Beijing/Suzhou/Shanghai music shops

[jetz320]

Hi everyone. I'm headed to Beijing this Thursday and I am planning to get all my music stuff there since from what I've heard, "The quality is better". So I'm going to be getting a new Rosewood/Sandalwood/Old Rosewood dragonhead erhu there. Along with the Dong Xue Hua dizis I've wanted for so long, and some accesories like erhu and zhonghu strings, guzheng strings and bridges, dimo and erjiao, a new hulusi, maybe a bawu, etc.

So, if anyone knows of stores in these 3 cities, please either post, pm, or email me please!!!!! Thanks!!!!

P.S. I'll miss you guys!!!!

[song]

Have fun Jetz. The quality is better depending on where you look. Stay away from unknown brands and dubious looking shops.

[jetz320]

Thanks. I'm planning to only visit the big shops and master made brands for the instruments.

[annk]

It sounds like you're set on Beijing, but in case you do want to browse in Shanghai:

I bought my erhu at the BG/Yamaha/Gao Xiang store in Shanghai at 30 Fenggyang Road （汾陽路). I notice that the first character of the address on the business card is actually pronounced "fen", though on the English side of the card, they've written it "feng". Best to stick with the Chinese version.

Here is a link: www.shgcast.com/index2.htm

The website only shows western instruments, for some reason, but the showroom had Chinese instruments as well.

I found the staff very helpful. There were many customers, often with small children who were in for lessons - they had rooms in the back for that. An erhu player on staff chose an instrument for me, and even gave me a lesson afterwards. The store is in the same neighborhood as the conservatory, and just a few minutes walk from the public library.

There may well be better stores for traditional instruments, I have no basis for comparison, but I got a good erhu there! The erhu prices varied from about 750 yuan to 2500 yuan.

[jetz320]

Thanks. Just in time. I'm leaving for the airport in 30 minutes!!! Bye everyone one!!!