Zheng'an, a small county nestled in the mountains of southwest China's Guizhou Province, has transformed itself from a poor town into the world's largest guitar producer after more than a decade of determined industrial development.
With an annual output of 2.25 million instruments, Zheng'an now produces one out of every seven guitars worldwide.
But this was not the case over a decade ago. At one point, a third of the local population had left home in search of job opportunities elsewhere, struggling with poor transportation infrastructure and barren land.
Zheng'an's guitar manufacturing journey began in 2012, following a directive from China's State Council encouraging Guizhou Province to develop its industries.
A county survey revealed that up to 54,000 Zheng'an natives were already employed in the guitar manufacturing industry in cities like Guangzhou. Recognizing this opportunity, the county government decided to leverage their skills and experience to build a local guitar industry from the ground up.
Zheng Chuanjiu was the first Zheng'an guitar maker to return home and relocate his factory, the Shenqu Musical Instrument Manufacturing Company, to the Zheng'an guitar cultural industrial park.
"Initially, it was a struggle. Zheng'an lacked a highway until late 2015, which complicated the transport of large equipment. But we persevered, establishing our own packaging and guitar bag factories and encouraging industry partners to invest in raw materials and components. Now, we've developed a nearly self-sufficient industrial chain," Zheng said.
Today, Shenqu exports to over 40 countries and regions around the world. Top-tier brands, including Fender and Ibanez, rely on Shenqu for their production.
"This particular order is for a Japanese brand. Our factory is currently fulfilling their monthly order, which totals over 10,000 guitars," Zheng said.
The factory's high output is underpinned by the expertise of highly skilled guitar craftsmen. In Zheng'an, more than 15,000 workers are now engaged in guitar manufacturing, supporting over 130 factories in the industrial park.
As traditional guitar manufacturing relies heavily on imported wood, including cedar and rosewood, local company Natasha invented an intelligent guitar made of bamboo, which provides a richer playing experience through innovative technologies such as embedded sound cards and chips.
Since its founding in 2016, Natasha's commitment to research and innovation has imbued its guitars with a unique and distinctive character.
"Guitar materials usually originate from various countries, such as mahogany from Africa and rosewood from India. However, what if we reach a point where these woods become unavailable? To tackle this challenge and foster innovation, we have begun developing alternative materials like bamboo for guitar production," said Li Qiwang, manager of the Natasha New Material Line.
In addition to large-scale production, Zheng'an has also attracted master luthiers who create soulful, handcrafted guitars.
Among them is Kurt Hendrick, also known as "Big K", a Texas guitar builder who gained recognition in the 1980s after creating his first guitar for Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top.
Hendrick established his own brand, crafting uniquely shaped and brightly colored solid-body electric guitars. A notable figure in U.S. rock history, Hendrick relocated to China in 1997. In 2023, he chose Zheng'an as the base for launching his new brand in cooperation with Natasha Guitars.
"I've been in Zheng'an for three years, and I've been in this factory for almost a year now. I enjoy it. This town treats me better than any place I've lived in China. This local government and these gentlemen here have helped make it really smooth. Normally it can be a real headache. And I'm telling you an honest truth from my heart: Natasha -- I've been in factories in every country all over the world, and I've been in so many factories in China -- and their company philosophy and the way they treat the people is the best I've seen," Hendrick said.
Master guitar craftsman Zhang Weiyi has experimented with incorporating silver ornaments from the Miao ethnic group into his guitar designs. His handcrafted, customized guitars have attracted buyers from countries like the United States, Germany and Spain, with his most expensive creation selling for 380,000 yuan (about 52,200 U.S. dollars).
In 2022, Zhang's workshop produced 172 guitars worth nearly 1.4 million U.S. dollars.
"Crafting guitars presents unique challenges because players interact directly with the strings. Each instrument demands in-depth communication with the player, as every piece of wood possesses its own character. Creating a great guitar involves unlocking its inherent, natural voice. The recent rise in the quality of handmade guitars in China signifies considerable advancement in the industry," said Zhang.
Zheng'an has also trained over 100 guitar teachers and established guitar classes in all of its primary and secondary schools, providing instrument and singing lessons to nearly 60,000 people.
Encouraged and nurtured by the local government's guitar working group, Zheng'an now boasts over 30 local bands and hosts a countywide rock show every weekend.
"In 2022, we launched public guitar training programs open to all residents, employees, teachers, and students. To date, nearly 70,000 people have participated. Every weekend, our guitar square hosts live performances, inspiring more people to embrace the guitar," said Xue Jun, deputy director of the Guitar Cultural Industry Development Center of Zheng'an.
Sleepy county in SW China emerges as world's largest guitar producer
