A good qin is a pleasure to play and listen to. It can even make practicing a joyful experience, which leads to faster development and a stronger commitment to the endeavor. So, choosing a good qin is an important step in your development as a guqin player.
What to Look For
The three most important criteria in choosing your first qin, in order of highest to lowest importance, are:
- Sound Quality
- Playability
- Appearance
Of course, affordability is also important, but I’m sure you can decide if a qin is within your budget or not. However, I will assert that even very expensive qins can (and often do) sound terrible.
Sound Quality
By far, the most important attribute of a qin is its sound quality. A qin with poor sound is only good for hanging on the wall. Fortunately, you don’t need to be an expert player in order to determine if a qin sounds good or not. I purchased my first qin only two weeks after first discovering the instrument, and it continues to be the one I play more than any other. Judging sound quality, however, does take patience and hands-on time with the instrument itself.
Before trying a qin, however, it is helpful to first understand what to listen for. In addition to certain functional characteristics, such as dull or buzzing strings, there is an important subjective aspect to sound quality to be considered. Every guqin has its own personality expressed in its sound. What appeals to one musician and style of playing may be very different than that of another player. A good way to determine what appeals to you is to listen to many other guqin players, such as on YouTube or BiliBili, and identify the ones you like. Listen to the tone of their instrument(s) and keep that in mind when you are looking for one for yourself. You won’t necessarily find one that sounds the same, but you’ll certainly have a better sense of what you’re looking for and how to articulate it to whoever is helping you.
Once you have a sense for the type of sound you like, then spend time with the instrument that you are considering purchasing. Make sure it is tuned (either tune it yourself or have the seller do so), and listen carefully as you pluck the strings. Try playing open strings, harmonics, and pressed notes to see how they respond.
Some things to watch out for:
- Is there inconsistency in tone or timbre across the different strings?
- Is there any buzzing when the string is played (either open strings or, especially, when playing pressed notes)?
- Do any of the strings sound unpleasantly dull or muted when played?
- Does the instrument lose its tuning while you are playing (i.e., do the tuning pegs slip too easily)?
- If you play a pressed note, does the string continue to sing well as you slide up or down several positions?
- When playing open strings, do the other strings resonate disharmoniously even when the instrument is properly tuned?
Silk vs. Metal Strings
A quick note about string types. Most new qin, especially entry-level instruments, are strung with nylon-wrapped metal strings (or something similar). Most ancient qins and often those played by the masters use silk strings. Although silk strings have an amazing timbre and quality of sound that many find appealing, it is uncommon to start with silk strings as a beginner for several reasons:
- Cost: A set of silk strings alone can often cost more than an entire entry-level qin.
- Convenience: Silk strings typically have to be frequently re-tuned even within a single practice session, whereas metal strings will usually retain their tuning across sessions.
- Breakage: Silk strings tend to break more frequently than metal strings, sometimes due to normal changes in room temperature and humidity.
It is also important to note that a qin is usually constructed for use with either silk or metal strings. Rarely are they interchangeable on a qin and still sound acceptable. Since silk string qins are often targeted toward highly skilled musicians, they also tend to be significantly more expensive.
Personally, I have multiple silk string qins and love them, but I am glad I started with metal strings and continue to play them, as well. That said, you may find that the sound of silk is what most appeals to you, enough that you are willing to put in the extra time and cost to start there.
Playability
A qin that is difficult or impossible to play is of no use to the musician. One of the most important characteristics that impact playability is the placement of the strings, both horizontally and vertically.
Some issues to watch out for:
- Spacing between strings should not be inconsistent.
- Strings should not be so close to one another that one cannot press a string without touching an adjacent string (such as near the 13th position).
- Strings should not be abnormally spread apart at the bridge such that it is difficult to pluck the #1 & #6 or #2 & #7 strings together with middle finger and thumb.
- Strings should not be raised so high by the bridge that it is difficult to play pressed notes between the 1st and 4th positions.
- Strings should not buzz or “slap” the surface of the qin when playing pressed notes beyond the 10th position.
A well constructed qin has a subtle convex curvature along the length of the instrument. Towards the gums, the curvature is difficult to see but allows pressed strings to vibrate without slapping the surface or causing a buzzing sound. Between the 1st position and the bridge, the curvature may be more noticeable, allowing the strings to be closer to the surface, making it easier to press notes between the 1st and 4th positions.
Appearance
In this case, appearance is more than just whether or not the instrument is enjoyable to look at. Visual appearance of the qin can reveal flaws in workmanship that might indicate deeper problems. For instance, scratches, unevenness, flaking, or other flaws in the lacquer might affect the playability, particularly as the qin ages. Imprecise joints or inlays might indicate a rushed or unskilled job that could lead to parts of the qin failing in the future. One should be particularly weary of any visible cracks, especially those seen when looking at the exposed wood inside the qin, as viewed from underneath. Even an entry-level qin should reflect a respectable level of craftsmanship.
Buying a Qin Remotely
Although all of the tips described above are much easier to implement in-person, some sellers will work remotely with buyers to provide much of the same information. For instance, they may be able to provide audio-visual recordings of the instrument being played by a skilled player. Close-up photographs of the strings and instrument (ideally with a ruler for scale) may also be provided. A generous return policy can also be an extra safety net, though one hopes never to have to use it — the shipping alone is costly and time consuming for all involved.
Additional Resources
Additional details on selecting a qin can be found below:
Note: I purchased my first three qin from Sound of Asia Musical Instruments. The owner was an experienced player of guqin (in addition to guzheng and other instruments), and was very helpful and patient, allowing me to try and compare many different instruments before choosing the one I bought each time.