 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||
| Moderated by: Tony Provencher, Richard Hefner |
|
||||||||||||||
| Erhu Buying Guide | Rate Topic |
| Author | Post |
|---|
| Posted: Wed Aug 26th, 2009 03:29 pm |
|
1st Post |
|
otaker Approved
|
Greetings Was thinking about buying a Erhu, yet i'm not sure how a quality erhu shows against an overpriced one. What factors do you need to look at? -Warranty -If the python skin is authentic -Tuning? -Type of String ( Silk/Horsehair/Metal)? Friendly Greetings & Thanks otaker (side question: what's the difference between erhu/bass erhu/gahou/gehu/dahu/zhonghu?) Last edited on Wed Aug 26th, 2009 03:30 pm by otaker |
||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
| Posted: Wed Aug 26th, 2009 04:35 pm |
|
2nd Post |
|
davidmdahl Approved
|
Welcome to the forum, otaker. >>Was thinking about buying a Erhu, yet i'm not sure how a quality erhu shows >>against an overpriced one. If you are buying sight-unseen, the critical point is the retailer. If you cannot make your own choice in person, you are counting on the retailer to make the choice. There are certain characteristics to watch for, including wood, snake skin, and name of maker, but in the end the playing and sound qualities are really hard to gauge without playing the erhu yourself. When I look at photos of erhus, I look for the typical woods used, in particular sandalwood and rosewood. There are some other cheaper woods used that might result in a good instrument, but are often a sign that other compromises have been made. I would be very careful of highly decorated instruments, since they may be more ornamental than functional. My best instruments are relatively unadorned, yet elegant and obviously well-made. The snake skin of a good sounding erhu has fairly large scales, and certain coloring. Probably more important though is the thickness of the skin. This is impossible to tell from a photo. Usually I can't tell if a erhu will sound good from a photo, but there are things that make me suspect it will sound bad, as if the skin is obviously from a less premium part of the snake. The photo will not indicate if a good section has been abused or improperly treated. >>What factors do you need to look at? >>-Warranty Certainly it is a good sign if the retailer will stand behind the deal. On the practical side, the shipping cost to and from Asia will often make returns uneconomical, especially on a student instrument. It is much better to find a knowledgeable retailer that you can trust to make an appropriate selection and ship it properly. >>-If the python skin is authentic I have never noticed an issue of authenticity regarding the snake skin. The retailer should be able to provide a CITES certificate for an extra charge. This document supposedly certifies that the snake skin was from a farmed snake rather than one taken in the wild. I always ask for a CITES cert to make sure that there will not be complications with US Customs. >>-Tuning? If you mean the choice between wood pegs and brass tuners, the brass is more typical of beginner's instruments. All the good erhus I have played had pegs. >>-Type of String ( Silk/Horsehair/Metal)? As far as I know, metal erhu strings are pretty much univerally used. Several years ago I saw a silk string on a dahu, but I have never even seen a source for silk strings. Horse hair is used for the bow, not the strings. >>(side question: what's the difference between erhu/bass >>erhu/gahou/gehu/dahu/zhonghu?) Check out the Wikipedia articles on these instruments. Best wishes, David
|
|||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||
| Posted: Thu Aug 27th, 2009 08:18 am |
|
3rd Post |
|
otaker Approved
|
>>-If you are buying sight-unseen, the critical point is the retailer. If you cannot make your own choice in person, you are counting on the retailer to make the choice. There are certain characteristics to watch for, including wood, snake skin, and name of maker, but in the end the playing and sound qualities are really hard to gauge without playing the erhu yourself. I've found an "World-Music-Instrument"-Store near me so i can on-sight see the Instrument. The Problem would be that i've never played an Erhu myself. >>-The snake skin of a good sounding erhu has fairly large scales, and certain coloring. Probably more important though is the thickness of the skin. This is impossible to tell from a photo. Usually I can't tell if a erhu will sound good from a photo, but there are things that make me suspect it will sound bad, as if the skin is obviously from a less premium part of the snake. Any chance to get an example of a suspect thing? Thanks alot for the quick and helpful response! Greetings otaker
|
||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
| Posted: Thu Aug 27th, 2009 05:02 pm |
|
4th Post |
|
davidmdahl Approved
|
