Promoting Arts/Products from Region : The New Susing's Guitar

 Promoting Arts/Products from Region : The New Susing's Guitar

Cebuanos are known for their impeccable love for music which is something that is rooted deep in the island's history. They're also known around the world for their high-end guitars. The guitar making industry has been thriving on the island for decades and plays an important role in Cebu's economy.

Guitars, or "gitaras" as their known locally, were first introduced to the island during the Spanish Era, with their name derived from the Spanish word "kitara". Spanish friars brought their "kitaras" with them to the Philippines. As time passed by, their stringed instruments wore out. Sending them to Mexico, their country of origin, for repairs seemed to be impractical. So, they thought of another option; they asked locals from Lapu-Lapu to repair and replicate their instruments. Savvy locals then saw this as a good opportunity to start a business and thus, started one of the oldest industries in Cebu and Lapu-Lapu City.

Cebu has a long history of guitar making due to its traditional industry. Most of the guitar manufacturers are family-owned enterprises passed on from one generation to another. Cebu-made guitars are popular with local tourists and Filipino expatriates, who buy them as gifts, when they go back to the United States or other countries where they have settled. The guitars are also popular with foreign tourists, who buy them as souvenir items.

Typical woods used for Cebu-made guitars are soft and hard woods like jackfruit, narra, black wood ebony, and imported woods. Some guitars have simple designs while others have decorations of intricate designs or inlaid with shell crafts. The guitars made in Lapu-Lapu are all handmade, and people who want personalized guitars can order them custom-made according to their own design requirements.

Guitar making process at The New Susing’s Guitar

STEP1.Assembly

This is where the cutting of the wood takes place. They cut and shape the wood to form the necessary parts of the instrument, then they set them aside for a few days to fully dry. Once the pieces are fully dry, the assembling takes place, putting the pieces together used wood glue and applied pressure.

STEP2.Glossing

When all the necessary parts are glued together, then glossing follows. This process makes the surface flawless by sanding the edges, taking away tiny unnecessary pieces, and bringing life to each piece with nitrocellulose lacquer for a natural wood finish or painting each piece with vibrantly colored painting and incorporating patterns and designs.

STEP3.Quality Control

At this stage each piece is carefully inspected for imperfections.

STEP4.Final Touches

In the final stage, the strings are attached and other finishing touches are made.

Guitars especially made from Cebu are famous throughout the Philippines because of their affordable price, world-class quality and durability.

People say that the melodious tune produced by Cebu-made guitars is due to the exceptional craftsmanship and hard work put by local artisans in the guitars they make.