This is a wonderfully responsive flute with excellent pitch and tuning.
I have been using it primarily for sankyoku, shinkyoku, and Western pieces
where those characteristics make it possible for me to play pieces
that would be just outside my reach on a lesser flute.
It is quote easy to control the characteristics of notes with this
shakuhachi. One can move smoothly from that typical edgy shakuhachi sound
to a rounder, softer-edged sound (sasabuki). The instrument is also
particularly suited for honkyoku or dokyoku pieces that
call for fast fingering or demand switching between octaves.
This is an aesthetically outstanding shakuhachi, with nine-fushi (five rings
at the root end), and made on the front of the bamboo. It was probably made
sometime in the Taisho (1910 to 1926) era. As I understand it, Sato
Gesshu lived from 1888 to 1934.
When this flute came out of Japan a few years ago, the utaguchi was badly
chipped, and it looked all but unplayed. Given the limited use it showed,
the mouthpiece was probably damaged early in the flute's life, and then
it was put away for 60 or more years. After it was brought out of hiding
the utaguchi was replace by Muira Ryuho.
After the flute had been in the US for about a year it developed two faint,
surface hairline cracks: one down the back at the thumbhole, and a
second on the right side, across the fushi just below the joint.
The shakuhachi was sent back to Muira, who repaired it by putting
one sterling silver butterfly above the thumbhole (to preserve the
top hanko) and binding it in six places (see the photos). Muira
did an exceptional job on the repairs. The bindings are perfectly
flush with the surface of the bamboo. I've never seen work this
fine.
The urushi has now been on the instrument for more than two years at
the mouthpiece (black) and more than a year on the wrappings (clear).
I'm fairly sensitive to urushi but have not developed any rash, despite
playing this instrument for hours at a time (YMMV).
