Guagua's guitar makers

Not every Kapampangan craft is about food or saints. In Guagua, it can be music. The municipal government lists guitars and ukuleles among the town's visitor-facing products.

Made in Guagua

One documented maker is JMJ Guitars, which builds its instruments in Guagua and sells them from a showroom in Angeles. Its luthiers include Bartolome A. Isip, and it offers custom builds in which buyers choose the wood, neck dimensions, hardware and finish. In a January 2026 account, the family behind the business described how years of work overseas helped them start it.

Buying a local guitar

Let's Go Pampanga suggests a few sensible questions:

• Who is it for: a child starting lessons, a returning adult, or a performer?
• What is the exact model, its materials, its accessories and the total price?
• What happens if it needs adjusting or repair later? Get warranty and return terms in writing.
• For custom orders, agree the specifications, payment stages and completion date.

A showroom is not a workshop, and makers do not necessarily accept walk-in visitors, so arrange any visit in advance.