Hi All, this guide is meant to help you decipher an eBay auction for used Japanese shakuhachi flutes. I repair a lot of shakuhachi originally purchased on eBay from uninformed buyers. These were sold form "antique" dealers in Japan.  Nearly all of them know very little about the flute and can not tell you what condition the instrument is in. Here are photos of the most common repairs so you know what to look for if you are interested in purchasing from a Japanese seller.

When you see this on the top blowing edge. It means the utaguchi inlay is missing. The flute may work but not easily.



Here is the repair. I inserted the traditional Water Buffalo horn inlay and made the necessary adjustments so that it will operated at it's maximum facility for technical playing



Another common repair are cracks, I bind them with topical nylon cord.



Or inlay rattan bindings as shown in the photo above.




Very often, old flute have bug holes. This can cause air leakage rendering the flute unplayable.




I plugged the holes and coated the bore to seal the leaks.

All the flutes pictured were won on ebay and sent to me for repair. Perhaps I should have titled this guide, "How to Spot a Damaged Shakuhachi". Please know that I am not waving a finger at these sellers. They are selling "antiques".  And, some of these flutes may turn out to be fine flutes after the repairs. It is up to the consumer to become educated. I am available to help if you want my opinion on an auction, just ask. I have helped people purchase fine flutes at a great price. My intention is to help the world at large discover the wonderful world of the shakuhachi.

I am a government supported artist through grants from The Japan-US Friendship Commission, National Endowment of the arts, New York State Foundation for the Arts, International House of Tokyo and others. My mission is to spread the shakuhachi with clarity and integrity. Please feel free to ask any questions anytime. You may be able to find a great shakuhachi on eBay, but please take a moment to do some basic research at the ShakuhachI Forum - http://www.shakuhachiforum.com

Education is empowerment.

Namaste, Perry