Ammoon Erhu good enough for a beginner?

[rikel]

Hey,



I am a total beginner and only have classical guitar background. The only erhu I can found here in Denmark is this model:



5x.to/2Xt


Do you think it is good enough (maybe with a better bow) for a beginner or is it total garbage?

[phoenixiao]

I’m not an erhu player but noticed there’s someone selling 2 pieces in the Items for Sale discussion area. They’re probably not beginner pieces but my experience with hand made instruments is there’s no regret getting higher grade pieces as you can grow with it as you advance.

[d̗̰̗͆͘ǎ͔̱͈̰̬̫ͨ̌ͮͥ͗ͭ̕vid]

Buy online from sites that specialize specifically for Chinese traditional instruments. I doubt that model is of any quality. Try Eason music from Singapore... etc

Unless you only want to buy from Denmark, then I don't know

[edcat7]

Actually for the money (does that include postage?) it's not bad. But be careful, insist they send you photos of the actual erhu they will send to you. Pay particular attention to the snakeskin.

If you do have any doubts post more photos on the forum so we can see.

Do you have a teacher or are you going down the self taught route? With the possible exception of the hulusi and xun, Chinese instruments are not easy instruments for self teaching.

I'll second the opinion of going to Easons, Redmusicshop is also good.

Best wishes,

Ed

[davidmdahl]

I have trouble responding to such questions. It is really hard to choose any instrument from generic photos, and this is particularly true for erhu. An erhu can look fine in photos, and not play well. A very inexpensive erhu made of different colors of wood, such as lighter pegs, does not inspire my confidence. A poor instrument is not a bargain at any price.

The reputation, experience, and knowledge of the vendor is the most important factor in ordering an instrument over the Internet. Many of us on the forum have been recommending Eason Music in Singapore for years, based on our one experiences. Whatever you get from Eason will not be unsuitable. Of course, you get what you pay for.

I normally advise getting the best erhu that can be afforded. However, for a beginner it is not necessary to spend over $600 with a reputable vendor, and suitable novice models can be purchased around $200-$250.

Maybe equal in importance with the suitability of the erhu, is access to instruction. Like many Chinese instruments, the erhu is not intuitive to learn. There are materials on the Internet, including videos and helpful websites, so there are some resources. I suspect that without a teacher, it is common for new students to get confused and discouraged right away, and store the erhu away in the closet. Experienced musicians are probably more likely to be successful since they understand the commitment needed to learn a new instrument.

Best wishes,

David

[albertogmtz]

Hi, I actually own that erhu...and I'm a total beginner taking lessons from youtube videos in chinese :c. Where I can't understand any single thing but I follow what they are doing.

I think that all the materials are proportional to the pricetag.. just enough to make it sound.

As an introduction to erhu I think it's ok, you will learn how to bow and play some easy songs mainly using the lowest (bassiest) half, as with the high notes I can't make a clear sound.

[d̗̰̗͆͘ǎ͔̱͈̰̬̫ͨ̌ͮͥ͗ͭ̕vid]

Learning erhu is usually fast and easy, so I wouldn't buy a starter erhu that cannot make a clear sound on the higher notes, especially on the outer string. Most erhus are a pain on the inner string. Buy a popular grade one to start with.

[davidmdahl]

Aug 16, 2018 5:25:52 GMT d̗̰̗͆͘ǎ͔̱͈̰̬̫ͨ̌ͮͥ͗ͭ̕vid said:

Learning erhu is usually fast and easy, so I wouldn't buy a starter erhu that cannot make a clear sound on the higher notes, especially on the outer string. Most erhus are a pain on the inner string. Buy a popular grade one to start with.

I am happy for people who have such an easy time learning erhu, but in my own experience, the erhu is a very challenging instrument. With the possible exception of the hulusi, all of the Chinese instruments I have studied are very challenging and take a lot of practice. The erhu in particular requires a lot of techniques to get right, and this is not easy for a beginner, even with a good teacher.

There is a lot of inflation in the terminology for instrument grades. In most cases I have run across, a "Professional" grade erhu is anything but. I advise ordering from a vendor such as Eason who can provide a suitable instrument for the budget of the student. In my experience, a good student will quickly grow out of novice or starter grade instrument. Most cheap erhus I have played were okay in the first octave, on both strings, but not so good above the second octave.

Best wishes,

David

[hailin]

问候，朋友们,

I am new here and I am really happy to have found this site.

I own two erhu, a beginner's erhu and the requisite more expensive erhu.

I also own a charming little jinghu.

I agree that Eason is a tremendously great shop ...

but I have found great success in dealing with Chen at the Red Music Shop in Beijing. I email him, set down my parameters and my purchasing power, tell him what I am looking for, and he sends me a short list of several items with their pluses and minuses. Chen ships all over the world and anything that I have ordered from him in Beijing reaches me 8 000 kms away in less than eight business days...and no, I have no affiliation with the shop, I just have been pleased with quality and service.

In addition to cost, one may also wish to consider the different flavors of erhu ... a Shanghai erhu will produce a far different tone than a Beijing erhu and both will produce different tones than a Suzhou erhu. My ear can pick up the difference immediately.
If you want bright and brashy, go for Shanghai. If you want vibrant, then try Beijing. If you, however, and this is my own personal preference, what mellow and pleasing, than by all means for a Suzhou erhu. They are not hyperreadily available but they are out there, and run about the same as a Shanghai or Beijing erhu, but playing a Suzhou erhu is like driving a Rolls Royce.

Finally, I silk string all of my instruments. Both the erhu are silkstrung and the jinghu as well. It is a different feel, and a different bow strength, and yes, they need to be heavily reasoned ... but playing a Suzhou erhu with silk strings is beyond heaven.

Best wishes to all,

Hai Lin
问候，朋友们

And yes, the Ammon erhu is more than adequate. It is actually a quite decent instrument in the scope of things.