Just got your book. Bought a big hunk of padouk, but I'm wondering now that you have made several if you have another wood you like better. Also, what skins are you using these days? Thanks
Excellent! That's a good question. Padauk is a very nice wood to start out with, very easy to work with but still hard enough. Recently, I fallen in love with Cocobolo, but that's a bit harder to work with. Mainly, it's hard to get wood thick enough for a whole sao so two need to be glued together, and that oily wood requires a special epoxy (Smith's Oak & Teak Epoxy) to glue it. That being said, because it's so oily, the shine is incredible when polished. I'd still heartily recommend starting with Padauk though. :-) I've been using my synthetic skin (Hibiki) for builds recently, although goat skins still work great! Have fun, and please let me know how it goes!
3:35 i mean it’s not the belt sander’s fault, you dont need the file for that, you can use the belt sander, just dont be so heavy handed lol. With just a grinding disk I can grind down or smoothen metal and welds very accurately without messing up the base metal. Just comes down to your level of competence
I used Sapele, Snakewood, and Makore. For step-by-step instruction, my book Shamisen of Japan can be very useful. :) - bachido.com/store/shamisen-of-japan
Got your book just started building ,fingers crossed
12:25 Those remind me of ice cream machine handles.
Just got your book. Bought a big hunk of padouk, but I'm wondering now that you have made several if you have another wood you like better. Also, what skins are you using these days? Thanks
Excellent! That's a good question. Padauk is a very nice wood to start out with, very easy to work with but still hard enough. Recently, I fallen in love with Cocobolo, but that's a bit harder to work with. Mainly, it's hard to get wood thick enough for a whole sao so two need to be glued together, and that oily wood requires a special epoxy (Smith's Oak & Teak Epoxy) to glue it. That being said, because it's so oily, the shine is incredible when polished. I'd still heartily recommend starting with Padauk though. :-)
I've been using my synthetic skin (Hibiki) for builds recently, although goat skins still work great!
Have fun, and please let me know how it goes!
3:35 i mean it’s not the belt sander’s fault, you dont need the file for that, you can use the belt sander, just dont be so heavy handed lol. With just a grinding disk I can grind down or smoothen metal and welds very accurately without messing up the base metal. Just comes down to your level of competence
Can you bulid the kokyu
That wood looks meh before staining, but looks like a tiger after staining
and the play??
Hello Kayle! Nice job, where did you get the blueprints for the shamisen?
Thank you! I made them myself many years ago. They're all available in my book, Shamisen of Japan. :)
@@TsugaruShamisen thanks Kayle!
I am watching the video and I wonder if you would list the materials you used please? What kind of wood and other material
I used Sapele, Snakewood, and Makore. For step-by-step instruction, my book Shamisen of Japan can be very useful. :) - bachido.com/store/shamisen-of-japan
Wow thanks. I will order your book later this week and start looking for the material.
What is it wood variety? Alder, Birch?
We used Sapele.
@@TsugaruShamisen could I use the Mahogany?
@@uldymuldy Absolutely! :)
What is the tool he uses at 9:47 called?
That is a tapered reamer. :)
@@TsugaruShamisen thank you for replying back so quickly!