Cebu’s Famous Guitars
Guitars especially made from Cebu are famous throughout the Philippines because of their affordable price, world-class quality and durability.
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.
The center of the guitar-making industry in Cebu is in Lapu-Lapu City in Mactan Island. In addition, other string musical instruments made in Lapu-Lapu City include ukuleles, banjos, and mandolins.
The most famous guitar makers in Lapu-Lapu City are the Alegre and Malingin families. They also have guitar stores in Lapu-Lapu. The Lumanog family of Pampanga used to sell guitars from Cebu. (Updated 09/05/2011)
The guitar-making industry in Lapu-Lapu City started when the Spanish friars assigned in Cebu needed to repair the guitars they were using. Instead of waiting for the guitars to arrive from Mexico, they commissioned the townspeople of Opon village in Mactan Island to make new guitars and repair the existing guitars they had; thus began the guitar industry in Cebu.
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 hand-made and people who want personalized guitars can order them custom-made according to their own design requirements.
Several music stores in SM City Cebu sell Cebu-made guitars and string instruments. Nevertheless, the center of specialty stores in Cebu City selling guitars and other string instruments is in Lincoln Street near the Carbon Market district. The whole stretch of Lincoln Street on both sides has stores selling guitars and other string instruments made from Lapu-Lapu City and other places in Cebu.
According to a newspaper report, the current worldwide financial crisis has not affected the guitar-making industry in Cebu. There is still a continuous demand from locals and foreign tourists in spite of the entry of imported guitars from China.
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.
So if you are a tourist visiting Cebu and want to have a high-quality guitar, buy locally made guitars and experience the unique guitar sound produced by the province’s guitar makers.
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Hi Robert! Everything Cebu is a lifestyle site and we not really experts on guitars. Let’s hope that somebody knowledgeable can read your question and provide answers. Good luck!
Has anyone compared the durability, playability and freedom from warping between the Cebu guitars and those made in China?
Thanks, Robert
Hi Roger!
We have a write-up on Alegre Guitars. Please visit http://www.everythingcebu.com/bits-and-pieces/alegre-guitar-factory/ for more details.
I bought an Alegre guitar in Lapu Lapu. It is an Ovation style with internal pickup and tuner. It played very nice and looks good and sounded good. I paid 14,000 Peso. But after 3 months when I got back to the US the bottom bulged out ad it is no longer playable. I took it to 3 different luthiers in US and they all said it was not properly constructed (No x bracing). It is unrepairable. Now I am going back to Cebu in a January 2012 and want to return it for credit against a new guitar.Ihave been unable to contact Alegre directly. Does anyone have a e mail or phone number?
[...] popular with local and Filipino expats, who like to buy them as gifts or souvenirs. According to EverythingCebu, Cebu-made guitars use a variety of soft and hard wood (jackfruit, narra, black wood ebony and [...]
To Kieth and others who bought instruments from Cebu guitar makers
EverythingCebu.com is in no way connected with these guitar makers, so you would most likely be better off expressing your concerns to them directly.
I recently bought a ukulele through the mail from one of the supposedly better luthier/guitar shops mentioned in the above article.
It arrived damaged by the case I was persuaded to buy due to shoddy construction.
The instrument came with guitar pegs rather than proper ukulele pegs as shown in the photo I was sent. The guitar pegs require that a great amount of execess string be wrapped around them in order to keep the angle correct to keep the strings from popping out of the slots on the nut.
The job on the nut is a massacre and I could do better with a modified hacksaw blade. I have since learned that the luthiers use proper nut files , so i don’t know how they messed it up so bad, they were either in a hurry or drunk.
The ukulele neck and sound box are beautiful, but because someone was cutting corners to save a few pesos, I now have a ukulele that is un playable.. very disappointing : (
Feel free to contact me : honipop@yahoo.com
Hi Julie! We are not the ones selling the guitars; we only featured them. Please check out the contact numbers posted.
