First, the positioning should be clear.
You need to know whether you need to practice the guzheng with ordinary quality or with high quality. My suggestion is that beginners don't have to buy advanced guzheng directly unless you are sure to persist in learning to a higher level. In fact, the general guzheng can fully meet the needs of beginners' daily practice and general performance. If the performance level is improved in the future and there is a requirement to use a higher-grade guzheng, you can buy another one then. This helps to avoid waste. Some students bought an expensive guzheng at the beginning, but they couldn't learn it after studying for several months, so the high-grade guzheng they bought before could only be idle. This is very wasteful. Therefore, before determining the purchase, you must be clear about your own needs and straighten out your purchase ideas. By the way, we should also properly examine the reputation of nearby music shops.
Second, observe carefully.
At present, there are many manufacturers of guzheng, and their products are also diverse. Some are mother of pearl, some are inlaid with cloisonne, and some are carved with lacquerware. Some use mahogany, some use nanmu, and some use rosewood. Due attention should be paid to the appearance of guzheng, which can indirectly prove the quality of this guzheng. Of course, the final determinant is the workmanship and sound quality of the instrument itself. But it should be pointed out that the sound quality of an unused guzheng is uncertain. The timbre may not be ideal at first, but it will change unexpectedly after a period of use. Similarly, a good timbre at the beginning may lose its original wonderful timbre for various reasons. So you can't rely entirely on the information you got during the audition.
Judging the general quality of a guzheng: first, the workmanship of the panel and the bottom plate. The second is the coordination of appearance. Including the carving of the head and tail of the Zheng, as well as the decoration of the side plates.
I hope you can happily buy your favorite guzheng! !