Behind the World’s Biggest Guitar-Maker

Can you believe it? Zheng’an, a severely impoverished town in China’s Guizhou Province, transformed itself from zero industry to the world’s largest guitar manufacturer in less than a decade! So what new ideas are they seeing in production and what’s so unique about Zheng’an’s handcrafted guitars?
In this episode of I am in China with Jack, our host travels to Zheng’an to find out what's behind this incredible transformation.

[@randomname931]

very smart of them to start making their own brands and not just stick to being low cost manufacturers.

[@jackzeinder1705]

The edit and quality content. Subscribed

[@poconosgiant3255]

Amazing

[@davidlalremruata]

Electric guitars?

[@manofthepeople2165]

Indo makes a lot of electrics. Almost all the import acoustics are from China.

[@user-fi6qg4wz1t]

ننل

[@jonathanjuliman5628]

American die hard loyalists will pay a premium, if not their entire life savings just to buy an overpriced Martin/Gibson/Taylor. Chinese guitars nowadays have stepped up their quality and most importantly, THEIR VALUE for consumers. No point buying a Martin D18/D28 or a Taylor 200/300/900/etc etc for 3k-10k USD, because I can get the same level of workmanship with less bucks wasted for a Chinese Guitar.

[@rustyshackleford9557]

Yes but so many lawyers, promotion and advertising executives would suffer to the point of maybe not getting a fancy dinner or vacation. Gibson spent around 100 million dollars last year in print and media advertising . You aren't just buying a Gibson! You are buying drinks, dinner and homes for Gibson lawyers and add execs! Lol

[@stanbimi]

To get rich (or rather to get out of poverty), build the roads first. China's infrastructure projects lead the way to business opportunities. This requires strong central government, exactly the opposite of the "Libertarian ideology" in the US.

[@caseyisaretard]

Also low pay and long hours and no safety standards will help

[@stanbimi]

​@@caseyisaretardIt's the difference between countries & citizens who are willing to pay the price to improve their lives versus those that are complacent and wallow in dilapidated systems. It had been an arduous 40+ years for China to dig itself out of a deep hole. Much has changed.

[@howabouthetruth2157]

So go live under communism in China. Do it........I dare you.

[@monkeysweeperguitar]

Zheng’an translated into English is: Cheap Crap City. So this is where all the cheap pieces of crap come from that make everyone quit guitar. Duly noted.

[@EM-km8em]

Lmao you decide what to spend your money on. Nobody forced you to quit guitar.

[@monkeysweeperguitar]

@@EM-km8em been playing for 30 years and haven’t quit yet. Then again, I don’t own any cheap Chinese crap.

[@EM-km8em]

@@monkeysweeperguitar You said everyone that includes you.

[@rustyshackleford9557]

Folks quit guitar for the same reason they quit diets, working out or any other hobby or interest they begin. Almost EVERY guitar ever will require a set up after purchase. All of em! Parents and guitar buyers often fail to do their homework and LEARN that their new guitar needs some final adjustments after purchase. Folks fail due to laziness and lack of self discipline mostly. I am a professional gigging musician and I often use Chinese built guitars that cost under 100$. Most folks simply can't play and don't accept their own lack of work and discipline as their reason for failure.

[@monkeysweeperguitar]

@@rustyshackleford9557hahahaha! Playing $40 bar gigs to 5 people/night, after your shift at McDonald's, doesn't make you a "professional" musician.