect the tone much more than anything these features can provide. What it does prove is the traditional reason for the features – it looks incredibly gorgeous. In any case, now that a sound test is available so people can hear it’s acoustic effect (or lack thereof), I feel better about offering these aesthetic options for the right reasons. If one has an eye for beauty, then ayasugi and kinbozo will give you the ultimate visual experience in shamisen luxury!
Diamonds Among Gems
The figure and color of each kouki piece varies considerably. We discovered this when crafting the first three Roses. The first had great tiger stripe pattern; the second had tiger stripe pattern with surprisingly dark color; the third had very little tiger stripe pattern but had an incredibly bright and vibrant red color. Each piece was very unique. Because of the kouki wood in his warehouse is all rough lumber, the level of figure doesn’t appear until it’s been shaped. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to shape the rough lumber before purchasing it, so we can’t know how much figure each sao will have. The important thing to know is that kouki from the 90s is much higher grade than the standard kouki available these days, so no matter what, you will get a stunning kouki shamisen. And if you’re lucky, you’ll have a sao with cascading ripples of tiger stripe figure which would normally sell for a much higher price!
Color Darkens With Age
One very important fact to know about kouki is that no matter how bright red it is when brand new, kouki always darkens with age as it’s exposed to sunlight and oxidization. Almost all wood darkens with age, but even more significantly with kouki. Please keep this in mind as you imagine your future life with the Rose. :-)
Chibukuro Options
The Chibukuro is the area where the sao (neck) connects into the tenjin (headpiece). The Standard Chibukuro has a convex curve. In the past, this convex curve possibly provided extra strength to the joint. Nowadays, the joint is so strong, the extra wood doesn’t serve much purpose. In fact, the extra mass can look and feel cumbersome, especially when playing position ‘1’. For those who prefer a slender trimmed look and feel, the Chibukuro can be trimmed into a fan shape which we call the Ogi Cut.
Two Sao Style Options
‘U’ Style
This is the standard shape of the sao. You will find this style on almost all shamisen. The base of the sao has a broader curve, so it fits comfortably in most hands. Because it can feel thick for some, we recommend a Chuzao size (28.5mm wide) for this style.
‘V’ Style
If you’re like me, you’ll notice the base of a futozao (30mm wide) can feel too thick. Even though the wide fingerboard is easy to play, the thick shape feels unnecessarily big. Because of this, the ‘V’ Style sao is made!
This base of the ‘V’ Style sao is greatly reduced, making the sao feel much thinner while still providing a full futozao width (30mm). The careful shaping of the sao brings out a subtle edge along the base. This is a very unique style, ideal for experienced players who want to fine-tune their playing experience.
The Three Roses
These are the three styles of Rose available.
Standard: Maruuchi Dou (regular dou without ayasugi), Standard Chibukuro, U style sao.
Deluxe: Ayasugi Dou, Ogi Cut Chibukuro, V style sao.
Mastergrade: Ayasugi Dou, Kinbozo (gold fittings in sao), Ogi Cut Chibukuro, V style sao.
Special Requests: If you have a special request (for example, if you would like would Ogi Cut on the Standard model, or ‘U’ style sao on the Deluxe model, or would like different style of itomaki, etc) please email me at kyle (at) bachido (dot) com and together we can create your perfect Rose!
Special Bonus!
To help you get started with your brand-new Rose Shamisen, I am including several learning materials for free!
- Bachido Shamisen Crash Course
- Premium Shamisen Course: Sakura
- Premium Shamisen Course: Ringo Bushi
- Premium Shamisen Course: Yasaburo Bushi
- Premium Shamisen Course: Tosa no Sunayama
Note: A Bachido membership (free) is required to access the courses. To unlock the courses, please contact Bachido after ordering the Rose Shamisen. Include the full name on your Bachido account, as well as your paypal receipt for the Rose Shamisen. After your account and purchase has been verified, the courses will be unlocked to your account.
Order the Rose Shamisen!
