Best Erhu & Best Erhu Brands
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Deciding to buy an erhu is one of the most crucial steps you can make to own this beautiful musical instrument. However, it can be quite a daunting challenge especially if you don’t know much about the instrument.
In fact, it could also be a challenge if you haven’t played it before or if you’ve been playing it for some time. There are different factors that contribute to make the erhu the amazing instrument that it is. In this guide, as much information as you will need will be provided simply so you can choose an erhu that best suits you.
What are the Best Erhu to Buy?
The Erhu Description
The erhu is one of the most common traditional Chinese musical instruments. Most times it is overlooked. When it is played well, it produces some beautiful melancholy strains, which are unforgettable. The design of the erhu is elegant and simple. It has two strings attached to a wooden body, which is covered with snakeskin or synthetic material.
The spike fiddle is mainly played with a curved bow that passes between the two strings rather than gliding on top, like a violin. With the way it is designed, the erhu has no fingerboard, so it different sounds are played by adjusting where the pressure is directly put on the string itself.
As small as it looks, the erhu has a lot of history in its sound from centuries past, and it has given melody to the Peking operas. Even today, it has a good presence in modern music scenes.
Cost of the Erhu
The cost of the erhu you wish to buy can vary, and the price range is quite large. Factors affecting the cost of erhus include the wood it is made from, the snakeskin, and as a general rule, the maker. More expensive ones are made from quality materials and/or by famous makers. This often converts to easy playability and a better tone. You can find a variety of cheap and inexpensive ones when you go shopping, but those can sometimes be difficult to play. In the end, you might give up thinking that the musical instrument is difficult to play whereas it is the instrument’s fault.
Build of a typical erhu
An important part of a typical erhu as many people consider it to be is the snakeskin on it. It is has a mark of any erhu. You won’t find two pieces of snakeskin that look exactly alike. If you are wondering how the snakeskin affects the erhu, this guide will explain below.
First, there are two main skin types used to make erhus – synthetic skin or real python skin. The synthetic erhu sounds like a typical erhu but, the sound it produces can never match the real thing. Some of the pros of the synthetic skin are that it is environmentally friendly, you won’t have issues traveling across borders with it, and its climate change resistance makes it durable. But a better tone than that of a real snakeskin is not one of its pros.
10 Best Erhu Reviews and the Best Erhu Brands
1) Landtom® Ebony Erhu
Careful selection and masterful craftsmanship bring out the best in handmade musical instruments like the traditional erhu. The level of careful selection and experienced craftsmanship involved in picking and constructing this Landtom ebony erhu is one of the best in the world.
The wood of this instrument is ebony or sandalwood as it also called. This wood is a top-grade blackwood timber which is often used to create a high quality durable musical instrument.
This erhu is a combination of audible and visible beauty attributed to the traditional Chinese erhu. The superior craftsmanship invested in creating this erhu makes the musical worth having.
Measuring 38 x 5 x 5 inches and weighing between 3 and 5 pounds, the instrument comes with a bow, pitch tuner, spare strings, and all that anyone including beginners and performers will need to start playing the instrument. It also comes with a hard case for protection and ease of transporting it from place to place.
2) Dunhuang Erhu
A lot can be said about the quality of musical instruments people buy. Over time, the durability of the musical instrument is tested. The owner of the tested musical instrument will either remain assured that the instrument can stand the test of time or fear for the safety and durability of the instrument depending on how fragile or strong the instrument is. This matters a lot when talking about the Dunhuang erhu. It was designed to be strong and hard enough for anyone to use without much fear.
The soundboard of this erhu is made from good quality snakeskin. The hardwood and pegs of the Dunhuang erhu which measures 38 x 5 x 5 inches and weighs about 7 pounds are made from ironwood. This ironwood makes the erhu strong enough to remain in possession of its owner for a long time without wearing away easily like other fragile erhus.
3) WuYue Chinese 2 Strings Violin Traditional National Instruments Erhu
Talking about value for a beginner level erhu, this Wuyue Chinese erhu is quite suitable for any beginner. The hexagon from of this erhu measures about 4.3” wide and the height measures 32.3”.
It makes an ideal beginner erhu to gift to a friend, family member, or yourself if you fancy making beautiful music with it. The Wuyue erhu requires only a light assembly to get started which is surprisingly easy to do.
The erhu is made of python skin and whitewood with traditional handcrafts that assured amazing sound quality. The Wuyue erhu comes with additional accessories which include a bow, extra strings, a bag, rosin, wipe cloth, sponge mat, pitch pipe, topping line, and bridge.
You don’t have a complete set unless these things aren’t a part of a package. With its graduated neck as part of its patent phoneme marking, it is easy for beginners to find phonemes.
4) Sound-Of-Mountain Erhu Instrument Chinese Violin Fiddle Huqin
For as long as erhus have been in existence, they have been used to create astonishing and beautifully inspiring music for everyone who hears it. This instrument is a beautiful musical instrument. It is relatively easy to play, and it has a precise intonation.
This Erhu comes wooden peg and almost ready to play immediately after it is unboxed as it arrives completely set up. You may have to tune it a bit to get the right sound you are looking for. You will also have to set the sponge in place before you start with it.
Considering the cost of this musical instrument, it is a good painted maple study level erhu with mellow and resonant sounds. The erhu comes with strings, bows, and rosin much like other good quality erhus you can find. This erhu is ideal for beginners, but also professionals and performers can play it as well.
