My two yen on the issue:
Ebay: I check fairly regularly just on the off chance there's either something good, or an old
flute that is by a known maker. In three years, I've seen one good newer flute, none of the
latter, and a lot of old flutes that don't look like they play very well at all. As for cheaper
root-end flutes, usually of the ji-nashi type, I doubt they can produce the rich tone
characteristic of the shakuhachi, and while nothing prevents them from being in tune per se, my
(albeit limited) experience with such instruments is that the level of craftsmanship all around is
not sufficient for serious study of shakuhachi music, including some honkyoku (especially
Dokyoku). But if your interest is in suizen, then any flute's fine, but you could also make one
yourself, or get a 14-year-old boy to grab a laundry pole and do it for you.
Wood: I agree with Tots that they're not the best; the sound is heavy, like the material, and when
you move over to bamboo there's a big difference in the feel. But they're very practical, and
cheap.The ones of Peter Ross's I've tried were excellent, but the ones from Japan vary greatly in
quality. Mr. Kurahashi told me that they make 500 with each set of blades, and that the last 100
or so aren't so good. He showed me one he had that played badly, and under the steel ring at the
joint, which had come loose, he showed me the number: 467 or something close. Later, I found one
cheap in an antique shop that sounded great, bought it, and pulled the ring off; it was numbered
around 50.
Pressed bamboo: actually a good choice, as they're 100% bamboo, and play pretty well. However,
I've seen the same variation in these as with wood ones--I've only tried about five of them, but
they varied greatly. Unfortunately, most shops in Japan won't let you try before you buy (after
all, you're only spending $300-500 dollars ;-)).
Cast-bore: a good choice if you want the basic sound qualities of "real" shakuhachi--powerful
Ro's, good tuning and balance, etc--for less than the price of a traditional flute. The only
drawbacks are a lack of complexity in the tone color (the cause of which has been the source of
much discussion, on this list and elsewhere), and that they tend to be easier to produce a good
and loud sound on. I have no idea why that is, but having tried many of them I've found that to be
the case. My first 1.8 was new, raw, and screechy, as was I, and I nearly threw it at the wall of
my apartment a thousand times during the three years I played it (I'm sure it felt the same about
me, only moreso). But I think that helped me improve in a way that a loud, brassy flute wouldn't
have. Monty's student models would be the best value, though Ken Lacosse and Tom Deaver also have
cast-bore flutes; however I think they cost around $500-700.
Old shakuhachi: cheap ones are available, but caveat emptor; you always get what you pay for. Even
expensive flutes have their weak points which are not always apparent at first. On the other hand,
some old instruments don't sound good until they're warmed up (I think I have been guilty in the
past of passing judgement on instruments too quickly, though I know of one teacher who insists he
can judge any flute instantly). In any case, it's best to let an advanced player (a disinterested
one) choose one of those.
Good uck,
Peter H
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