(Note: Each shamisen is built per order. Please allow six to eight weeks for construction)Important: Please read before purchase.
After you place your Paypal order...
Please email me (Kyle Abbott!) your phone number to 'store (at) bachido (dot) com', because my partners in Japan require it for shipping/customs. Thank you!
Please order accessories below the Paypal Box.
Rose Shamisen (Standard)
Rose Shamisen (Premium)
Rose Shamisen (Mastergrade)
Get your Accessories!
To bring the price as low as possible, all recommended accessories are sold separately. Find them below, and get cases or other accessories in the Bachido Store! (The Akatsuki Shamisen is shipped from a separate dealer, and can't be combined with other items from the Bachido Store. Sorry!)Bachido Doukake- by Kyle Abbott
The Bachido Doukake is hand-lacquered with a super hard resin and glistens with a "dipped in glass"-like appearance. It is very durable and will keep your shamisen protected while looking simply stunning! Prepare yourself for the oncoming compliments! Handmade in California by Kyle Abbott. Check it out!
Tsugaru Ito Set Pack (Fujiito) ふじ糸津軽糸セットパック (IT-TS)
This is the Fujiito brand of ito. They are the most common brand of string for shamisen. It’s considered to be average quality for ‘practice use’, but I use them for performance and nobody notices the difference!
Includes one Ichi no Ito (2X), a pack of two Ni no Ito and a pack of five San no Ito.
String Gauges: 29-1 / 15-2 / 14-3
$46 USD
Neo 音緒 (NE-T)
The Neo is the tailpiece which the strings are tied to. It is fitted on the end of the shamisen.
$65 USD
Leather Doukake レザー胴掛け (紐付) (DO-R)
Leather doukake look very classy, and available in many colors. For Tsugaru shamisen only.
$78 USD
Dou Gomu Shi-ru 胴ゴムシール (DO-GM)
The Dou Gomu Shi-ru is an adhesive rubber pad which is affixed to the lower-right corner of the dou (where the dou rests on your knee). Without it, the shamisen can easily slip off of your leg while you’re playing.
$10 USD
Fujaku 譜尺 (SF-1)
The hardest part of shamisen playing is the lack of frets, or other indicators to where the positions are. The fujaku is an adhesive plastic strip which sticks to the side of the shamisen. When placed correctly, the numbers on the seal line up exactly where you need to press the string to sound the desired position. This seal takes away lots of frustration from your shamisen experience. It can be removed when your fingers attain muscle memory so you don’t need to look at the numbers. Watch how to attach a fujaku.
$10 USD
Yubikake (Machine Knit) 指掛け (YB-M)
The Yubikake is a tightly knit sleeve (made by machine) which is fitted over the index finger and thumb. When playing shamisen, the friction of your skin rubs against the neck, making it hard to play. The Yubikake adds a layer between your hand and the neck, reducing friction and making playing much easier.
One size fits all
$15 USD
Bachi
Pantera Bachi パンテーラ撥
Introducing the newest technology for shamisen bachi! Made by TOA, the synthetic material of the blade is as close as it gets to natural material. Unlike other Faux Bekko bachi which are made from a material closer to acrylic (I’m not 100% sure, but it’s something like that), the Pantera is made of casein, which is a natural protein, and thus much closer to real shell than any other.
Until now, I hadn’t felt that any bachi could match the same feeling as real bekko. Faux Bekko and Acrylic bachi are both outstanding, but still the feeling and tone were different (not bad, just not exactly the same). With that in mind, I am very, very impressed with the flex and tone from the Pantera bachi. I can only assume that casein is the key ingredient, because I can’t feel or hear a difference from bekko.
Flex Options:
Hard: 8 This is very rigid, almost like Plastic Bachi, or cheaper bekko bachi. Only choose this if you are accustomed to hard bachi and especially prefer it.
Medium: 5 This is a similar level to the Faux Bekko Bachi, as well as most bekko bachi available.
