Mexican instruments

[rebus]

Hello,

don't know if someone can help me here, but I am planning to be in Mexico next August and I would like to buy a traditional instrument there, possibly a vihuela or a jarana jarocha. The point is that, after landing in Mexico City and staying there for maybe a couple of days, I will move to the South next (Chiapas and Yucatan), where I guess such instruments will be much harder to find. But maybe something can be found, at least in DF? I hope so.

Anyway, do you have any suggestions, or maybe you know a good place to look for such a thing? Thanks in advance

[DavidKOS]

Actually the city that is best known for guitars is Paracho in Michoacan.

http://www.adip.info/2003_2004/feb/09-paracho.php

"there are more guitar makers in the small town of Paracho (population 30,000) then in the whole of the United States"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paracho

"Paracho is well known throughout both Mexico and elsewhere in the world as hub of lutherie. This is because they are reputed to make the best sounding guitars and vihuelas in all of Mexico. "

http://www.foroflamenco.com/tm.asp?m...ode=&s=#259993

Bien suerte

[rebus]

Thanks! I have heard of Paracho, unfortunately it is too far away from my itinerary. Hope to manage to find something on my path anyway, otherwise I will save the money to upgrade my mandolin

[DavidKOS]

Try to find out wherever you go where the local professional musicians get their instruments. They may lead you to the right makers or stores.

[Frank Russell]

Make an offer. Years ago, unable to find a guitarron in a store, I bought one off a mariachi in the square where they all congregate after work in Tijuana. Mexico City should have some decent music stores, full of guitars made in Paracho. Be warned, they also make some tourist industry-aimed clunkers in Paracho as well as the great ones. Frank

[zedmando]

If I had the means to travel it would be cool to get an instrument from each--something that reflects that place.

Best wishes in the search.

[David Newton]

I wonder about Paracho instruments, as the last few I have had in my shop were made in China, with a Paracho label.
There must be some "outsourcing" going on.

[rebus]

Make an offer. Years ago, unable to find a guitarron in a store, I bought one off a mariachi in the square where they all congregate after work in Tijuana.

Good suggestion, I did so in Cuba when I wanted to buy a tres, and it was lot of fun! Everyone seemed to have one to sell, and they were inviting me to their houses to see it and try it, nice experience :D

[Clement Barrera-Ng]

Along the line of purchasing an instrument from a street player: I would also walk up to different musicians and just ask them where are all the music stores in town and where all the guitar luthiers and repair people hang out. DF is a big city and I'm sure there are lots of places to go. I'd also check out guitar forums as well to seek out where are some of the reputable classical/spanish guitar shops are.

Have fun down there.

[k0k0peli]

Driving back north from Guatemala and Chiapas a few years ago, we stopped in Paracho, Michoacan and I spent the day wandering through lutheries and playing some of the finest guitars I've ever touched. Alas, our car was literally packed to the roof, with only room for a cuatro-menor the size of a fat mando. (I nearly bought an indigenous 3-string standup bass in Antigua, Guatemala but didn't want to leave it strapped to the roof for weeks.) If things settle a bit in Mexico, we'll drive back to Paracho and I'll make SURE the car has room for a guitar or three, and/or maybe a tres and a few other goodies.

No, not everything in Paracho is exquisite. Many tourista-grade items hang on shop walls. I noticed that in Taxco, Guerrero everybody sells silver (not all of it good) and in Paracho, everybody sells instruments (not all of them good). In Taxco and Paracho it doesn't matter what the store is -- hardware, cookware, auto parts, baby supplies, booze -- they sell the local specialty too.

Yeah, down in Chiapas and the Yucatan states, you'll find many marimbas and fewer guitar-like lutes. Also some interesting percussion, including repos of animal-form Mayan clay drums, ocarinas, etc. In Chiapas, I saw (but was in a rush and didn't have time to sample) instrument shops in the capitol Tuxtla Gutierrez and tourist-trap Palenque. I spent a few months in San Cristóbal de Las Casas and, except for quality marimbas, saw mostly rough indigenous stringed instruments.

[rebus]

Lots of info here. Thanks a lot!