Guitar brand in tune with China’s manufacturing reform

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Europe

I have liked guitars about as long as I can remember, not just playing (however badly), but also the way they are built – the sounds, the electronics, and wood used.

I’d heard about a Chinese brand of guitar called Shengze.

It stood out for a number of reasons – chiefly, it was affordable, looked great, and was the only Chinese guitar maker I could think of selling guitars globally.

I reached out to the head of the company, Jason Jia.

He’s fresh out of MBA school in Australia and is trying to make a name for himself selling quality affordable instruments.

Jia told me he is wrestling with perceptions of China-made goods. “Maybe you see product made in China and that means bad quality,” he said.

Shengze guitars. The brown two tone is made out of two kinds of maple. /CGTN Photo

We met at a small factory about an hour’s drive outside of Weifang, in eastern China.

Right now, Shengze Guitar is only making about 200 guitars a month.

Jia said his business plan dovetails perfectly with President Xi Jinping’s call to improve manufacturing quality in China, to go from “Made in China” to “Created in China.”

His guitars look slick.

Shengze uses mahogany, elm, maple, rosewood, ebony to build the guitars.

You can order one from China and have it shipped to the United States for about 300 US dollars.

Shengze guitars getting ready to be shipped /CGTN Photo

Jia said he is also fighting China’s reputation for counterfeiting major US labels like Gibson and Fender

Again, China’s government wants to protect its intellectual property – and get away from knock-offs.

Jia’s models may look like some famous Fender and Gibson products, but there are enough differences that his lawyers say he is operating legally.

“Counterfeits hurt the consumer,” Jia said. “But, they also hurt me.”

He is competing against counterfeits as well.

Shengze will never be confused with ultra-high-end guitars, but that is to be expected.

Jia wants to carve out his niche in getting affordable guitars that look great into people’s hands. It’s going to be tough. It is a crowded market and he has a lot to overcome.

Jia said the real hope is to hook up with an international supplier and hopefully make his Chinese brand a household name.