The construction from start to finish?

[Vi An]

It would be interesting to see the making of a guzheng from begining to end no?

I love to watch wood being worked. I basically have an idea of how kotos are made but the guzheng I still am unclear and seems very involved.

Can some of our experts shed some light from the inside out?

Thank you,

Vi An.

PS: Everyone please take a flashlight -- shine it inside the sound holes and aim towards the sides, please tell me in detail what you observe?

[Vi An]

Thanks Charlie-san for getting rid of the "Stirp the guzheng down" because I didn't get a chance to correct it when I accidentally already hit submit! *My bad*.

Okay people so what are your observations inside your sound holes when you peer towards the sides?? I'm looking for color is it yellow/white or is it the same color as the outside (sides)?

Thanks,

Vi An

[Charlie Huang]

You could have used the edit function? Nevermind, I deleted it.

You might need a dental mirror to take a proper look inside.

[floatingfeather]

I looked inside my guzheng and I saw- oh my - The side of the box was unfinished and the color of the wood was light almost like birch unfinished.It looked like it could be layered or glued up layers to the side box panel. There was a continuous bead of glue along the top of the side panel to the underside of the top board. I could not see the bottom to side panel joint and I do not have a dental mirror. It has the three seperator panels cross to the length. these also were unfinished. They are open in the center and one has a vert peg Im not sure about the other two. At the top end there was a wood reinforcing plate for the string T ends to anchor aginst. I also saw a cobweb inside at the dragon end of the compartment. Probably was a stoaway from china.

Why is the box divided up into three compartments, is it just for structural strength or is it for sound ? I have never looked inside a guitar is it similar? My only experience is with horns and they are completly different.

My Guzheng is not a very expensive unit. I wish I knew when I got it what I know now about guzhengs, but I fell in love with it. I manuvered through airports with it from china to the great basin to get it home.

Respectfully doug

[Vi An]

Doug,

Thanks for your observation. It is perfectly ok that the wood inside is not finished -- that means you will have optimal resonance of sound, finished woods are like thick plastic and wont transfer proper tones.

What does consern me is that when they advertise that an instrument is made of rosewood for the body, that it appears to me only the outter sides and tops are of a thin sheet of actual rosewood! That it doesn't really mean you'll see the rosewood inside!! That all of the inside is made of a light colored hardwood structural frame and that the sides are even hardwood (NOT ROSEWOOD)! They should then advertise this instrument as made with part hardwood and part rosewood.

So my question now is are there guzhengs out there where if you looked inside towards the sides of the instruments that you'll actually see the same material wood used outside of the instrument? So if it was say zitan -- when you look inside it would be obvious to be unfinished zitan looking back at you?

Experts please?

Thank you for those who take the time to peer closly into their guzheng's sides and input your observations here I so appreciate that!

My best,
Vi An

[Vi An]

Hello All,

I was informed by a friend that the Scarlet Bird brand uses the same approach as the Japanese koto, the upside-down "U" carving from a paulownia tree. The outer sides are then decorated by exotic hardwoods such as rosewood. So what you should be seeing is unfinished paulownia on the inner sides.. These are considered Scarlet's best models. I wonder if that applies to other guzheng makers?

Also -- if anyone has contact information for any makers in the Beijing area or makers which would have exsisted there but are now dispersed elsewhere please let me know. I still have to find out the make of my friend Melodie's guzheng, but its just superb in its tone, range and quailty craftsmanship. Her family acquired it for her when they lived in Beijing and she's only had one brief lesson on it before moving to Canada for a work VISA. She has gotten her parents to bring it over for her this past year when they were visiting her and she asked me to instruct her! (What an honor it is) Because this girl is so good, she picks things up on her own just like that and with only one brief lesson in China!

Right now we're working on her trilling or "shaking". I have my own bastard way of shaking but I am showing her the proper way first and also my way. How I do the shaking is I would rest the end of my pinky bone near the wrist area on the edge of the main bridge, with my thumb holding my pointer finger secure I would then shake. I find this gives me tremendous control over the shake, I can control the velosity, the attack, the textural quality of the shake and ofcourse the volumes.. The pinky as an anchor for the "proper" shaking technique is a bit wonky for me (as I am too old now for practice), my bad habbit has set in too deep I'm affraid. BUT I'm practicing every day *shrugs* don't hit me with flying objects to the head!!!

More from me soon,

Vi An
My best!

[Charlie Huang]

*throws a Mokona plush at Vi_an-san's face*

;D

[Vi An]

*Eeeeeeeeeeeek* *Squeeling home to mommy*

I love blush! Thankies ^_^

*Phew* Such relief.

[Charlie Huang]

[Vi An]

Thats great! <g>

[Vi An]

Alright back to business everyone,

How are you all doing? I hope very well. I just finished a whole bunch of recording in the studio for my latest album! *Phew* So much work and performing. Its so difficult to do everything myself!

Anyhow ladies and gents:

The topic today is --- (drum roll) (crash cymble)~ !
NEW Materials for guzheng construction!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lets consider the following factors for a musician always on the move (I can only talk from experience):

1) Transportability issues (weight/size):

How can we design a guzheng which will be robust in sound yet still stand being moved around a lot and made of materials that do not cause too many sore arms or backs?

Surely there are perfectly good and inexpensive alternative materials out there that can be used? Mind you when I say alternative materials mean other wood types instead of traditional woods.

There is ceder, spruce, maple, mahogany and oak. Depending on where you chop the trees you get different grades of wood with all sorts of different neat properties...

Could we build a guzheng like a guitar? Guitars don't use excess amounts of wood because they need to be light and yet some are still very loud instruments.

So if you have a bigger and lighter instrument -- will the sound be just as BIG? Perhaps cut down on the thickness of the decorative woods such as rosewood, zitan and other exotic hardwoods used for traditional guzhengs.

Has anyone here known anyone to experiment that far with alternative guzheng making? Techniques or materials used? Please discuss it here!

I read an article once off of the koto website about an American artist who made kotos with alternative woods and they had some pictures of his works -- WOW they were lovely! I emailed the artist once too and he seemed really insightful!

Check out the link:
koto.home.att.net//features/wittersheim.html

Thanks everyone and my best regards to all,

Vi An.