InstrumentLIBRARY
A dark red 3D-printed shamisen with a white body face, standing against a tree
Photo: Dusanius via Printables, CC BY-NC-SA. Resized and converted to WebP.
Folk & world · Shamisen

Shamisen

A full-size, playable Japanese shamisen modelled on the designer's own instrument

Designed by Dusanius, published on Printables

CC BY-NC-SA No commercial use Build info 4/5

Licence verified on Printables, 21 October 2026.

Get the files on Printables ↗
Size
Full size (1:1), modelled on the designer's own shamisen
Strings
3
Print
PLA, 25% infill, 7 perimeters; pegs at 100%
Hardware
6 mm threaded rod, nut, wing nut and washer
On Printables
375 likes · 1,088 downloads · 5 makes · 72 comments (as of 21 Oct 2026)

About the Shamisen

A three-string Japanese shamisen at full size. The designer, Dusanius, modelled it on their own shamisen and calls it fully playable. The parts snap together with a little glue. A hole runs down the neck for a 6 mm threaded rod, which you tighten with a wing nut to take the pull of the strings. That's the one bit of real hardware it needs.

Don't glue the back on permanently: you need to get at the rod to adjust it. If you only want it as a decoration, you can leave the rod out. The designer printed it in PLA with 25% infill and 7 perimeters and says it feels very solid, almost like wood. For a body that looks as if it has a real skin, change filament colour at layer 45 and again 40 layers from the top.

Sound. The designer posted a short sound demo (linked below) and says they're not a good player, so judge the instrument rather than the playing. Five people have posted makes on Printables. The page also links a video on tying the shamisen's string knot, shamisen tablature, and an alternative set of printed pegs (itomaki) by another designer.

What you'll need

Printed parts

  • Body, neck and the other snap-together parts
  • Pegs (itomaki), printed at 100% infill
  • The Printables page doesn't list every file; check the download

Bought parts

  • A 6 mm threaded rod, a nut, a wing nut and a washer (to take the string tension)
  • Shamisen strings
  • Glue

Tools

  • A 3D printer
  • Bed size isn't stated; check the largest part in your slicer

Build overview

Our own outline of the designer's notes. See the full description on the Printables page.

  1. Print. PLA, 0.20 mm layers, 25% infill and 7 perimeters; pegs at 100% infill. For the 'skin' look, change colour at layer 45 and again 40 layers from the top of the body.
  2. Snap it together. Fit the parts together with a little glue, but don't glue the back on permanently.
  3. Fit the rod. Run the 6 mm threaded rod through the hole in the neck and fit the nut, washer and wing nut.
  4. String and tune. Tie the strings on (the linked video shows the knot), tighten the rod to take the tension, then tune and play.

Print settings

  • Material: PLA
  • Layer height: 0.20 mm
  • Infill: 25% (pegs 100%)
  • Walls: 7 perimeters
  • Colour change: Layer 45, and 40 layers from the top of the body

Video

Sound demo (Vocaroo audio) the designer playing their print

How To Tie a Shamisen Neo (YouTube) Kyle Abbott; linked by the designer for the string knot, not this design

Photos

  • The pegbox and printed pegs
  • The shamisen lying on grass
  • The printed body face and string holder

All photos: Dusanius, from the design page on Printables, licensed CC BY-NC-SA. We resized them and converted them to WebP. These adapted versions are shared under the same licence.

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