Soft: 3 This is ideal for beginners. (Flex level has no connection to skill level – many professional players use soft bachi) Soft bachi are comparable to high end bekko bachi, as very flexible shell are reserved for expensive bachi. (Hard/Medium bachi can be high end as well, but it’s much harder to find natural soft flex in the lower price ranges) The extra flex makes it very comfortable to get a satisfying percussive snap against the skin, and unlike stiffer bachi, it doesn’t get caught in the strings as much. Masahiro Nitta’s personal bachi has a similar flexibility as this, and it’s my favorite as well.
Size options: (Length x Width)
Large 167mm×93mm
Medium 164mm×88mm
Small 161mm×83mm
$310 USD
Faux-Bekko Bachi べっ甲調撥 (BA-BC)
Hardness level: 5.
Made by Tokyo Wagakki, this bachi is great for beginners and advanced players alike. It has a similar feel & flex of a natural bekko bachi, but is stronger and will potentially last many more years of hard tsugaru playing! The tortoise will thank you too. Update: the Pantera bachi (shown above) is made from newer material and in my opinion is even closer to natural bekko than this bachi. This bachi is still awesome so we still offer it, but I do prefer the Pantera. :-)
Note: On very rare occasions, the blades of these bachi sometimes crack or separate from the handle. (It used to be a frequent problem but that issue seems to have been eliminated recently.) That being said, these bachi are covered with one-year insurance. If your bachi cracks or separates from the handle within one year’s time, send it back and it can be replaced!
$269 USD
Wooden Bachi 木撥 (BA-K)
Hardness level: 7.
The Wooden Bachi can be used for a variety songs and techniques. It’s only weakness is that it can break fairly quickly with hard tsugaru playing. Perfect for wood lovers!
Note: In the video, Nitta san plays an earlier model which we used to sell. The pictures show the current model available.
Size Options
9cm x 16.5cm (Regular) – Normal size for Tsugaru style.
7cm x 15cm (Trimmed) – Ideal if you have average size hands but tend to find tsugaru bachi unwieldy.
6cm x 13cm (Small) – Best for kids or small hands.
$45 USD
Plastic Bachi プラスチック撥 (BA-P)
Hardness level: 8.
Reccomended only for trying shamisen with little investment, or if you need an ice scraper. Unfortunately, it is difficult to use and can make the shamisen experience less enjoyable.
$35 USD
Koma
Bamboo Koma 竹駒 (KM-T)
Sound quality:
Soft and warm.
Material:
Madake (bamboo)
Height:
8mm
$50 USD
Bamboo Koma #1 (Bone Tip) 先骨竹駒 (KM-TB)
Sound quality:
Clean and crisp. Bone tip brings a sharper tone, compared to the Bamboo Koma
Material:
Base – Bamboo
Saddle – Bone
Height:
8mm
$50 USD
Bamboo Koma #2 (Bone Tip) 入骨竹駒舟形
This bamboo base of this koma is called “Boat Shape”. The base is slightly thicker while the middle is cut away. Personally, I don’t find a huge difference between the Boat Shape base and the standard base. You’ll probably hear a slight difference in tone between the two, but I don’t think one is “better” than the other. Furthermore, when comparing the sound quality of two koma, it’s important to consider the tightness and age of the shamisen skin, as some koma may sound better on fresher or older skins than others.
Sound quality:
Clean and crisp. Bone tip brings a sharper tone, compared to the Bamboo Koma
Material:
Base – Bamboo
Saddle – Bone
Height:
8mm
$47 USD
Bamboo Koma #1 (Half Bone) 半骨竹駒 (KM-HB)
Sound quality:
Sharper and harder compared to ‘Bamboo Koma (Bone Tip)’
Material:
Base – Bamboo
Saddle – Bone
Height:
8mm
$50 USD
Bamboo Koma #2 (Half Bone) 半骨竹駒舟形
This bamboo base of this koma is called “Boat Shape”. The base is slightly thicker while the middle is cut away. Personally, I don’t find a huge difference between the Boat Shape base and the standard base. You’ll probably hear a slight difference in tone between the two, but I don’t think one is “better” than the other. Furthermore, when comparing the sound quality of two koma, it’s important to consider the tightness and age of the shamisen skin, as some koma may sound better on fresher or older skins than others.
