Description
This instrument has been professionally restored and finetuned by Monty Levenson. One crack stabilised with inlaid rattan. Plays so easily across all octaves, has a good weight to it, and projects well. Perfect curvature and node alignment, has a silver joint and tozan utaguchi. Comes with black leather utaguchi cap.
Physical Description
This is a vintage jiari shakuhachi that has been restored and repaired by Monty Levenson, with a black lacquer on the inside of the bore.
This instrument is made from a very high quality piece of madaké bamboo. It doesn’t have much curvature at the root end, nor much variegation in the color of the bamboo, but the patina of the bamboo testifies to its vintage status. it is well-proportioned with good fushi placement and node-to-finger hole balance. It conforms quite closely to the traditional aesthetic for shakuhachi defining the relationship between nodes and finger holes and with regards to the curvature this shakuhachi has been shaped to perfection. It has a lightly mottled root end.
This shakuhachi has finely-crafted decorative rings made of sterling silver at the nakatsugi joint. It has overall good root structure, but a few of the rootlets are broken, however those are only noticed if looking for them at the back of the instrument and it remains aesthetically pleasing throughout. It has a crack on the left side of the instrument between the nakatsugi ring and the thumb hole. This crack was stabilised and never reached the bore, and another inlaid rattan binding has been added by Monty Levenson just above the next fushi (node) as a preventative measure ensure the crack doesn’t expand any further in the future.
Monty has added his own hanko stamp to testify to the
It feels very solid in the hand and a pleasure to hold and play.
A black leather utaguchi cover is included, and the shakuhachi will be wrapped in thick polyester bag for moisture control.
If you would like a cloth (cotton) bag for the shakuhachi, please get in touch for details on what is currently available.
Sound
This instrument is a serious instrument which plays at a professional standard. It is impeccably tuned across both octaves, with powerful resonances in the Otsu register. The otsu-no-ro can blast like a trumpet, and it has a sharp, rich, full-bodied sound throughout. The kan register is gorgeous to listen to and it makes dai-kan notes sound clean and effortless.
This vintage instrument has been expertly restored by Monty Levenson (Tai Hei shakuhachi – 空節) who has added his own hanko next to the original to mark the high level of standard of the work he did on this shakuhachi. It plays like a strong, modern jiari and does everything you would want a shakuhachi to do and more.
It is very responsive, extrovert, keen to impress – a great upgrade for someone taking their next step up in the shakuhachi journey or for someone looking a change of character and a stage-ready instrument.
Recordings
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