Mexico Guitar Manufacturing Plaza

Sherman Willden · Post by **Sherman Willden** » 7 Feb 2013 8:43 am

The below URL shows a plaza with guitar manufacturers in Mexico. Do these really exist in Mexico? Has anyone bought a guitar from them? If so, what is the quality of the guitars?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0VaLlMpVn8

Michael Maddex · Post by **Michael Maddex** » 10 Feb 2013 3:36 pm

Nice film clip. I thought that you would have gotten a answer from someone down there in Old Mexico by now. I haven't checked it out myself, but there is at least one town where the sole economy is making and playing fretted instruments. The town is Paracho in Michoacán. Many years ago, a friend brought back a 12-string flattop from there. Hopefully, someone with more recent experience will chime in here.

Sherman Willden · Post by **Sherman Willden** » 11 Feb 2013 7:14 am

Thank you, Michael. I see where they have a National Guitar Festival in Paracho. It would be nice to attend some day.

Michael Maddex · Post by **Michael Maddex** » 18 Mar 2013 11:17 am

The festival is in August, so it might be a little warm down there, but, yes, it would probably be a blast to attend.

If you are still interested in checking out the quality, etc. of the instruments, there is at least one US importer. I picked up this info over in another forum: Berkeley Musical Instrument Exchange is importing some Latin string instruments and some Weissenclones from Paracho. The Weissies look especially interesting to me as they seem to fill the price gap between the Asian copies and the hand-made in the US instruments.

HTH.

Sherman Willden · Post by **Sherman Willden** » 18 Mar 2013 3:18 pm

Thanks Michael

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 19 Mar 2013 7:45 am

I have a Superior Weissenborn from Berkeley Music and like it a lot. It is a fine instrument.

Tony Glassman · Post by **Tony Glassman** » 19 Mar 2013 8:40 am

In the late 60s and early 70s I spent alot of time in Mexico City.

About 45 years ago I went to a small neighborhood within Mex DF which had three or four family guitar building operations clustered together. The area looked similar to the one in the movie clip. I had a classical guitar with a lower bout cutaway custom-built for about $45.

My classical guitar instructor thought it was a travesty and forbid me to bring that guitar to any subsequent lessons. I ultimately sold it about 100 bucks

Sherman Willden · Post by **Sherman Willden** » 19 Mar 2013 1:11 pm

That sounds good, Erv.

So about 1963 and I'm a junior in high school in Colorado Springs and had a part-time job. I walk into Johnny Smiths place with my Silvertone f-top to see about instructions. Someone, not Johnny Smith, said Nope, not without buying something better like this one for $120.00 IIRC. Couldn't afford the $120 then but I'm sure I missed out on some great instruction and advice.