dunhuang guzheng

[Bryan]

How do eu order guzheng's from the site? And where is the factory located?

ii have my eye on the panda design =D iitx so kewt n.n and after calculations iit costs S$252!!! =D

Haha 1Y is equal to O.20S$

[carol]

The factory is located in Shanghai. Which site are you talking about?
But don't get the Panda one though, it won't sound better than your Duo Crane. I think a 1993 Duo Crane worths and sounds more than a new Duo Crane or new Panda.

[Charlie Huang]

Panda? Sounds too childish to be taken seriously for me!

*gets images of cuteness*

[Vi An]

Awwwwwwwwe common he's just a kid.. *Giggles*. Sweetie if you like the panda carving design maybe you could get that design done for a higher grade guzheng for when you save up a little more money. I think you can do better than this. I love to hear about your passion and joy for guzhend. Keep it up and make me so proud! I want to see you in concert one day!

Vi An

PS: Panda is China's national symbol is it not?

[Vi An]

It turns out my Dunhuang dual cranes towards the sun guzheng infact has a single piece bottom board. It may be ply wood it may be paulownia we'll see once I strip off all the black paint. I purchaced this instrument in 1998, but the date that it was shipped to Canada was ten years prior. Is that possible has it been around that long? That means my instrument is so old now.

There are no cracks any where on this instrument, only certain parts of the decorative parts have little splitting.

I'm also very happy about my Dunhuang dual cranes towards the sun its sound has matured so much after 10 years of performing a ton with it.

Finely made instruments will mature dramatically if you practice and perform with them on a regular basis.

[Bryan]

Haha vi an..my guzheng is the same as yours ii guess....cux mine is blackboard with single piece bottom board Lol! iitx a 1992 version but ii luv it so much cux my dad got it as a present for me n.n

www.dunhuangguzheng.com

[Bryan]

Haha the panda guzheng is really cute =D Butterfly design on the left side and pandas on the right side =D Omg n.n

[sleepy]

Better fly to Shanghai and hand-pick it yourself.

[sunny]

Can anybody give us the address in Shanghai of some Dunhuang's shops ?
I think we need to see some more varieties of the instruments and test the sound quality instead of only limited models in the web-site without any sound sample !!!!

[carol]

There is one Dunhuang store right on Nanjing West Rd., the busiest street. It's easy to find. I don't know the exact address.

[sunny]

Last week one of my friend bought a Dunhuang's guzheng, "Jiao Chuang Ye Yu" with one single piece bottom board at around 2,800 Yuan (hand carry). My master said someone can even buy it cheaper at 2,000 Yuan. Why the price in some web-site is so expensive ? I can understand if the price is a little bit higher due to the handling charges but should be not that much.

[YouLanFengChune]

Hmm...

well, 2800 Yuan, My, I'll even ask them to buy for me at that price.
One must understand that there are 110 Guzheng makers in Shanghai and suburbs, with over 90% claiming to be making for Dunhuang, and sticker-only brands are easy to imitate.

To ensure that yours come out from where you want it, with 100% full warranty, I feel its worth the price. Plus, with the WTO arrangements, at this point in time till June 2006, I expect even more fruad companies to be trying to sell at lower and lower prices. They have to clear it out before they can't sell it overseas.

[YouLanFengChune]

and speaking of sound sample, recorded over a 24 bit recording, played in mp3 format at 384kbs, it all sounds the same.

[carol]

I think 2800 yuan is about the standard price for 694KK in China. That's about the price you can get to mail order it from Dunhuang factory's mail order department or Dunhuang's retail stores in Shanghai.

2000 yuan is kind of impossible.

I think Dunhuang has the most "clear" pricing system. Two thumbs up for that!!

I won't buy the 2800 yuan Dunhuang 694KK though. It sounds uneven to me. I can't stand it. Yun's 694KK used to be better, resonant and even toned. I don't know about now.

Exporting is a different story. Not only there is shipping and handling, there is also custom duty. The custom duty has been increased since Chinese made instruments took a major portion of the low-mid price market and become a threat to US industry.

I know one of my teacher is the biggest Dunhuang dealer in U.S. She has to increase the price for custom duty as well as risk on damages and cracking. We know Dunhuang guzhengs crack in dry weather right? In one shipment, probably half of it crack within the first month after arrival. It's hard to sell the cracking ones even the sound quality is not defected, so she has to sell the good ones at a higher price.

[carol]

I think the recording won't tell too much about the sound quality. My instruments sound so similar in the recording even though they are all unique in its own.

If any one is interested, here are some sample recording for all my instruments (I sold my Jinyun zitan already. To bad that I didn't record it before sell.):
www.chinesezither.net/soundclip

I put sound samples on my web. That's only for one reason though. It's to show that the sound is "clear". I figure that the most serious problem all basic-mid level even professional level is the "clarity". All brands make cloudy and blurring instruments on their beg-mid level models. It's really difficult to find a maker that makes beginning model that sounds clear.

