Guzheng
On a guzheng the carved name describes the work on the side panel and the head, not the tone, so listen to the wood first and choose the pattern second. African padauk is the brighter of the frame woods here; suanzhi and ebony are denser and hold a longer decay; teak, walnut and weathered elm each pull in their own direction. If you carry an instrument to class or live in a dormitory, the travel guzheng is a good deal smaller. The movable bridges are your tuning, so note where they stand before you move the instrument, and come and play a few side by side in our Taipei shop.