If you are not experienced enough to pick out a good erhu in person, you are dependent on the retailer's experience, good judgement, and honesty. Most of the erhus I have found in stores in the USA (San Francisco) were not very good, or overpriced. My erhu teacher used to refer his students to a supplier in San Francisco, but the quality of the instruments shipped have deteriorated in recent years. Now he is more likely to recommend that they order from Eason in Singapore. As with all sorts of purchases, the more you know the more likely you will make a good buy. Whenever possible, try to bring along someone more experienced to help you choose, such as a erhu player or teacher. It is very hard to adequately explain what to look for in a good or bad erhu. However, you can identify slipshod craftsmanship. Small scales on the skin is typical of a cheaper instrument. A very thin or very thick skin is not going to sound good. I have played on erhus that appeared to have excellent craftsmanship and a beautiful skin, yet played like a dog. You have to play an erhu to know for sure if it is good or not. Another complication is that a new erhu will change over time. An harsh-sounding erhu may have a relatively tight skin that loosens over time just right as it gets played, and ultimately sound terrific. Another erhu may sound okay at first and not really get any better. Practically speaking though, a beginner does not need a first-class erhu that plays superbly in all positions. For a good while, you will be playing primarily in the first two or three positions. If you can find an erhu that is adequately responsive, and will play with good sound in the first two octaves, that should be enough for a year or two. When some playing experience, you will be better equipped to choose an upgrade when the time is right. Best wishes, David
|
|||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||
| Posted: Fri Aug 28th, 2009 01:19 pm |
|
5th Post |
|
tansungwah Approved 
|
Hi otaker You can consider our range of erhus here: http://www.eason.com.sg/products/products_erhu.jsp If you're still afraid you might get a lemon, you can request for a short video clip of the exact erhu that we are sending. You can then place the order when you're comfortable with with what you hear. Thanks! SW
____________________ Online Store: Erhu Pipa Guzheng Liuqin Ruan Sanxian Yangqin Hulusi Dizi Suona Xiao Chinese Music Instruments Blog Follow me on Twitter! |
||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
| Posted: Sat Aug 29th, 2009 04:21 am |
|
6th Post |
|
ychent Approved 
|
Hi Otaker, Having purchased few erhus online now, I'd like to share with you my experience. - Avoid ebay: most of the erhu there are sold by dubious sellers and are more ornaments than instruments. - Eason: fantastic and reputable erhu shop online. I have bought a number of erhu related items from him, and the experience has always been pleasant and flexible. If you are considering buying online, I would definitely recommend Eason. - Cadenza creative: absolutely NOT RECOMMENDED. From the website it would seem that they have great instruments for good price, but the shop is temperamental and seller irresponsible. See the link below to find out more. http://www.ezfolk.com/forums/view_topic.php?id=6792&forum_id=50&highlight=cadenza - Other erhu stores from China: there are many great Chinese erhu shops that are slowly making their online presence felt. I have had great experiences buying from two different such shops. If you are willing to be patient and work with them, you have the chance to obtain an instrument hand-crafted to order by master erhu makers. However, you probably should ask yourself what is your budget and how much instrument you need. A beginner's a reasonable erhu to start with, while a better erhu would be easier to play and have the wonderful sound that makes playing enjoyable. But this is all up to you.
|
|||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||
| Posted: Sat Aug 29th, 2009 04:32 pm |
|
7th Post |
|
Clyde Approved 
|
otaker Don't even try to understand or to learn how to pick one out, well at least not yet. It is important that you learn about them but not at this time, rely on Sung Wah to pick one out he is the professional here I personally believe there is no one else more qualified when is comes to Chinese instruments. If you truly want to learn and don't want to get a lesser instrument for the money you spend rely on a professional to do it for you. be wise As an instuctor I have seen so many disapointed students who have an lesser quality instrument and it also makes things difficult for me to teach them God Bless Last edited on Sat Aug 29th, 2009 04:38 pm by Clyde |
||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
| Posted: Wed Sep 2nd, 2009 04:02 pm |
|
8th Post |
|
otaker Approved
|
davidmdahl wrote:
Thanks all for the great tips annd support! I managed to find a Professional Erhu teacher (after a long search and many calls) on the other side of the country and i'll be attaining a trial lession next week. Should be able to go from there. greetings otaker Last edited on Wed Sep 2nd, 2009 04:03 pm by otaker |
|||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||
| Current time is 10:54 pm | |
| ezFolk Forums > Other Instruments > Erhu > Erhu Buying Guide | Top |
