Spanish guitar specialist Manuel Rodriguez has extolled the virtues of returning to domestic production, having brought all of its manufacturing back from China to Spain, and enjoyed a huge increase in sales.
After 13 years producing guitars in the Far East, the firm decided to bring it all back home to its factory in Toledo and now has production at the same level as it was in China producing 15000 guitars a year.
“China was getting very difficult,” CEO Manuel Rodriguez III, told MMR Global. “For 13 years we had a workshop there but now salaries are going up, labours laws are getting more difficult. The stock market in China is very volatile. Another reason was the currency, but now it’s a lot more even.
“And Spanish guitars must be made in Spain,” he adds.
Since moving production to Spain the firm has hire 50 new luthiers. “We had an 8000 square foot building and with 60 people. Now they were all off doing different things and I’ve hired them all back.”
Rodriguez says the increase in production cost is minimal and is offset against greater control of the processes involved.
“From my perspective we can control the processes better, which means we can be more innovative and we use sustainable processes – solar power, sustainable woods and varnishes. The wood is FSC, so when cut down a tree we have to plant a new one. It’s all dead wood as well, not green wood.”
importantly, in terms of our sales the move has been a success as well he says: “Since we starting saying we were made in Spain we’ve seen that people want to buy Spanish guitars, not Chinese and we’ve seen a 20 per cent increase in sales.”
The shift back to Spain and to a production process which incorporates greater sustainability was also a deciding factor. The manufacturing includes the use of plywood made with dust and recycled wood, which looks like a mix of ebony and mahogany.
“The main sound comes from the top so the back and sides are not so much of an influence on the sound of the guitar,” explains Rodriguez.
“Ebony will be finished in 20 years and the same with Indian rosewood. We have to find solutions for the future we can’t just wait. So to have a solid back, sides and top will be a luxury soon.”
With currency fluctuation, stock market turbulence in China and the wage gap narrowing, the notion of domestic production is no longer as fanciful as it was even five years ago. And for guitar brands that are trading on their heritage, it only adds to the authenticity of the story.
You can see the new batch of Manuel Rodriguez models at this year’s NAMM on booth 4933 Hall C.
