FL-ZHU No.9801 Blue F Professional Erhu Strings The FL-ZHU No.9801 Blue F Erhu Strings are designed for professional players, advanced students, and musicians preparing for Erhu examinations. As part of the FL-ZHU professional string series, the No.9801 set provides a smooth, bright, and transparent...
Pirastro Red Dragon Erhu Strings are a premium, Germany-made set designed specifically for professional erhu performances. Created by Pirastro, a world-renowned company with a legacy dating back to 1798, these strings are engineered to deliver stable, beautiful sound on the erhu, with a special...
The Huqiu 1213 (Gold Medal) Performance Grade Erhu Strings are crafted from imported German high-quality steel and offer a perfect blend of traditional craftsmanship and modern manufacturing. These strings are designed to meet the needs of professional performers, delivering exceptional tonal clarity, uniform tension,...
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Customer Reviews
Overall rating: 5 / 5 from 250 reviews.
Before I begin this review, let me offer broad thanks to the staff of NS Musical, particularly the person I was corresponding with both before and after making my purchase. I was very well taken care of, and had my mind put at ease more than once. And last, thank you for this wondrous instrument the DaRuan (pardon my spelling). I’ve only had it a few days and it’s still mind blowing. Pardon the length of this review. I wanted to be as thorough as possible in reviewing the Yuehai 521 Entry – Level DaRuan.
POWER of the CIRCLE
Seventeen years ago I was on YouTube watching a Chinese Orchestra perform. I happened to notice a link on the bottom right of an Asian woman playing what looked to be a banjo made of wood. I clicked on the link and watched for the first time in my life someone playing the zhongruan. I was instantly smitten! Aesthetically, the instrument was near otherworldly, and the sound was captivating, alluring. That one You Tube video would change my musical life forever.
The wait was agony. I felt like a child undergoing the longest Christmas Eve of his life. This may sound rather “Newagey” but I was spiritually preparing myself for the DaRuan. I had more than enough time to reflect and ponder the significance of my fourth ruan in 17 years. Keep in mind, for the first five years I had the zhongruan I played it exclusively. I stopped playing the guitar entirely (let that sink in). I was so immersed, so captivated, and so enthralled with the “zhong” that I lost all interest in the guitar (I had a 12er and a Strat at the time).
And now I have a DaRuan.
First things first. The packaging. The instrument arrived in a sarcophagus of Styrofoam incased in a strong cardboard box, well taped and well stapled together securely. I’ve been buying instruments online for over a decade. When it comes to packaging I’ve see the excellent and the amateurish. NS Musical, with their excellent packaging, excelled in keeping the DaRuan stable during shipping.
Upon opening the box I went through the sensations most people do at getting a new instrument – mild adrenaline rush, head filled with the promise of good things to come, and then I saw it. I was standing in the presence of a DaRuan. It’s huge! It easily stands as tall as a ten year old child. The DaRuan is a substantial instrument, most impressive. It weighs in at over 12pounds easily (that’s heavier than a Les Paul for you guitar players out there). The circular body is 20” across. It’s over 4”deep, and just shy of 43” long. That’s a good amount of wood, and all of it beautiful. Speaking of wood, the frame and neck of this instrument is made from “mountain elm.” I was very intrigued to learn this, as this wood to my knowledge, is never used in Western guitar building. The customary woods historically have been mahogany, maple, rosewood, ovankol, koa, and occasionally, cypress. Never elm. I wondered beforehand how resonant elm could be. I was in for a surprise.
Build quality:
The fit and finish is excellent. The DaRuan has a very clean and sharp design; hard to go wrong with a circle. The body wood, the elm, has a matte finish in a dark “wine red.” Another deal maker for me for this ruan is the fret position dots. I found this unique, as my last three instruments had no position markers of any kind. The dots appear flat, until seen in certain light angles, and then they look like abalone. Anything that helps me find my place on the fingerboard is greatly appreciated. The frets are well installed and easily accessible. Given the DaRuan’s girth, a normal guitar stand may not be as stabilizing. I recommend an “A” frame stand, which I found best suited for the instrument. Because of its lack of ornament some may consider the Yuehai 521 a “Plain Jane.” To me it’s strikingly beautiful.
Playability:
If you’re accustomed to playing a zhongruan, or the smaller xiaoruan, the DaRuan will definitely be a challenge. I can only speak for myself, but I had great difficulty trying to play it seated in a chair. When it comes to playing an instrument like the zhong or DaRuan, leverage, balance and angle are everything. Just a couple of centimeters can make a world of difference in playing comfort and accessibility. This instrument is even more unforgiving than the zhongruan. Because of the width of the circular body it was hard to keep it from sliding off my lap. I’ve watched a number of videos and I’m astounded as to how those players can keep it stable and play. Though I long to learn to play seated I found a remedy totally by accident. One night I was playing the DaRuan on my couch (not the best idea), and I couldn’t make it work. Out of frustration I slid off the couch, ruan in hand. I crossed my legs as I became seated, left leg under right. The ruan landed on my right heel and slid into place, and just like that it was at the best angle for playing. I couldn’t believe it! Resting on my right foot I had all the balance I needed and I could adjust the angle with my right heel. I reveled as I played with ease. I don’t recommend playing the instrument like this, but if you want to play seated on the floor this is a good way to go. What I found ironic about playing the ruan in this fashion is that sitarists play similarly, but use their left foot as an anchor to play.