5) Landtom® Erhu
The Landtom erhu is a handmade redwood erhu which comes with a pitch tuner, a set of spare strings with mechanical tuning devices, a professional hard case for protection, as well as bows, rosin, and bridges. To ensure that you are buying a quality product, the erhu from Landtom are well designed and thoroughly tested. The erhu is intended to serve as a suitable musical instrument for a beginner, intermediate players, and performers.
This musical instrument measures approximately 32” x 5 inches. And regarding tuning, the Landtom erhu’s strings are tuned to A and D. Without having to do much after buying this erhu; it comes completely assembled and ready to play.
The accessories that need to be adjusted each time before playing are left out of the main assembled body. If you have concerns about assembling the erhu yourself, you won’t have to worry about it with this Landtom erhu.
6) Landtom Study Level Whitewood Erhu
One thing many erhu buyers look out for is the authenticity of the product they are buying. Erhus can be made from synthetic materials or real snakeskin. Two different erhus made from these separate materials will sound alike, but the quality of sound they produce is not the same. The erhu made from snakeskin has a superior sound quality. This superior sound quality is what Landtom Whitewood erhu gives anyone that plays it.
The Landtom whitewood erhu is a unique handmade musical instrument made from real snakeskin. It comes with necessary accessories like fine tuners, extra strings, damper, bow, and rosin that is required to turn even a beginner into a great player as soon as they get their hands on it.
The sound produced from this instrument is a wonder to listen to. Acquiring this musical instrument is a good investment as it makes a suitable gift item for friend, relatives, or colleagues
7) Eason Music Violet Sandalwood Erhu
The Eason Music concert grade Suzhou Violet Sandalwood Erhu is a concert grade product. The wood it is made from has a light brownish color which darkens more over time. Like most products from Eason, this erhu is tested before it is sent out to buyers.
For a concert grade erhu, it is quite easy to play, and it makes a choice musical instrument for new players to play. As part of the makers’ effort to make the erhu available around the world, this musical instrument comes along with a customs clearance certificate. The erhu also comes with additional accessories including a case for the instrument, adjusters, bridge, extra strings and a bow.
The components of this erhu were independently made to ensure that the complete instrument produces a warm, rich tone with easy playability for anyone. For a concert grade erhu, it is available for purchase at a reasonable cost.
8) Ebony Erhu, Dragon Carving
Most makers of erhu around the world produce the musical instrument while keeping in mind that the players of the instrument are mostly learners and hobbyists since the suitable level for it is a professional level.
However, this instrument was not designed for beginners in mind. Made from wood, the erhu is made from leather and natural wood. So, there may be a couple of differences between them. For instance, this one may be heavier when compared to some other, other wood type erhus.
Buying this musical instrument will also give you accessories which include a set of extra string, a set of fine tuners, a case to put the erhu for easy transportation. This instrument is not suitable for beginners or people who want to learn how to play the instrument for the first time. There are other options for beginner level erhus out there for people who want to learn.
9) Orient Light Entry Level Traditional Erhu
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One thing most erhu makers around the world try to achieve with their products is making it easy enough to learn and play. That is what the Orient Light Traditional Erhu has to offer. The erhu is a handmade musical instrument with authentic snakeskin and a bow.
To aid new learners to get familiar with the instrument and play it better, it has a patented learning scale on the neck. In addition to the beginner-friendly features, it comes with all the required accessories needed for the first erhu lesson.
Accessories included with the Landtom erhu are strings, topping line, damper, bridge, and pitch pipe. It measures 32.3″ high and 4.3″ drum wide. If you are a beginner or just an intermediate player looking to learn a new instrument, this entry-level erhu is an ideal choice as it doesn’t impose much on new learners. It is not very hard to master, and you can start playing warm resonating sounds in a short time.
10) Ammoon Solid wood Erhu
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People around you will often be fascinated with the music you play. And to make them more intrigued by the exquisite musical instrument you are playing, it helps to go for an instrument that has both the beauty of traditional erhu and the beautiful quality sound a good traditional erhu should create.
This combination is well achieved with Ammoon Solid wood erhu. This musical instrument has an elegant glossy finish and still produces sweet sound top-level resonance.
With it’s rigid, yet simple design, it serves as a good instrument for any beginner or erhu lovers to play for a long time. This Ammoon solid wood erhu comes with a rosin, bridge, and a carrying case for convenience.
A carrying case accompanying an erhu makes it easier for you to carry the musical instrument along with you when you go on different trips or when you simply want to give it as a gift to someone else.
Choosing the Best Erhu from the Best Erhu Brands
When you decide on the features of the erhu you feel is best for you, all that’s left is for you to buy one. If you still aren’t sure because it is your first buy, you can ask for help from anyone with enough experience to guide you. What most people don’t know about real snakeskin is that the snakes that the skins come from are either wild snakes or farmed snakes raised in a confined environment.
Erhus made from wild snakes give a better tone simply because a snake in the wild has had much more exercise compared to snakes raised in cages which are often said to be fed with supplements to enable them to grow faster. Snakes in the wild that have had more exercise have a more elastic skin which in turn translates to richer erhu tone. Wild snakes are usually used for high-end erhu making processes.
At the end of your research, your choice for an erhu might boil down to the cost and how much you are willing to spend to buy one. You have the liberty to ask for recommendations from friends and other people who have bought the musical instrument for themselves before.
The string types, wood type, and other components of an erhu should be taken into careful consideration before any buy. Whichever choice you make for your first or subsequent erhu, it will be an investment in a musical instrument, so try to get a durable one from a trusted seller.