Making a Wooden Shamisen

[kingdavidtaidawei]

whats the lenght of the neck? is the tune inline at the num 4 and 5 for tuning?

[Hikikomori013]

@kingdavidtaidawei This has been long since replaced by much better instruments so I can't give you any good numbers.

Check out fiddlefella's channel. He wrote a book on how to make a shamisen, and you should be able to get all the measurements you need form it. It's well worth the price.

[taberu999]

the sound is relly crepy

[Hikikomori013]

@taberu999

Definitely. I left it up as a historical reference in case any of my friends want to know how I got started, but I had no idea how to play an instrument.

I got better since then.

[100FATGORONS]

I like your shamisen i would like to know if you engraved the inside im making sure not because i want to be lazy i just need to know if the vibrations will work out in the end

[Hikikomori013]

@100FATGORONS It's just eighth inch plywood, so nothing is really engraved.

It's a difficult and time consuming way to make a poor instrument, so when I had more experience I made a replacement with heavier block joined at the corners. I always recommend getting Fiddlefella's book on building a shamisen. You have that, don't you?

[100FATGORONS]

@Hikikomori013 im just making sure because i want to see whether it makes a huge difference with the sound , so far yours sounds very Good, oh by the way love your shamisen wood (skin) design very unique! did you draw the design? :P

[Hikikomori013]

@100FATGORONS That's the design that was on the plywood when I cut it. It's interior wall paneling.

[Hikikomori013]

I notice someone clicked on the dislike button.

I can't help but agree.

[GasSnake2003]

Couldn't you make the box out of four large pieces of wood, angled so they fit into a square, instead of all those little pieces that you used?

[Hikikomori013]

@GasSnake2003 In fact, that's how I made the replacement. This was my first try at making a stringed instrument, using this plywood. The framework was needed to shape and support the thin skin. I'm using much better wood these days.

Did you see fiddlefella's book on how to make a shamisen? Lots of great stuff in it.

[Max0Inq]

Really good work, but it doesn't sound nothing like shamisen! If you cover both back and front with skin (or even plastic foil used to cover books - it's quite durable) the sound would be much closer to the original shamisen.

I must admit pegbox looks awesome and impressive.

[Hikikomori013]

I tend to agree. It was originally tuned much too low, and the twine strings weren't really suitable. It sounds much better today.

This one is a bit of a dead end. I'm on a bit of a woodworking tear (using real wood now rather than scrap lumber and plywood) so a much better shamisen might happen before I'm done. I'm looking into mylar sheets or used drum heads.

[Max0Inq]

Or just buy leather pants and cut enough of them to cover shamisen's body. I tried this on coconut drum (chceck video on my channel) and it worked. But! It must be raw leather (I don't know how to say it better, really) not shiny one bringing you memories of the 80's.

[sofabike]

Claude *****

please make more music :)))

I will use it (muzik) for my future videos]

nik

[Hikikomori013]

I'm working on learning how to make music. It'll be a while before I have anything worth hearing, though.

[shamisendemon]

Great job Hikikomori013! And thanks for watching our videos so much. I always wanted to say thanks for all your comments. Certainly is appreciated!

Hopefully we can meet someday and play music together!

Thanks again and good luck with your new instrument! looks amazing!,

Kevin

[mikepenny01]

Masahiro Nitta, when in a bind, sometimes uses fishing wire for strings! Nice job!

[Hikikomori013]

Thanks. I saw a tin can banjo that used fishing line from 30 to 50 pounds. I decided to go with 25, 40 and 60.

I also need a reamer and peg turner. The pegs refuse to stay in place, so I'll be cleaning that up.

[shamisendemon]

I dont think its always in a bind. I am pretty sure he does that sometimes just for a different sound etc.

[imo2007]

your asian lute is a very precise design,

and the sound of healing comes out.

It looks like a genuine Asian folkcraft.

[Hikikomori013]

Thank you. Your 200 yen sanshin was a great inspiration to my while I worked on my lute.

[Hikikomori013]

I finished a second instrument, closer to sanshin size. With your videos and the kunkunshi from SimpleSanshin's site I'm making slow progress on Waido Bushi.

[fiddlefella]

*Whistle* Nice work!!

I love the sound of it. (and the look of it) It has a very warm tone. It would sound accompany throat singing very well I would think.

Congrats! :-)

[Hikikomori013]

Thanks. Now I need to learn to play it.

Next I'm thinking about a mandolin for my dad. When I get your book I'm planning on a metal faced shamisen, like a kankara sanshin with better construction. I hope to get a good ringing tone like the real thing. I kind of miss the way my banjo sounded, even if I never could learn to play it.