Uncle Ricky's Bargain Basement & Oddity Alley

Seeking a meditation or simple student flute on a low budget? Want to try a new size or style without making a major investment? Why gamble with sketchy social media sales when Uncle Ricky has your back? 

The Bargain Basement is a guaranteed no BS zone. What you see is what you get. We will never spin tall tales and try to upsell you. We stand by our descriptions -- and by our deals. We're open to negotiation because these flutes all deserve to be played.

If you're looking for a professional grade, lifetime shakuhachi -- check out our main catalogue.
Ready to buy a flute?
Have questions?
Looking for something you don't see here?

1.8 Plastique

BB15
c.2025
PVC-ryu

​Maker: Genpuu
Length: 1.8 shaku / 540mm
Pitch: D
​Price: $40

Hole diameter: 9.5mm
Bore diameter @ top: ~21mm
Bore diameter @ bottom: 20mm
​Weight: 205g
Ideal for beginners, workshops, and an indestructible travel flute. Genpuu's plastique are in modern western tuning and feature a flared utaguchi area for improved playability.

​Contact us for bulk orders.​

2.4 jimuri by Perry Yung

BB7
c.2010s
​Kinko-ryu

​Maker: Perry Yung (Chikusing - 3 hanko)
Length: 2.45 shaku / 745mm
Pitch:  A
​Price: $300 ​(SOLD)

Hole diameter: 12mm
Bore diameter @ top: 23mm
Bore diameter @ bottom: 22mm
​Weight: 555g
A special deal on a honkyoku flute with a spot-tuned bore by one of the most respected contemporary American makers.  This powerful, rich-sounding flute earned 2 hanko when it was made.

Sadly it was severely modified by an unqualified maker. Perry restored it to a strong sound and solid performance, adding a 3rd new hanko.​ Hole 5 (go no hi) is now pitched between A & A# due to the rebuild, while hole 4 is slightly sharp.

Made from beautiful, knobbly bamboo with a perfect root. Very large holes for extra volume & easy half-holing.
​

2.9 jinashi by Tekizan

BB6
c.2010s-2020
Myoan

​Maker: Tekizan (Ryuichi Oota)
Length: 2.89 shaku / 850mm
Pitch: F
​Price: $300 ​(SOLD)

Hole diameter: 10.5-11mm
Bore diameter @ top: ~30mm / 27mm (ikigaeshi)
Bore diameter @ bottom: 23mm
​Weight: 800g
A rare opportunity to try a true chokan (long tube) without breaking the bank. Tekizan is the house maker for the Osaka Myoan study group, and uses a distinctive style of elaborate rattan wrapping.

This flute has a grafted root that has been repaired (hidden by rattan) and a moved hole (partly hidden by rattan). Kan no U requires an alternate fingering.
Its sound is deep & rumbling, with the windy tone expected from Tekizan's work.

1.8 Kinko jiari

BB10
Showa era, first half of the 20th C
​Kinko-ryu

​Maker: unknown
Length: 1.8 shaku / 545mm
Pitch: D
​Price: $150

Hole diameter: 10.5-11mm
Bore diameter @ top: 21.5mm
Bore diameter @ bottom: 18mm
​Weight: 355g
A well-made historical jiari for a honkyoku player on a tight budget. Classical Kinko tone with smooth response and even volume across all notes & octaves. Slightly sharp Chi as is typical for early 20th C flutes. Hole 5 (go no hi) is  sharp and requires adjustment -- or minor retuning.​

Myoan 1.8 jinashi

BB9
Showa era, c.1940s-1950s
Myoan

​Maker: unknown
Length: 1.75 shaku / 530mm
Pitch: D
​Price: $250

Hole diameter: 10mm
Bore diameter @ top: 22.5mm
Bore diameter @ bottom: 20mm
​Weight: 270g
A fully functional Myoan flute for the student on a budget. All the essential techniques for Fuke Myoan style honkyoku work. While the tone is not mind-blowing, it has the classical hollow-bamboo sound.
​Slightly wide bore, pitched at D.

Solid bamboo with an upturned root. The utaguchi dip is shallow and the top flat, demanding focused blowing. Cracks have been stable for the last 5 years, but the top can be re-bound for a nervous buyer.​

Myoan 1.75 jinashi

BB2
Taisho era (c.1910s-1920s)
Myoan

​Maker: unknown
Length: 1.75 shaku / 530mm
Pitch: flat of D
​Price: $200

Hole diameter: 10mm
Bore diameter @ top: 21-22mm
Bore diameter @ bottom: 16mm
​Weight: 355g
A thick antique shakuhachi with a decent tone suitable for Myoan playing. All the core techniques for Fuke Myoan honkyoku work. Ro in both octaves is a bit weak due to the small root opening.
Owned by a lifetime Fuke Myoan player who used it for the rhythmic/melodic pieces in the repertoire.
It has several large cracks which don't impact playability.​

Meiji period 2.0 - Mujitsu rework

BB11
Meiji era, late 1800s
Myoan

​Maker: unknown - reworked by Ken Lacosse (Taimu/Mujitsu)
Length: 1.975 shaku / 600mm
Pitch: C
​Price: $275 (SOLD)

Hole diameter: 9mm
Bore diameter @ top: 24mm
Bore diameter @ bottom: 22.5mm
​Weight: 265g
A fascinating & unique historical flute, with an intriguing tone and rustic craftsmanship. It was made from susudake (smoked bamboo) which may have been repurposed from a domestic use. The small holes were carved using a knife.

