Friday, December 16, 2011

Economic woes hit shakuhachidom

It seems that the economic slump, or maybe more rightly the idea and fear of such a thing has hit the shakuhachi world.
I've been involved in buying, playing and selling second hand shakuhachi at what I consider below-market prices for a few years.  Typically, when I put instruments up on my site and notify my mailing list members, they sell within a week or two.  Recently, I posted 8 instrument that range all the way from rustic and cheap to stunning and expensive.  Two chokan (2.7 and 3.1) sold right away as did a beautiful old quilted maple shakuhachi music stand.  The rest, though mostly of excellent quality and under priced at that, haven't budged.  Is the general world economy tightening people's purse strings or has the market just been satisfied?  My hope is the latter.
The upshot is that it keeps these amazing instruments in my hands for a longer while allowing me to enjoy their wonders. 
I wish you all a bright future and keep blowing.

3 comments:

  1. Maybe... you have two versions of your website. One, old, with all shakuhachi solds, and the other, the new. When you come since another website, he comes to the old website. It the case on the website "Hollowbamboo" for example. But your work is amazing ! Beautiful instruments and low, very low prices. It is important for people like me.

    Thank's a lot and I hope... see you soon ;-)

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  2. Alexandre, thank you for your kind words. Because of people like you, I continue.

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