Hi Zen! For high quality and affordable guitars, try the following shops located in Lapu-Lapu:
Susing’s Guitars
Contact Numbers: +63 (32) 5050723 or +63915-6700680
Web site: http://susingsguitar.net/
Guitar Master
Contact Numbers +63 (32) 495-2412 / +63920-224-3767
Alegre Guitars is also a recommended shop but we couldn’t find their contact number. When you are in Lapu-Lapu, try to ask around. Good luck!
i bought a guitar in alegre for my son a year ago and found out just recently that the neck got broken in the sixth month. I soon learned that the price i paid for was a rip off…they actually give different price to different people for the same thing. if you’re a local you could get the same guitar for less…i should have bought a yamaha instead…. Dont ever buy an alegre guitar…and if you must then try to bargain or just walk away.
Tagpila ang pinakabarato nga classical guitar para sa beginner?
salamat
i want a cebu guitar who can get one for me?
I want to learn how to make a guitar which is my passion and dream.
I can play classical guitar and now I am retired I want to fulfill my dream.
Can you kindly help me find a place that teaches this craft.
I will be going to Cebu soon to see things for myself.
Paul Chan.
hello fe,
i suggest you visit either Susing’s Guitar or Alegre Guitars
if you need quality ukulele, go to those with factories
you will see how your ukuleles are made plus you know who to contact incase you need something else
betina
hey!
thanks for the info betina!
i am planning to buy a guitar made in Cebu. i will probably head out to Susing’s Guitar.
i was able to read a blog – http://www.igougo.com/review-r1186426-Guitar_factories.html
it was about a review on the guitar factories in lapulapu city
they mentioned this:
Alegre Guitar Factory has the most impressive looking guitar factory in Abuno.
For the serious music hobbyist, however, the best-sounding guitars (in our opinion) are made and sold by Susing’s Guitars, a few meters down the road from Alegre. Some of the guitars sounded at least as good as Yamahas, for half the price
can you check the information you posted in this site!
“The most famous guitar makers in Lapu-Lapu City are the families of the Alegre, Lumanog and Malingin. All of them also have guitar stores in Lapu-Lapu.”
do you know that the Lumanogs are from Pampanga and not from Cebu!!!
get your facts straight. you can google it, you know before posting it!
from what i know, there are only 2 guitar factories in Lapulapu City – Susing’s Guitar & Alegre Guitars (check out the map provided by the Department of Tourism)
those guitars sold in stores near the Old Mactan Bridge – are made by people who do not have factories but who possessed guitar-making skills
guitar making in Cebu is believed to have been started by the Malingin siblings – Susing, Lilang and Quirico
Susing’s Guitar is now owned & operated by her son Lucrecio Valiente
Lilang’s Guitar is no longer in business. It is bought by Alegre Guitars (owned by Alicia Alegre, daughter of Lilang)
Inday Celia’s Guitar is still open and is operated by Quirico & Cecilia Malingin
The three stores have different specialties.
Susing,s Guitar – recommended for serious music lovers and beginners alike for its very good sound quality and durability.they produce pocket-friendly guitars. they export ukuleles to the US and Asia and guitars to Europe.
they may not have an impressive factory unlike Alegre Guitars but when buying guitars, what matters is the quality & the price
Alegre Guitars – impressive factory, nice guitars but really expensive
they have guitars that cost as much as Php50,000 or $1,000.
a tip, before buying a guitar in this store, try checking out Susing’s Guitar because they most of the time, they have the same products but at half the price. the reason why Alegre Guitars charge as much is that they need to give commission to the tourist guide that they ask to bring the tourist to their store
Inday Celia Guitars – relatively cheap guitars but quality-wise, not really that good
Another store still located in Abuno Lapu-lapu City – Jerry’s Guitar
Son of Susing & brother of Lucrecio. They sell cheap guitars.
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hi..I am Mrs. Lumanta,,a music teacher in Ormoc City Sped Center, ORMOC City..I am planning to buy ukeleles and guitar there in CEBU CITY to be used in my music class..I hope I could get your contact number so that I can call you and ask informations about your guitars and ukelelees..thank you and God bless..