If there is anything that defines Mactan Island, Cebu in the eyes of tourists besides world class beaches and Lapu-Lapu Monument, its none other than guitars my friend! And the good news is tourist like you can go direct to the source and visit guitar factories and see how guitars are made by the island’s master guitar makers.
The widely popular Cebu made Classical Guitars
Cebu’s handcrafted guitars are usually made in guitar factories in Abuno, an outskirt barrio in Mactan Island. And the best factory to go to when you are on a hunt for great quality handcrafted guitar is The New Susing’s Guitar. They have been turning out great quality guitars that are painstakingly made by hand since the 1950’s. While there you can also request to check their workshop area and observe the guitar makers at work. Their 30 plus employees are all coming from their community thus creating livelihood opportunity in their barrio. And also because of this, it is not unusual to see three generations from grandfather to father to grandson crafting, polishing, glossing guitars side by side on their factory floor.
The New Susing’s Guitar Factory in Abuno, Mactan
We were fortunate that when we got there Ms Creselda, the manager and a grandchild of Susing of Susing’s Guitar fame, was kind enough to tour us around their guitar factory floor and their showroom.
She shared to us that when Susing’s Guitar started, the American soldiers stationed in the nearby Mactan Airbase were their first avid customers and barter system was the norm, say a Cebu made guitar, a Susing’s guitar in exchange for a pair of Levi’s jeans or American made shirts. Lols.
Play me these pretty Ukeleles!
The New Susing’s Guitar is known for their ukuleles and customized guitars. You can actually specify the guitar you want up to the minutest details or if you need help designing your guitar they have their in-house artist that can assist you. The typical lead time required for costumed guitar is about four to six weeks good thing their showroom houses ready made guitars for those who cannot wait. If you just want a guitar souvenir from Cebu for pasalubong don’t despair for they also have miniature guitars and also decorative ones.
Miniatures of Cebu guitars, cocolele & ukulele
Decorative guitar souvenirs
Not all of the materials used in these guitars are sourced locally for like the abalone it is imported from New Zealand and some of the woods they are using like the Canadian spruce are also imported. They are also into export, these ukuleles are bound for Tunisia at the end of the week. I love this customized ukulele – a bottle opener is lodge at the back, all set for the good time yey!
I just have to posed with a guitar of course!
This is a customized cigar box guitar 🙂
and this is sample of a classic guitar
titus is the model for cocolelebecause he doesn’t know how to play the guitar whereas I do haha
Enough said, let the picture do the talking hehe
Contact The New Susing’s Guitars thru the following:
www.susingsguitar.net // +63 032 5050723 // 09156700680 (Ms. Creselda V.)
How to go to the guitar factories in Abuno, Mactan Island?
*Public Transportation
Going there : Ride a multicab bound for Tamiya/Mepz II, (fare is P7.50/pax). Once you get to the Tamiya terminal, look for the tricycles queuing in the Pajac / Abuno signboard, ask the driver to drop you off in Susings Guitars, about 10 to 15 minutes from Tamiya (fare is P8.00/pax)
Going back: You have two options, first option is you wait for a tricycle that will take you back to Tamiya terminal and from Tamiya catch a multicab bound for Mandaue. Second option is ride a multicab that is bound for Opon Merkado (the multicab’s route is Abuno-Bankal-Saac-Mactan-Mepz I – MLQ National Highway). If you are headed for Cebu City, it is best you take the multicab and alight in Mepz I/Marinal Mall (fare is P11/pax) and ride a jeepney or a taxi bound for SM.
* Private Vehicle
Err it’s a bit tricky because you are going to navigate lots of inner roads after you pass by Tamiya. Best is to ask the locals on the road as you go along. 🙂
If you want to read more about Cebu guitars like those of Alegre Guitars and Maxand Boyed Guitars, go to this post: Mactan Guitars: Factories, Prices and Options or this one – a post dedicated to the P3,100 standard guitar my brother bought from Guitar Master.
i’ve been planning to buy a guitar direct from mactan since 10 years ago. thanks for the tip!
Nindota anang CIGAR BOX Guitar oi. Pwede post price ani? Parehas ra ba ang tingog niya compared to the classic type?
