Description
Not to be confused with the Red Sandalwood (Indian Sandalwood, Pterocarpus santalinus) which costs several times in price per tonne on the international market.
African Sandalwood is a substitute for Red Sandalwood after the year 2006, when the Indian goverenment declared the Red Sandalwood a controlled item, and limits its export, causing the price to sky rocket. Most “Red Sandalwood” erhu today are in fact African Sandalwood. Both woods contain extremely high amounts of silicon in the wood, resulting in resonances in the high registers and strong tensile strength. This is similar to maple and spruce used to make violins. Both also contain a substance Pterocarpin, resulting in the red hue, and thus easily faked as the Red Sanders.
The instrument is a powerful solo instrument when played against a full orchestra, and yet subtle enough for full artistic interpretation by the virtuoso.
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