A New Guitar from Paracho

Last week Bob and I took a three-day trip to the state of Michoacan, west of the state of Guanajuato, where we live. One of the reasons for the trip was to visit the village of Paracho, located in the Sierra Madre Mountains. Paracho is famed in Mexico for its quality guitar-making. Many professional Mexican musicians have their instruments crafted by Paracho artisans, and Paracho guitars are sold throughout the U.S. and Canada. Since we could only bring a few instruments with us from the States (Bob brought a banjo and ukelele; I brought a ukelele), we planned to find a guitar in Mexico. In Paracho, the guitars are hand-made in small family-run operations. After visiting five or six shops, chatting with the guitar-makers, and trying out lots of guitars, we bought the one that Bob fell in love with from a man named Jorge Alfaro Carrillo. Jorge works with his brothers in their company named, ironically, "Guitarras San Miguel" after their father and grandfather. Jorge made Bob's guitar himself, about a year ago, from a native Mexican wood.

Bob is a happy musician these days. He can hardly get enough of his new instrument. He loves the way the guitar plays and the rich sound it makes. This weekend we'll be joining Natalie in Mexico City. Natalie also bought a guitar since coming to Mexico and is looking forward to learning some tips from her uncle Bob.