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Post by Charlie Huang on Mar 4, 2007 19:07:29 GMT
I'm thinking of selling my qin. I don't think I'll get enough money for a new one I so desire by just waiting. Even if it means I might have to wait several months for a new qin to come, I think it will be worth the wait.
So, any advice on how should I go about selling it?
I bought my one for £600 (around $1050 at that time) plus shipping costs four years ago. Add around £50 per year, it's likely to be worth at least £800 ($1555, 12000 RMB), but I won't let it go less than £1000 ($1944, 15000 RMB) given the current state of price rise for qins and the fact that a good one is rather expensive. That will be enough to cover the cost of a new qin plus shipping.
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Post by Si on Mar 5, 2007 4:20:54 GMT
oh has there been a recent price rise?
I have often wondered about selling second hand qins. Because they are supposed to get better with age - but i never see second hand ones in the shops.
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Post by Charlie Huang on Mar 5, 2007 11:15:53 GMT
Well, since 2004-5, there has been. A lot of makers and sellers are cashing in on the guqin's Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible whatsit thingy and growing popularity.
I'd rather get my new one sooner rather than later or I may be priced out...
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Post by Charlie Huang on Mar 5, 2007 13:17:29 GMT
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Post by Si on Mar 6, 2007 14:13:53 GMT
The best qins where I have my lesson are 30,000rmb and crafted by wang p? (forgot his name). The are lovely with sort of a multi coloured (brown/red) varnish finish on the top a bit like your qin, with a nice deep sound. Damned expensive though......
Dont think I would pay so much though at my stage of playing.
Its amazing how I can be quite content with my silly qin. Nobody ever insults it like I do, they just say it is good and will improve with age.
Strange point though, is that there is a nice qin at the school that is about 6000rmb but it makes a dreadfull buzz during section 3 or SRC.
So I think:- IT IS SOOOOO IMPORTANT TO KNOW AND TRUST THE SOURCE OF THE QIN OR PLAY A FEW TUNES ON IT TO TEST ITS idiosyncrasy.
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Post by Charlie Huang on Mar 6, 2007 19:04:21 GMT
Wang Peng's qins are exceptionally expensive and are not the norm because of his workmanship.
IMO, I would like a Zeng Chengwei one. His qins are consistant and easy to play as well as having a very soft, slick, melt-away sound. I would like to commission him to make me a good one, via NAGA or Cheng Yu if she has contact (will save me a lot of money in shipping, money which would be better spent on the overall cost of the qin!). I probably won't require it to be selected by a qin master since ZCW is a good player in his own right and I trust him to make a good qin.
Also, I might have to sacrifice my pipa and sell it if I don't have enough money to get a top-end qin...
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Post by Si on Mar 7, 2007 4:17:16 GMT
How much do ZCW qins cost broadly speaking. I would not mind one too....
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Post by Charlie Huang on Mar 7, 2007 9:57:13 GMT
Dunno. But two years back, my comrades bought qins from him at £1000 (circa $1750) a piece.
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Post by Si on Mar 7, 2007 15:21:59 GMT
Do you think tis possible to buy in China?
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Post by Charlie Huang on Mar 7, 2007 16:28:35 GMT
The 'tis' in your above post confuses me as to what object you are refering to...
As to my comrades buying qins off him; he was at the summer school in london and he brought two along to sell, I think...
Two people watching my item now.
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Post by Si on Mar 8, 2007 4:41:07 GMT
do you think it is possible to buy them in China?
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Post by Charlie Huang on Mar 8, 2007 12:01:25 GMT
To buy what in China? ZCW's qins? Of course you can!
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Post by Charlie Huang on Apr 4, 2007 17:54:36 GMT
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Post by shoppingchinanow on Apr 5, 2007 9:10:59 GMT
why sell your guqin? unless it is of bad quality, I don't think you should make such a decision, the longer the guqin, the better its' sound.
