ok.... some how today is ur lucky day...  

Few quest... and answer to ur quest.

1. where r u now ? Malaysia or aboard... if in Malaysia; location pls... as tis will help me to give u precise info.
2. if zero back ground in music.. never mind as the music score can be different from the normal musical notes...
3. I dun play a guzheng (i am a Sax player  ) but my 2 daughters do.... i have 3 guzhengs @ home... 1 is a 21 nylon strings, 1 is a 23 steel strings and the other is a 21 nylon strings (note A) due to its size... we bought it just like tat ... until today i dun no why ! .. but handy when travelling....
4. u need to buy a guzheng for practice..... i dun think tat there is any shop renting one @ the moment......
5. there are 2 major school / clan / syllabus i should say in Malaysia ... the Dong huang and the Beijing orchestra ... one is easy and the other one is intersiting...............
the Dong Huang will be using the steel strings while the Beijing use the nylon strings and turtle shell nails....
6. my gals started about .. well i can say 5yrs ago.... both in the steel strings .... after both of the passed their Grade 3 test... one of the option to drop out to concentrate in her Dip. Music in piano while not neglecting her SPM.(O level). (guzheng is the second/ third instrument to them).
My younger daughter quit Dong Huang syllabus and joined the Beijing syllabus as she finds it more challenging.. so from Grade 1 again after 2 yrs in the previous one......within 3yrs she made to Grade 7 now... passed her Grade 5 exam early last yr....... so its not that bad as far as i notice.
7. price wise of quzheng varies....... depends ur budget and generousity..... i say from RM few hundreds to thousands..... from a normal plywood to a soild zither wood.

i hope tis will give u a starting point ......