How to choose guzheng for bigenner?

Many beginners who are learning Guzheng don’t know what kind of Guzheng to buy or how to choose one. For beginners, buying a Guzheng can be a big problem because they don’t know much about Guzheng. They don’t know which brand or model is suitable for them, where to buy it, and how to distinguish between high-quality and low-quality or fake Guzhengs. In this article, we will discuss how beginners can choose high-quality Guzhengs.

  1. What to Look for in a Guzheng
  • Appearance: High-quality Guzhengs are made with strong and delicate craftsmanship, with each part being securely bonded with special glue. The paint is smooth, odorless, and polished with multiple layers. The details of the appearance are also handled well and will not appear rough.
  • Soundboard/bridges/strings: These components determine the quality of the Guzheng’s sound, with the soundboard being the most crucial. The soundboard is made of second-grade Paulownia wood from LanKao, Henan. The texture of the soundboard should be smooth and dense, except for the scoop-out area. The bridges are usually made of rosewood and require delicate craftsmanship to ensure they fully connect with the soundboard. The strings are made of nylon and steel wire, and different brands have different softness/hardness levels, affecting the playing experience.
  • Material: Guzheng material refers to the decorative wood used for the head and tail of the Guzheng (often rare wood). The material has almost no impact on the sound quality and is purely for decoration. Beginners do not need to worry about the material.
  • Sound: It is said that you should listen to the sound when choosing a Guzheng, but it’s not easy for beginners to distinguish between good and bad sound. However, you can slide your finger from the low to high pitch range and listen to see if the transitions are smooth, then pluck various strings in each pitch range to test the sound quality. This can help eliminate some low-quality Guzhengs.
  1. Recommended Brands and Models

We strongly recommend choosing a well-known brand for your Guzheng, as they have better quality and service. They also use safer and healthier paint than small workshops. Even with the same material, the sound quality of a Guzheng can vary significantly depending on the craftsmanship and experience. Here are some recommended brands and models:

  • Dunhuang Guzheng: Known for their clear and bright sound and excellent performance in modern compositions. Suitable for beginners with many models that have good value for money, such as the “694LC-C Lucky Cloud” and “694DQ Double Crane Sunrise.”
  • Shensheng Guzheng: Known for its versatility and moderate playing experience, making it suitable for classical and modern compositions. Recommended models include the “728HX Floral Fragrance,” “837YC Easy Lotus,” and “877XY Fragrant and Clear.”
  • Zhenghe Guzheng: Known for its exquisite material and stable quality, as well as its elegant appearance. Suitable for traditional compositions with recommended models such as “Misty Lotus Heart,” “Hua Jian Creek Language (Small Guzheng),” and “Wooden Lotus.”
  • Longfeng Guzheng: Known for their soft and delicate sound, especially suitable for traditional compositions. Recommended models include “Nanmu Nine Phoenix” and “Nanmu Plain Face.”
  1. Considerations for Choosing a Guzheng

  • Price of Guzheng – When beginners buy Guzheng, they often focus on the price, but Guzheng is a musical instrument and its cost is considerable. If the price of a well-known brand Guzheng is significantly lower than the market price, then you should be cautious, as seeking small gains may ultimately lead to losses. (Except for those “hundred-yuan magical instruments” on certain e-commerce platforms.)

    Buying channels – Beginners want to buy high-quality Guzheng at a reasonable price, but are also concerned about buying fake Guzheng. Our ability to distinguish between genuine and fake Guzheng is often insufficient, especially now that some unscrupulous vendors make fake Guzheng with very attractive appearances (some beginners prioritize appearance, which these unscrupulous vendors have long realized). Therefore, the best way to buy high-quality Guzheng is to go to a reputable and legitimate professional dealer, which can guarantee authenticity.