It was musically improved by the late Ken LaCosse, and is a solid flute for meditative playing with a very unique vibe.

Wide bore 1.8 jinashi by Waraku

BB3
c.1970s
Tozan-ryu / Myoan

​Maker: Waraku
Length: 1.79 shaku / 542mm
Pitch: between C# & D
​Price: $200 ​(SOLD)

Hole diameter: 20.5mm
Bore diameter @ top: ~23mm / 21mm (ikigaeshi)
Bore diameter @ bottom: 19.5mm
​Weight: 355g
A wide bore jinashi with a beautifully formed, upturned root. Tozan inlay, but the flute is more suited for a beginning Myoan player.  Deep, hollow tone but lacking in the bright high end sounds. Like-new condition.

Hole 4 & 5 are flat due to the wide bore. Most Myoan techniques work except for the Chi-Ri/U-Ru combination, which breaks into an odd harmonic.​

Late Meiji period 1.8

BB4
Late Meiji era, c.1900
Myoan

​Maker: unknown
Length: 1.775 shaku / 540mm
Pitch: D
​Price: $200

Hole diameter: 9mm
Bore diameter @ top: 20mm
Bore diameter @ bottom: 16.5mm
​Weight: 355g
A small-holed historical flute with a sweet antique sound. It executes the core techniques for Fuke Myoan honkyoku. Ro and hole 5 are slightly flat and kan no U is a bit difficult (as is Chi-Ri/U-Ru).
​
​We'll repair the utaguchi chip and add a preventive binding at the top for free.

Maple wood 2.3

BB12
c.2020s
Myoan

​Maker: Wada Kocho/Wada Gakki ('Gold Butterfly')
Length: 2.3 shaku / 698mm
Pitch: A# / Bb
​Price: $100 ​(SOLD)

Hole diameter: 9.5-10.5mm
Bore diameter @ top: 20mm
Bore diameter @ bottom: 20mm
​Weight: 415g
This company typically makes reliable basic wood shakuhachi. This particular flute was incorrectly made and seriously out of tune. The original holes were plugged and re-drilled into Myoan-style (towari) tuning. The cork was lacquered for durability. Now it's a unique, long travel honkyoku tube.
Powerful sound and even response across all notes and octaves.

Upper section 1.8 jinashi

BB13
c.2019
Kinko-ryu

​Maker: Genpuu
Length: 1.775 shaku / 540mm
Pitch: D
​Price: $90

Hole diameter: 9mm
Bore diameter @ top: 19.5mm
Bore diameter @ bottom: 16.5mm
​Weight: 160g
A well-tuned meditation or beginner shakuhachi for a player on a very tight budget who wants a traditional bamboo tube. Proper node placement below hole 1 ensures that all 3 octaves play properly, with fushi left in the bore to provide good tone. Narrow bore, in modern tuning.
Finished with urushi lacquer, a deer antler inlay and burned decoration.

Upper section 1.8 jinashi

BB14
c.2020
Myoan

​Maker: Genpuu
Length: 1.8 shaku / 545mm
Pitch: flat of D
​Price: $75

Hole diameter: 9.5mm
Bore diameter @ top: 19.5-20mm
Bore diameter @ bottom: 17mm
​Weight: 160g
A well-balanced meditation or beginner Myoan shakuhachi for a player on a very tight budget who wants a traditional bamboo tube. Plays to the 3rd octave with fushi left in the bore to provide good tone. Myoan-style towari tuning.
Finished with urushi lacquer and a buffalo-horn inlay with a cosmetic repair.​
Ready to buy a flute?
Have questions?
Looking for something you don't see here?

1.6 Kinko jinashi

BB8
Showa era, c.1940s-1960s
​Kinko-ryu

​Maker: unknown
Length: 1.625 shaku / 490mm
Pitch: D# / Eb
​Price: $250 ​(SOLD)

Hole diameter: 10.5 - 11mm
Bore diameter @ top: 19.5 - 20mm
Bore diameter @ bottom: 17mm
​Weight: 265g
A lively little flute with an assertive sound and a rich, windy jinashi tone. Great for travelling honkyoku. 
​Large holes and a wider bore give it big volume. Period tuning with a slightly sharp Chi, and some fushi left in the bore give it a uniquely zesty old bamboo sound.

A modified utaguchi was repaired with a second inlay.​