Sound:
This portion coincides with playability, as you get out of the instrument what you put into it. The choice of picks to use to approach the instrument, while not being crucial, is highly important, and of course, it’s not just the picks you use but how you use the picks you use. I have a HUGE collection of guitar picks and several picks exclusively designed for the ruan. My picks run from the solid construction of ruan picks (I think 1.0mm) to guitar picks going up to 6.0mm. The ruan picks deliver the traditional sound of the instrument; loud without being shrill or brittle, great dynamic range, and a presence that can fill a room. The thicker picks, from 3.0mm to 6.0mm, reduce volume but the tone becomes warmer and rounder. For recording purposes, I often alternate between three picks – ruan pick, and 3 to 6.0mm. That’s three different distinct tonalities. For recording in stereo I can layer those sounds to great effect.
Conclusion:
If you’re adventurous and like a challenge, the Yuehai 521 Entry - Level DaRuan may be the string instrument for you. Be advised guitarists out there. The DaRuan is not a guitar, and if approached as such you’ll be sorely disappointed. But if you can play guitar you have a doorway in. The Yuehai is a well made and beautiful sounding instrument. It has a great volume and a more than robust tone. It can be the stepping stone to a grand journey into a different “ocean of music.”
I’m 71 years old, and I’m constantly surprised at what life can show you.
I bought this yangqin and I really love it. One leg of the stand arrived broken, but the customer service was excellent, perfect, and very caring. They arranged to have a replacement shipped to me immediately, with no problems. The process was very easy and it was great to interact with a real person instead of a robot or AI. I feel very valued as a customer. Learning to tune the instrument was a challenging puzzle, but I solved it.
The Huqiu 70th Anniversary Edition rosin comes in beautifully designed packaging and features a new formulation developed with advanced technology. It's absolutely worth the price. As always, Huqiu delivers top-tier quality. Highly recommended!
This is an outstanding instrument — a great choice for both beginners and performers. The build quality is excellent, and the service from NS Musical is always reliable and professional.
YueHai is a fantastic brand! This yangqin is beautifully crafted with excellent build quality and a gorgeous appearance. The sound is rich and clear, and the price is very reasonable — truly great value for the money. Definitely a 5-star purchase! Big thanks to Duoduo from customer service for the warm and helpful support!
This guzheng is of excellent quality — I really love Dunhuang products. I checked out many online stores, and NS Musical has the most complete and professional selection. Shipping costs for guzhengs can be high, so I worked with the seller to arrange sea shipping, which saved me a lot. The shipping fee was just under $200. I highly recommend using sea shipping!
Amazing yangqin quality at a great price! Highly recommend this store for big instruments like guzheng, guqin, and yangqin. Talk to the seller about sea shipping — it saved me a lot! Shipping for my yangqin was just a little over $100.
I previously bought a Lu Linsheng erhu in China, and I’m so happy to find a matching bow from the same brand at NS Musical! The quality is excellent. The purple bamboo bow is strong, flexible, and feels solid and steady when playing.
Dunhuang is a trusted brand with a long history. The customer service was excellent—very patient and helpful whenever I had questions. The sound quality is great too. Overall, it was a wonderful shopping experience!
I got a custom-made purple bamboo erhu bow just for myself—and it’s absolutely fantastic! The craftsmanship is top-notch and it feels great to play with. Couldn't be happier!
A friend recommended this guzheng, and I'm so glad they did! It looks elegant and has a bright, clear tone. The seller was super patient and helpful with setup and tuning instructions. As a beginner, this instrument is more than enough. I’ll definitely come back if I need anything else!
This guzheng exceeded my expectations! The craftsmanship is beautiful, and the tone is clear and warm—perfect for beginners like me. It came with everything I needed right out of the box, and the setup was simple thanks to the detailed instructions. Customer support was responsive and friendly too. I’m really happy with this purchase and would definitely recommend it to anyone starting their guzheng journey.
Absolutely love this guzheng! Everything was included—no need to buy extra parts. The setup guide was super clear, with step-by-step instructions on assembly, tuning, and even how to take care of the instrument. Quality feels solid and reliable, just like you'd expect from a well-known brand. The customer service team was great too. Most importantly, the sound is rich and beautiful. As a beginner, I couldn’t ask for more—great value and totally satisfied!
