Hi everybody,
I fell in love with Pipa (like all of you here
) and decided to learn to play it. I read most of the threads here so I gathered useful tips.
However, there´s still one thing I can´t grasp.. It may be a silly question but do I have to buy a beginner pipa or it doesn´t matter which one? What are the differences?
Thanks a lot
What are the differences?
Lol. About 2000+ Yuan
Well I spent >8 hours fiddling around with loads of pipas in about 6 shops ranging from 300 Yuan - 20,000 Yuan. Here's what I found.
I got a cheap one - partly because I want to make sure that after 6 months, I am still playing it, or can move it on, with minimal cost (btw - are you still playing pipa 6 months after posting this?!). The other reason, is that I wasn't sure if I could carry it on a plane, so it was more of a dummy run, to see, rather than risk an expensive venture with surcharges etc...
The differences are mostly in terms of build quality; sonic quality and tuning drift.
The majority of the cheap ones, use laminated board: intermediate-professional quality pipas use spruce wood or even zitan. For the bodies, this can vary from balsa wood (!), cheap plywood for cheap ones, to more expensive rosewood (very heavy). A professional rosewood pipa, may drive most beginners insane, since it is very heavy. I tried it for about an hour, and the amount of fatigue I was getting was terrible.
I found the cheaper lighter pipa more intuitive to balance.
When it comes to the 30 frets, most are just glued on - beginners or professionals. The distinction in the top 6 frets are more telling: cheap ones use wood, sawn into triangles. Intermediate ones might use ox bone; marble or ebony. Same goes for the tuning pegs: cheap ones use carved wood; intermediate - professional ones use oxhorn or marble etc. The decorative aspect is rather wasteful: many have ornate carvings like symbols or flowers, carved out of bone. They add nothing to the sound quality; add weight and expense.
The major difference - which I'd urge anyone to look out for when buying a pipa - is that the more expensive pipas, use bone lined frets across 24 of the frets. That is - you don't rely on wooden frets, which will rub down quicker over time. Bring a chromatic tuner with you: check that you are getting perfect tunings for the open strings A D E A, and then closed strings on the frets. Believe it or - some pipas cannot actually stay in tune when the strings are closed ... because their frets are already worn down. So for example - a closed string on a worn fret, when you tune it to A (5) on open string, cannot play E (2) on a closed string on the first wooden fret, then tune it for E (2) on the closed string, only to find that the open string A (5) is now out of tune ... one or the other.... this would drive me bonkers!
When I eventually decide if I can play this instrument, I'd definitely get a bone lined fret version, which can repel flying dragons and kung fu monster sneak attacks!
The type of wood for the body is less important than the ergonomics. There are some very reasonable intermediate models for around 3000 - 5000 Yuan...depending on where on the world you are, it's probably a safer bet to order from a trusted internet store, which will ensure that you receive an instrument which a) isn't a fake b) isn't broken c) has seller back-up. You get only a) from major stores in China, and the rest is kind of tough cookies. In that respect, I think the internet shops have a good thing going, especially if you get to try a few pipas, and then decide to order a specific model from them.
Well unless I'm able to hit at least Grade 5 pieces in 1 year's time, I think I'll stick to my cheap and cheerful pipa. Not that I'm ambitious or anything, after having 2 lessons
Don't forget, that the prices will vary for non-music related reasons. If you purchase, as I did, in another currency, you may lose out. Geographically, prices vary. Big Guangzhou shopping precincts sell theirs for more than smaller towns; even large music chain stores, have huge price variations, it is rather hit and miss. Most will come with a hard case; a 4 note tuner and spare No.1 string and the pipa's rather unusual plectrums. I was advised to get a complete set of spare strings, which cost anything around 80-120Yuan. The silk ones were extremely tempting, but maybe next year. Music books are fairly abundant, and some have CD demos too.
It's probably sensible to ask the shopkeeper to throw in all those freebies if they aren't included, rather than give a discount, since they will only add up to about 10% - 20% of the pipa's cost.
Good luck! And down with guitars lol.
) and decided to learn to play it. I read most of the threads here so I gathered useful tips.
The type of wood for the body is less important than the ergonomics. There are some very reasonable intermediate models for around 3000 - 5000 Yuan...depending on where on the world you are, it's probably a safer bet to order from a trusted internet store, which will ensure that you receive an instrument which a) isn't a fake b) isn't broken c) has seller back-up. You get only a) from major stores in China, and the rest is kind of tough cookies. In that respect, I think the internet shops have a good thing going, especially if you get to try a few pipas, and then decide to order a specific model from them. 