Sound quality:
Sharper and harder compared to ‘Bamboo Koma (Bone Tip)’
Material:
Base – Bamboo
Saddle – Bone
Height:
8mm
$55 USD
Kouki Koma #1 紅木駒
Sound quality:
The bone tip makes the tone crisper overall. However, I’ve noticed that the kouki base makes the tone mellower than the “Bamboo Koma (Half Bone)” This is rather surprising as kouki is much harder than bamboo. Note that results will vary depending on the age and quality of your shamisen skin.
Material:
Base – Kouki
Tip – Bone
Height:
8mm
$50 USD
Shinobi Koma 忍び駒 (KM-SNOBI)
Neighbors keeping your sound levels down? Desperately wanting to play shamisen now but still recovering from that hangover? The shinobi koma (Stealth Bridge) is made for you!
Replacing your normal koma with the Shinobi Koma will lower the sound level tremendously.
Sound quality:
Muted (intentionally)
Material:
Plastic
Height:
7mm
Note: Though the sound from striking the string is significantly reduced, the percussive sound from the bachi snapping against the skin isn’t affected by the koma.
$14 USD
Shinobi Koma - Deluxe 「静」忍び駒 (KM-SNOBI2)
Prepare for extra-awesome! This Shinobi Koma is loaded with extra features!
1) Unlike the Shinobi Koma (Standard), the Shinobi Koma (Deluxe) is shaped in such a way that you can freely execute maebachi and ushirobachi techniques without being constrained by the size of the koma.
2) Though the Shinobi Koma (Standard) mutes the sound from the string, the loud percussivness of the bachi striking the skin remains at full volume. The Shibobi Koma (Deluxe) reduces the percussive volume as well as the volume from the strings, providing a satisfying and balanced low-volume experience.
3) The timbre of the (muted) sound quality can be adjusted.
Sound quality:
Muted (intentionally)
Material:
Plastic and Aluminum
Height:
Adjustable
$65 USD
Ito
Tsugaru Ito Set (Black) 糸セット ブラック
This is a very special set of ito made by Marusan Hishimoto Co. (the most trusted maker of shamisen strings, and the only brand of string I sell in the Bachido Store) All strings are dyed black and look very striking against a white shamisen skin. Just be careful when playing shamisen in the dark!
From what I’ve heard, these strings don’t have the best sound quality (especially compared to the Gokujo string), but they’re still very good and the color balances the rest!
Includes one Ichi no Ito, a pack of two Ni no Ito and a pack of five San no Ito.
String Gauges: 28-1 / 15-2 / 14-3
$30 USD
Tsugaru Ito Set (Red) 糸セット レッド
This is a very special set of ito made by Marusan Hishimoto Co. (the most trusted maker of shamisen strings, and the only brand of string I sell in the Bachido Store) All strings are dyed red and look very striking against a white shamisen skin.
From what I’ve heard, these strings don’t have the best sound quality (especially compared to the Gokujo string), but they’re still very good and the color balances the rest!
Includes one Ichi no Ito, a pack of two Ni no Ito and a pack of five San no Ito.
String Gauges: 28-1 / 15-2 / 14-3
$30 USD
Tsugaru Ito Set Pack (Fujiito) ふじ糸津軽糸セットパック (IT-TS)
This is the Fujiito brand of ito. They are the most common brand of string for shamisen. It’s considered to be average quality for ‘practice use’, but I use them for performance and nobody notices the difference!
Includes one Ichi no Ito (2X), a pack of two Ni no Ito and a pack of five San no Ito.
