Artisans of Sound
Persisting Competitiveness of the Handcrafting Luthiers of Central Mexico
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 7212923 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Thomas J Kies (corresponding author) |
| Year | 2013 |
| Volume | 22 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 71-88 |
| Publication date | 2013-04-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | British Journal of Ethnomusicology (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0968-1221 • E-ISSN: 1741-1920 |
| Publisher | Taylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/17411912.2013.775716 |
| OpenAlex | W2076030987 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 2 |
| References cited | 15 |
Each year 250,000 guitars are produced in Paracho, Michoacan, a small community nestled in the pine-filled highlands of the Meseta Purhépecha in central Mexico. Between 2002 and 2006, I worked as an anthropologist and apprentice guitar maker among the artisans of this community. Economically and culturally, residents of Paracho take great pride in their multigenerational tradition of producing musical instruments for sale in the local, national and international markets. Over 400 handcrafting luthiers work out of small guitar workshops that line nearly every street and back alleyway of the town. The Parachan guitar industry also embraces 14 guitar factories that are ubiquitous within the community, collectively employing nearly 500 individuals. Through exploring the workshop lives of artisans, I seek to address the central problem of this article: how do artisans in Paracho remain successful despite competition from large-scale factory producers both locally and globally, and what, if any, is their competitive advantage? I suggest that it is a conscious process of imbuing their guitars with handcrafted status that allows these artisans to remain competitive in the marketplace
Art · Competition (biology · Economics · Guitar · Management · Musical · Political science · Pride · Visual arts · Anthropological Studies and Insights · Global trade, sustainability, and social impact · History
| Unique citing works | 2 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,2 |
| Citation span | 2016 - 2021 (6) |
| Citation velocity | historical |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 2 |