I had ordered the C dizi first and then the D dizi about some months later.
Both came with the standard membranes, wood block, adhesive, and tassel.
The C dizi I ordered: possessed a darker and smoother texture, accompanied by a brighter red decorative tassel.
The D dizi I ordered: possessed a slightly lighter color and a "rougher" yet smooth texture, accompanied by a darker red simplified tassel.
Due to my larger stature and longer fingers, the C dizi was easier for me to play and covered a good number of songs I had known.
However, the D dizi is also a solid choice for beginners due to many popular songs being associated with that key.
It took me a solid few days to learn to play my first dizi but once you get used to your first dizi with all its fingerings and embouchure (mostly the embouchure, the fingerings are the easy part), learning new songs and playing higher keys become easier.
IMPORTANT EDIT:
Make absolutely sure that your "dimo" (membrane) is applied CORRECTLY. I was having trouble trying to play the D dizi and most of my playing problems have been resolved.
I just received the erhu and wanted to be thorough before leaving a review. To be responsible both to myself and the maker, I had two erhu teachers take a close look at it. They both said the materials were excellent and the sound quality was great. I’m really happy with this purchase. The customer service was also super helpful and responsive. I’ll definitely recommend this shop to my friends if they’re looking for an erhu!
The strings are excellent! After installing them, I tested the sound and it was amazing—clear and rich. The seller was super helpful, and shipping was fast and smooth. Highly recommend!
This is my second time buying these strings. As a longtime erhu enthusiast, I’ve tried all kinds of brands—Fangfang, Thomastik, Dunhuang—but nothing feels quite like Huqiu erhu strings. The tone is rich, the response is great, and the feel is just amazing. Totally my go-to now!
I've been using these strings on my ruans for years. They are exemplary in every way! Depending on how you use your pick, you can get your instrument to either bark like a dog, or coo like a dove and everything in between. I highly recommend them.
The flute is high quality and customer service is excellent, it is my first dizi so learning to play is a challenge but every little note I manage is full of vibrancy and colour, it came included with everything shown, the quality is high and the dizi feels sturdy. The wood is incredibly dark, at first I believed it to be plastic but once I shown light on it I was surprised by a beautiful dark wood grain.
This is by no means a full review. I will submit one after I've had the instrument a while. For now, I'll say that the 521 Yuehai DaRuan is an amazing instrument. I'm having to alter my playing style to play the ruan, but the volume, sustain and tone of the 521 is very good. So far, it was definitely worth the wait. It is also quite striking in its appearance.
I love the erhu instrument.. excellent customer service .... just needs English instructions for the application of Rosin and general set up of the erhu when being shipped to USA.
The stand has a chip in the connecting panel. Other than that, it only needs to be tuned. It was a Christmas gift for my wife, who was brought up in China and played a small version as a young person. She just loves it. It is truly a work of art.
This was a gift for my husband because he wants to learn how to play. He was very happy to get it! I appreciate being able to find it and receive it in a timely manner. Thank you!
Sounds Great, I ordered a G Hulusi, which plays diatonically in Western Key of D. However, the drones are on the 2 and 6 intervals of D major (notes E and B) so with the drones out you hear more of an E minor sound.
I wasn't expecting that - love how easy it is to circular breath and keep the drone sound going!
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Processing Time:
All orders will be processed within 1–3 business days.
Small & Lightweight Items:
We typically ship small and lightweight items via E-Packet (Postal Service), 4PX, or similar logistics providers.
Estimated Delivery Time: 10–20 business days
Medium-Sized Items:
Instruments like the Erhu or Guzheng are considered medium-sized. These are usually shipped via E-Packet, DHL, FedEx, or equivalent international carriers.
Estimated Delivery Time: 7–20 business days
Large Items:
Larger instruments such as the Yangqin are shipped using economical sea freight services to ensure safe and cost-effective delivery.
Estimated Delivery Time: 25–30 business days
FL-ZHU No.9801 Blue F Professional Erhu Strings The FL-ZHU No.9801 Blue F Erhu Strings are designed for professional players, advanced students, and musicians preparing for Erhu examinations. As part of the FL-ZHU professional string series, the No.9801 set provides a smooth, bright, and transparent...
Pirastro Red Dragon Erhu Strings are a premium, Germany-made set designed specifically for professional erhu performances. Created by Pirastro, a world-renowned company with a legacy dating back to 1798, these strings are engineered to deliver stable, beautiful sound on the erhu, with a special...
The Huqiu 1213 (Gold Medal) Performance Grade Erhu Strings are crafted from imported German high-quality steel and offer a perfect blend of traditional craftsmanship and modern manufacturing. These strings are designed to meet the needs of professional performers, delivering exceptional tonal clarity, uniform tension,...