String Gauges: 29-1 / 15-2 / 14-3
$46 USD
Tsugaru Ito Set Pack (Gokujo) 極上 三津軽糸セットパック (IT-TS-GJ)
This is the Gokujo ito. They are the considered to be the highest quality string for shamisen, and ideal for stage use.
Includes one Ichi no Ito, a pack of two Ni no Ito and a pack of five San no Ito.
String Gauges: 30-1 / 15-2 / 14-3
Why is this set cheaper than the “Tsugaru Ito Set Pack (Fujiito)”? It’s because the Fujiito set includes a double length (2X) ichi no ito. The double length ichi no ito is higher quality than the single length of the Fujiito. The Gokujo string is single length, and so the price comes out relatively cheaper. Personally, while I am perfectly happy using the average quality Fujiito, I do notice a difference in sound quality. The Gokujo ito has a more delicate and richer tone than the Fujiito ito.
$30 USD
Tsugaru Ito Set (Fujiito) ふじ糸津軽糸セット (IT-TS-S)
This is the Fujiito ito. They are the most common string used for shamisen. It’s considered to be average quality for ‘practice use’, but I use them for performance and nobody notices the difference!
Includes one Ichi no Ito, one Ni no Ito and one San no Ito.
String Gauges: 29-1 / 15-2 / 14-3
$14 USD
Ito Set (Nagauta) 長唄 糸セット (IT-NS)
Inludes one Ichi no Ito, one Ni no Ito and one San no Ito.
$24 USD
Ichi no Ito (Fujiito) ふじ糸 一の糸 (IT-1)
Fujiito – Regular Grade
The thickest string. Material – Silk.
Available in sizes for both Tsugaru and Nagauta styles.
Special Note for Tsugaru
The feel of this string is harder.
This string is recommended if a hard bass and overall forceful tone is desired.
$10 USD
Ichi no Ito 2X (Fujiito) ふじ糸丸三 一の糸 (IT-1F)
Fujiito brand – Regular Grade
This Ichi no Ito is double length, so you have enough string for two shamisen.
You might be wondering why this double-length string costs over three times as much as a single-length “Ichi no Ito (Silk)” string above. Excellent question! Compared to the single-length, the feel of this silk string is softer and higher quality. It is recommended if you want the bass tone to have more delicate resonance with richer harmonics.
For Tsugaru style.
Gauge: 30.
$33 USD
Ni no Ito (Fujiito) 丸三テトロン 二の糸 (IT-2T)
Fujiito – Regular Grade
The middle string.
Material for Tsugaru style – Tetoron
Material for Nagauta style – Silk
Sold as a pack of two strings. (Note: The outdated picture was taken when three strings used to be included)
$7 USD
San no Ito (Fujiito) 丸三ナイロン 三の糸 (IT-3N)
Fujiito – Regular Grade
The thinnest string. Material – Nylon.
Sold as a pack of five strings.
$7 USD
Ichi no Ito (Gintsuki) 銀付 一の糸 (IT-1)
Gintsuki – High Grade
The thickest string. Material – Silk.
For Tsugaru style.
Gauge: 30
$12 USD
Ni no Ito (Gintsuki) 銀付 二の糸 (IT-2)
Gintsuki – High Grade
The middle string.
Material – Silk
Gauge – 15
For Nagauta, Jiuta, and Tsugaru styles.
Sold as a pack of two strings.
$9 USD
San no Ito (Gintsuki) 銀付 三の糸 (IT-3)
Gintsuki – High Grade
The thinnest string.
Material – Silk
Gauge – 14
For Nagauta, Jiuta, and Tsugaru styles. (Note: Silk San no Ito generally aren’t preferred for aggressive tsugaru style, as the thin silk breaks faster than nylon)
Sold as a pack of five strings.
$9 USD
Ichi no Ito (Gokujo) 極上 一の糸 (IT-1)
Gokujo – Best Grade
The thickest string. Material – Silk.
For Tsugaru style.
Gauge: 30
Special Note for Tsugaru
The feel of this string is supple.