Aslo don't expect you can find a really gin unless you come to China and talk the qin makers directly.
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Post by shoppingchinanow on Apr 5, 2007 9:16:35 GMT
After having a look at the pictures as shown on the website you mentioned, I found your qin is in good condition.
The qin from Zeng Ceng Wei does have a rather good quality, and his qin seems to cost more than that from Wang Peng, of couese, all depends.
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Post by Charlie Huang on Apr 5, 2007 17:08:28 GMT
I'm selling my qin because I require a higher level qin as I've surpassed its capabilities. It's what advancing musicians do anyways.
I have my connections to get a good qin.
Anyways, so far, I am happy with it since I re-strung it with silk. Though for how long until I surpass it with silk is anyone's guess.
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Post by Si on Apr 6, 2007 3:47:00 GMT
I imagine its hard selling a qin online.
Most beginners would want a cheaper qin I would think - and probably want to see it and touch it.
When i bought mine i did not want to "go crazy" and buy a very good one, as for all I knew then, I might have been forced to "pack it in" after a few months.
Why dont you try giving lessons on Qin in the Birmingham area? Then you could sell your qin to one of the new students and get yourself another one. Im sure there are a few odd souls in the Midlands that might want to learn Qin.
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Post by Charlie Huang on Apr 6, 2007 9:36:56 GMT
There was only one person in my neck of the woods who wanted to learn qin. She hasn't contacted me in ages, but I think it maybe because she is either busy, or she didn't get my change of e-mail e-mail... I'll try and contact her. She does have a qin but I'm not sure she is 'total' about qin as she seems to rarely practice it!
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Post by guzhenglover on Mar 27, 2008 2:10:23 GMT
Have you managed to get your qin sold so that you can get an even better one, Charlie?
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Post by Charlie Huang on Mar 28, 2008 22:52:54 GMT
Erm, no.
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Post by Si on Mar 31, 2008 14:38:09 GMT
On a similar vein, i got my old qin down to play the other day - wow it sounded crap. does the sound get worse if you dont play them often?
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Post by Charlie Huang on Mar 31, 2008 15:31:55 GMT
Yes. The vibration of playing loosens the celluar structure of the wood, thereby releasing the sound more easily. If you don't play it for a while, it becomes stagnant.
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Post by drescher on Jan 22, 2011 3:48:09 GMT
i live in china and am interested in guqins, they vary greatly and can be had from 600 rmb ( 60 pounds!) up. an ok beginner qin will cost about 1200 rmb (120 pounds) ...however the qin market is wrapped in lots of snobbish hoopla. so its also possible to buy the same beginners instrument for 7000 rmb...if the seller is wearing a kungfu outfit and has his hair in a topnot.
buyers beware.
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Post by Charlie Huang on Jan 26, 2011 10:54:34 GMT
Personally, a decent (i.e. performance quality) qin cannot be had for less than £3000 (from the big makers). FACT.
A factory made qin, well, is worth as much as the wood it is made out of...
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gawn
Intermediate
Posts: 43
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Post by gawn on Jan 26, 2011 17:37:01 GMT
I have long been fascinated by the qin, it's music and it's place in Chinese culture. And I love listening to good qin records. If I had time and money to spare (I lack both as I have a full time job, play three different reed instruments and have three kids to take care of...) I would be tempted to get one and learn to play. However, being curious, I am asking myself why the prices for qins are so much higher compared to other string instruments - such as say, a pipa or a guitar where you can apparently get a decent instrument for less than 1000 $. And why can't qin's be made in factories - just like guitars - and still be of decent quality? Are there technical reasons or is it more a cultural thing? Would a good and cheap qin destroy the myth surrounding the instrument by making it accessible to the general public...? Seriously, I'd like to hear your thoughts on this and I don't mean to offend anybody... (my own oboe has cost me aound 7500 $, so I know that there can be good reasons for an instrument to be expensive...) Georg
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