How are the sound boards dried? And whats the effect on the sound?
There are 3 different drying methods that are adopted by the guzheng factories, 100% natural air-drying, oven drying, and flame drying. Xi’an Scarlet Bird brand guzhengs, Taiwan guzhengs, some Yangzhou brands and some Henan brands use 100% air-drying method. It requires wood to expose to natural air for at least 1 yr after it’s cut. The result is a warm wood tone that no others can compare. The color of the sound board retains the natural wood color in light yellow. Shanghai guzhengs are famous for their oven-drying method. The sound board is brown in color. It puts sound boards in a big heating oven with humidity control. The result of this method offers a crispy and sweet tone that many people fall in love with right away. Yangzhou guzhengs are known for their flame-drying method. This uses a fire gun directly flame the sound boards and yields a charcoal color board. It is the most cost-effective method, since the board can be dried in just a few hours. However, the sound of flame-dr