This string is recommended if a delicate tone is desired. (A delicate tone can be a great balance for aggressive tsugaru style)
$14 USD
Ni no Ito (Gokujo) 極上 二の糸 (IT-2)
Gokujo – Best Grade
The middle string.
Material – Silk
Gauge – 15
For Nagauta, Jiuta, and Tsugaru styles.
Sold as a pack of two strings.
$10 USD
San no Ito (Gokujo) 極上 三の糸 (IT-3)
Gokujo – Best Grade
The thinnest string.
Material – Silk
Gauge – 14
For Nagauta, Jiuta, and Tsugaru styles. (Note: Silk San no Ito generally aren’t preferred for aggressive tsugaru style, as the thin silk breaks faster than nylon)
Sold as a pack of five strings.
$12 USD
Import Tax
Please be aware that Bachido is NOT responsible for covering import tax, and must be covered by the customer. Because import tax varies depending on the country, please check your country's import tax and make sure you will be able to cover the cost of the tax as well as the items you are purchasing from Bachido.Return Policy
There is a 90 day return policy (which starts on the first day of shipment) for the rose Shamisen. All returns are subject to a 15% restocking fee, and shipping costs must be covered by the customer.We stand behind the quality of our shamisen with the highest standards. The rose Shamisen is made by the best maker in Japan and skinned with the highest quality skin in Japan. Thus, we will not accept "lack of quality" as a reason for return. Please be certain that you are ready to invest in the rose Shamisen before purchasing.
The rose Shamisen must be returned in new condition. Any signs of wear or damage to the instrument, whether from use or during shipping, will void the warranty. If this is the case, we will provide evidence of the fault, and the refund will not be given. If this is the case, the customer must cover shipping costs to have it sent back to his/her address.
We apologize for the strictness of the policy. The shamisen is a fragile instrument, and there's always risk of damage during shipping, which is why we wish to keep returns to a minimum.
Damages
The rose Shamisen is fully insured from initial shipment to until final delivery. If the rose Shamisen is damaged upon arrival, please proceed with the following instructions to receive compensation/replacement.
1. Contact us within 48 hours of receipt notifying us of the damage.
2. Send us at least three photos: one photo of the full product, a close-up (or several) of the damage, and a photo of the package.
3. We may ask you to fill a “damage claims form” at your local post office for reimbursement purposes.
4. In most circumstances, we will pay shipping costs for your replacement. In special cases, we may ask that you pay shipping costs.
Skin Replacement
The skin of the rose Shamisen is guaranteed up to 6 months (starting from initial shipment). We will only request shipping costs to be covered by the customer. If the skin ruptures before then, please proceed with the following instructions to receive skin replacement.
1. Contact us within 48 hours of receipt notifying us of the ruptured skin.
2. Send us at least two photos: one photo of the full dou (body), and a close-up (or several) of the tear in the skin.
3. When we confirm the your rose Shamisen is covered for skin replacement, we will tell you the address of where to send the rose Shamisen dou (body) for skin replacement, and will request a specified payment to cover costs of return shipping.
4. Please watch this video to learn how to remove the dou (body) from the rose Shamisen Watch how to remove the dou.
5. When the dou is separated from the shamisen, please pack it tightly in a box, filled with lots of protective packaging to prevent potential damage to the dou during shipping.
6. Send it to the address we provide. Once it arrives, it will be reskinned as soon as possible, and then sent back to your address.
To ensure longevity of the skin:
Keep your shamisen inside, in a cool, dry environment. Extreme heat (inside a hot car, for example) or cold stresses the skin.Remove the koma from the shamisen after every practice session. The koma puts pressure on the skin. When the shamisen is not in use, removing the koma will increase the lifespan of the skin.
Play your shamisen often! The more you play, the better your shamisen will sound! Just like how doing yoga keeps your body flexible and limber, playing the shamisen often will keep the skin vibrating. Vibrating the skin keeps it supple and responsive. On the other hand, when the shamisen isn't played often, the skin will get brittle, and thus prone to breaking sooner.