[YouLanFengChune]

Hmm...

2800 yuan is impossible if you
1) have it attested by a tutor of Shanghai Conservatorium before sending out.
2) Take it from the factory in less than 2 at every consignment
3) ensure that what you have is the post 2004 version (additional sound block, inlayed eyelet and 3 additional sound posts)
4) the latest version of 694KK is 1st grade scarlet blaze (suanzhi). It is very very different from even the oyster inlayed or the gold foil ones! As

[sunny]

When someone would like to buy a Dunhuang guzheng from the net, It is so hard to know whether
1) That instrument is really attested by someone expert.
2) Beleive Dunhuang themselves also have someone to control the quality before sending out.
3) No one can guarantee the quality of the one attested by a tutor of Shanghai Conservatorium is at buyer's full satisfaction and worth for buyer to pay more for that.
4) My friend did show me the receipt of 2,800 Yuan of the 'Jiao Chuang Ye Yu' she bought from
a shop in Shanghai.
5) My friend and I do not know whether it is 2004 version or not. We also do not see any specification in the web-site mentioned about this difference. It is also possible for them to sell the same version, isn't it ?

[gili]

Yes, I believe there needs to be some 'comfort' guarantee. Most guzhengs come with this 'quality assurance tag' that is basically blank. I think a system with some individually numbered pamplet is comforting because the manufacturer can trace back the guzheng with regards to its material, original artist, time, etc. Most electrical, or computer products have their own serial numbers. It may even benefit the manufacturer to allow customer registration of their product so they can truly attest the satisfaction level in the long run. Even though a slight cost of this authenticity system may be passed on to the buyer, I think it is worth it.

[sunny]

I am looking for a new Dunhuang Zitan top model. Is there anyone could recommend me a very excellent one the price and how can I buy it ?

[YouLanFengChune]

In Cadenza
www.cadenzamusic.biz/guzheng.htm

[carol]

hmmm, it's very tricky!!!

Similar looking dunhuang zitan or old rosewood guzhengs can lead to a big difference in sound. The difference is as big as entry level vs. concert level. Price varies 2-3 times as well.


I'm also very confused on how they put the little difference in design to distinguish from entry level and concert level.

The best way to buy a dunhuang zitan is to try the one you like and determine the quality of the sound yourself.

[YouLanFengChune]

I agree.

Thats the reason why i test first for my customers, and provide a money back warranty (30 days), just in case they are not happy with my selection.

[carol]

I just called both Yun and Dunhuang factories. Try to clear out some of the confusion.
Here is what I have for the zitan/old rosewoom models. Both factories list zitan and old rosewood model under the same model # 695, and same price for each design.

For Dunhuangs:
Needle Point Design (Zhen Zhi) - lowest quality and price $5500 RMB
Bone powder inlaid (Gu Fen) - $6500 RMB
Mother-of-pearl (Xiang Qian) - $6500 RMB
Jade Inlaid (Yu Gu bin Zhi) - $6500 RMB
Silver Thread Inlaid (Yin si) - $8000 RMB

For Yuns:

Jade Inlaid, Mother-of-Pearl or Bone powder - $8000 RMB
Silver Thread with Mother-of-pearl - $16800RMB

I've tried most of these models and got really confused by the difference in sound quality and designs. Now, I can say that the price does mean quality here after I have the clearer picture.

I tried an old rosewood with silver thread inlaid and a zitan bone powder inlaid in Dunhuang factory. The quality of the rosewood with silver thread inlaid is much better than the zitan, but still doesn't meet my standard as professional. The zitan with silver thread inlaid wasn't available.

I tried the Zitan jade inlaid and Old Rosewood Mother-of-pearl with silver thread models at the Yun's factory. I like the evenness of the zitan with Jade Inlaid when comparing to the guzhengs at Dunhuang factory, however it sounds just like another 694KK to me. The Old Rosewood Mother-of-Pearl with Silver Thread is much professional sounding. Well, I guess the price is also much more.

The Yun manager also advice me that the Little Leaf Zitan model (Xiao Ye Zitan) is available for custom-making at a cost of $35000 yuan. That's the model they showed in the Shanghai Expo.

[YouLanFengChune]

Hmm...

These are factory outlet prices, for sale to retailers and wholesalers.

Hmm, usually, it does not include warranty, selection and and transport

[Vi An]

I'm so bored of the standard guzheng. There have been so very little developments it seems, a guzheng sounds like a guzhend did 50 years ago and looks like it did as always. I guess stick with what works hmm?

The world of guzheg industry will prosper so much more profoundly if they do the opposite as WalMart does in Asian countries. Take over! Find representatives from the west who are highly enthusiastic about guzheng and to endorse it in a new way. New styles, better raw materials that do not devistate forests and yes still preserves the beauty and culture.

Speaking of WalMart, I BOYCOTT them outright -- look what they are doing in Asia! Such corruption.

Best,

Vi An