Salamat daan.
🙂
@jack, pasencia na wa nako na try ug play ang cigar box guitar, ga pa-picture ra ko haha and mas familiar ko sa tingog sa classic. anyhow, kontaka lang sila re:price.. susing’s guitar contact nos naa sa post 🙂 thanks pag-visit sa penfires! 🙂
Nagbinta ba kayo nang guitar fretboard only? anung klasing kahoy na ginagamit for fretboard ninyu? kamagong bayan? i’m planing to buy a guitar fretboard only. thanks.
hi kent! err I am not in any way connected to Susing’s hehhehe for your question you can email or text/call them 🙂
AH! ic thanks 4 the reply…i’m looking for dat type of wood here in dumaguete i’m planing to buy some of dat….
thanks for visiting here sad, hope you find the exact wood you’re looking for. I’m going to Dumaguete this May, excited ko to revisit diha! 🙂
can i ask a question how much do classical guitar at Susing’s cost?
Hi Rejay! If I remember right they have P1,500 classical guitars but I’m not 100% sure, you can check out their shop’s website at susingsguitar.net or their facebook fan pages, they answer price queries there too!
hi, naa ko sa A.S FORTUNA st., mandaue city i wanna go to lapu-lapu shrine and alegre guitar factory , unsa sakyan? using public jeepneys? pls reply me tinkech@gmail.com i’ll w8.
thanks
Hi Che, from AS Fortuna ride a mandaue or a consolacion multicab with “Mercado” signboard P7.50, then tell the driver manaug ka sa jeepney stop for Tamiya multicab, its after the main Mandaue highway intersection. Then hop on a multicab with “Tamiya” signboard naug sa Tamiya terminal P8.00. Sa Tamiya terminal ride a “Abuno” tricycle, tell the driver to drop you off in Alegre. After you visit Alegre, wait for a multicab with “Punta Engano /Mepz” signboard, hop on it, tell the driver to drop you off near the Mactan Shrine. That’s it.
Or reverse Mactan Shrine first then Alegre: Hop on the same Mandaue or Consolacion multicab, tell the driver to drop you off where the “Mepz” multicab waits, wait for a multicab with “Mepz” AND “Punta Engano” signboard. Naa na daghan. Then tell the Punta Engano driver to drop you off in Mactan Shrine. After your visit sa Lapu-Lapu Monument, hop onto a multicab with “Tamiya”, few ra na so if you want mas dali, hop onto one with “Marina Mall” and then sa Marina Mall transfer to Tamiya. Get off in the same Tamiya Terminal, ride an “Abuno” tricycle to take you to Alegre.
Will cc this to your email.=) Hope di ka masaag hehehehhe
hi, ask ko lang panu pumunta sa guitar factory/ abuno, mactan from magellan’s cross… tnx!
Hi anna,
Make your way to SM from Magellan’s Cross ( please check my other posts on commuting guide on how to do this) and then ride a Tamiya vhire in SM. Get off in Tamiya terminal and then follow the guide on this post.
Thanks,
Cecille
interesado en la compra de 4000 guitarras para exportar
Hi Tony, I am not connected with any guitar factory here in Cebu. You can try to contact the company New Susing’s Guitars as they have a factory, that’s the one we visited.
Hi,
duna ba moy tenor banjo diha available?
Hi Ryan, I’ve no idea on that. I suggest for you to contact Criselda of Susing’s directly by calling or through their facebook fan page. Thanks!
Hey, I’ve been to Susing Guitar when I was visiting last year. I loved it and will be coming back soon. I love you posts about Susing Guitar, and your advice (not really directions) on how to “try to” get back there. I have an online guitar string and accessory webstore, and many guitars of my own. I also love photography and writing articles for my blog site. I have slacked off on my blogs for a while, but will be stirring them up again, soon. I hope to see more of your articles about Mactan and Cebu. Keep on blogging. [Currently in Louisiana, USA]
Gary
Thanks for dropping by Gary!
When you get back to Susing’s, ask for Creselda and request to see the factory if you are interested. They are very accommodating.
Hope to blog more about Mactan and Cebu too. =)