Made to Order — Custom Guqin

$14,999.00

Made to Order — Custom Guqin

Name: Made to Order — Custom Guqin
Brand: seven-string qin
Price: 14999.00 USD
Availability: OutOfStock

$14,999.00

Would you like to own a family heirloom?

A bespoke guqin is a statement of personal taste — an instrument that is entirely your own, one of a kind in the world. It is a choice of refinement, distinction, and character. Throughout Chinese history, scholars and players of the qin have always owned one or even several instruments made to their own vision. A commissioned guqin brings a rare and elevated elegance into your home that nothing else can.

Crafted by a Master's Hand, Not a Master's Name

Each guqin in our workshop is made by a senior craftsman with over 20 years of dedicated experience — not a celebrated name, but a lifetime of quiet mastery.

A guqin is two things at once: a fine musical instrument and a work of lacquer art. These two pursuits demand entirely different disciplines, and both must be mastered.

The hollow chamber is carved entirely by hand — chisel stroke by chisel stroke. The craftsman carves, then tunes. Carves again, then listens. This cycle repeats until the chamber resonates exactly as it should. Every decision serves the sound.

The lacquer is a separate pursuit altogether. Coat after coat is applied, dried, and polished — not merely to protect the wood, but to create a surface worthy of being called art. A fine lacquer finish is judged by its depth, its texture, its quiet luminosity. It is the work of a lacquer artist, not just an instrument maker.

To own a guqin at this level is to own both: an instrument built for music, and an object built for beauty.

At this price point, you are not paying for a signature. You are paying for two lifetimes of craft — one devoted to sound, one devoted to lacquer — brought together in a single instrument.

Made to Order — Bespoke Guqin, Crafted to Your Vision

We accept commissions for fully personalized guqin, built to traditional Chinese forms. The specific style is selected by the client and confirmed via email before production begins.

Standard Specification

Soundboard: Reclaimed century-old Chinese fir from demolished traditional houses
Ground coat: Deer antler velvet putty
Hui markers: Mother-of-pearl inlay
Strings: Steel strings
Finish: Raw lacquer, applied over multiple coats
Body colour: Any colour from our swatch card — please specify your choice upon ordering
Inscription: Carved on the back panel
Other fittings: Standard workshop specification

Why Century-Old Timber?

The choice of soundboard material is not aesthetic — it is acoustic and structural.

Timber reclaimed from century-old traditional houses has spent generations slowly releasing its moisture, oils, and resins in open air. By the time it reaches our workshop, the wood has reached a state of natural equilibrium that no kiln-drying process can replicate. Its cellular structure has become dense and stable: it will not warp, it will not crack, and it will not shift with the seasons.

This stability is essential in a guqin. The instrument's voice lives in the resonance of its chamber — and that resonance depends on wood that has already settled into itself. Fresh timber, however well-seasoned by modern standards, continues to move. Old timber has already finished moving.

Combined with a finish of natural putty and raw lacquer — materials that breathe with the wood rather than sealing against it — the result is an instrument of extraordinary longevity. Guqin made by these methods have survived intact for centuries, and in some cases over a millennium, under reasonable storage conditions. This is not craftsmanship that ages. It is craftsmanship that endures.

Optional Upgrades (by arrangement)

Silk strings
Gold hui markers
Jade tuning pegs
Jade inlay on the headstock
Antiqued finish — aged lacquer treatment for a classical, time-worn aesthetic

Upgrade options are available upon request and will be quoted separately.

Crafting Time & Process

The video above offers a glimpse into the key stages of making — from the first chisel cuts to the final sound test. What the camera cannot fully convey is the sheer repetition that defines this craft.

The application of putty and raw lacquer is not a single step. Each coat is applied by hand, then the instrument is placed in a yīn fáng (荫房) — a humidity-controlled curing room — where it rests for approximately two weeks before the next coat can begin. This cycle is repeated seven to eight times or more, with each pass assessed by an experienced craftsman who judges by eye and touch whether the surface is ready to receive the next layer.

There is no shortcut. No machine can replicate this judgment. The number of coats, the timing of each, and the decision to proceed — all of this rests with the craftsman alone.

As a result, production time for a commissioned guqin — and indeed for any instrument finished in genuine raw lacquer — is 24 to 30 months. This is not a delay. It is the process.

After placing your order, we will contact you by email to confirm the style and any customization details before work begins.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is this a finished product available for immediate delivery?
A: No. Every guqin is made to order. There is no stock — your instrument does not exist until you commission it.

Q: Will I receive updates during the making process?
A: Yes. We will send you a small selection of photographs approximately every three months, so you can follow the progress of your instrument and discuss any details along the way.

Q: Can I cancel my order or request a refund?
A: Once production has begun, we are unable to accept cancellations or issue refunds. Please ensure you are fully committed before placing your order.

Q: How do I choose the style and colour?
A: After placing your order, we will contact you by email to discuss and confirm your preferred style and body colour. All selections are finalised via email before work begins.

Q: Can I request further upgrades beyond the standard specification?
A: Yes. Additional upgrades beyond those listed can be discussed and arranged by email. A separate quotation will be provided and agreed upon before any upgrade work is undertaken.