Best Chinese Acoustic Guitar Brands: Chinese-Made Acoustics Worth Knowing

Chinese acoustic guitars have changed considerably over the past couple of decades. While China was once associated primarily with inexpensive beginner instruments, the country now produces everything from affordable entry-level acoustics to sophisticated solid-wood guitars aimed at experienced players.

Some Chinese acoustic guitar brands have also developed strong reputations of their own, while numerous international guitar companies manufacture at least part of their acoustic range in China.

So, what are the best Chinese acoustic guitar brands, and are Chinese-made acoustic guitars actually worth buying?

In this guide, we'll look at some of the most interesting brands to come out of China's guitar industry, how Chinese acoustic guitar manufacturing has developed, and what you should look for when choosing one.

Are Chinese Acoustic Guitars Good?

Yes — but the quality varies enormously.

China has one of the world's largest guitar-manufacturing industries, ranging from factories producing inexpensive instruments in very large quantities to manufacturers capable of building high-quality solid-wood acoustic guitars.

This means the words "Made in China" don't tell you very much about the quality of an acoustic guitar on their own.

A low-cost beginner acoustic and a carefully constructed higher-end Chinese guitar may have been manufactured in the same country, but they're very different instruments.

Factors such as materials, construction, fretwork, bracing, quality control and setup are much more useful indicators of quality than the country of manufacture alone.

Best Chinese Acoustic Guitar Brands

Several Chinese brands have become increasingly well known internationally, particularly as the quality of domestic Chinese guitar manufacturing has improved.

Here are some worth knowing.

Kepma Guitars

Kepma is one of the more established Chinese acoustic guitar manufacturers and has developed an increasingly international presence.

The company produces acoustic guitars across several price levels, including relatively affordable instruments and more sophisticated models using higher-grade materials and construction.

Kepma is particularly interesting because it represents the development of China's guitar industry beyond simply manufacturing instruments for overseas companies.

Rather than remaining an anonymous OEM factory, Kepma has developed its own identity and range of acoustic guitars.

For players interested specifically in Chinese acoustic guitar brands, it's one of the first names worth investigating.

Eastman Guitars

Eastman has become one of the best-known examples of a Chinese-founded instrument company achieving an international reputation.

The company produces acoustic guitars alongside electric guitars, archtops and other stringed instruments.

Eastman's acoustic range is particularly notable because many models compete in a very different part of the market from the inexpensive Chinese guitars people traditionally associate with the country.

Solid woods, traditional construction techniques and relatively high specifications feature throughout much of the range.

Eastman demonstrates an important point about modern Chinese guitar manufacturing: Chinese-made doesn't necessarily mean budget.

Enya Music

Enya is another Chinese musical instrument company that has developed a significant international presence.

The brand produces acoustic guitars, ukuleles and other instruments, with products ranging from conventional wooden acoustics to more experimental designs and materials.

Enya has been particularly willing to explore modern manufacturing techniques and alternative materials rather than concentrating exclusively on traditional acoustic guitar construction.

That makes the company an interesting example of a Chinese guitar brand developing its own products rather than simply reproducing established designs.

LAVA Music

LAVA Music takes an even more modern approach.

Rather than attempting to compete directly with traditional acoustic guitar manufacturers, LAVA has become known for distinctive carbon-fibre instruments and guitars incorporating integrated technology.

Its designs are immediately recognisable and quite different from conventional spruce-and-mahogany acoustic guitars.

LAVA won't appeal to every traditional acoustic player, but the company demonstrates how Chinese guitar brands are increasingly developing original products and technology rather than relying entirely on low-cost manufacturing.

Shijie Guitars

Shijie is better known for electric guitars than acoustic instruments, but it's worth mentioning when discussing the broader development of premium Chinese guitar manufacturing.

The company has attracted attention among guitarists looking for higher-specification Chinese-made instruments and helps illustrate the increasingly broad range of guitars now being produced domestically.

For acoustic buyers specifically, brands such as Kepma, Eastman and Enya are more directly relevant, but Shijie's growing reputation is another sign of how perceptions of Chinese-made guitars are changing.

High-End Chinese Acoustic Guitars

One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding Chinese guitars is that they're all designed for the budget end of the market.

That simply isn't the case anymore.

Chinese factories are capable of working with solid spruce, cedar, mahogany, rosewood and other traditional acoustic guitar materials, as well as producing more complex bracing, binding and decorative work.

Higher-end Chinese acoustic guitars may feature:

• Solid wood tops
• Solid back and sides
• Higher-grade tonewoods
• More carefully selected materials
• Improved fretwork
• Detailed binding and inlays
• Bone nuts and saddles
• Higher-quality tuners
• Acoustic pickup and preamp systems
• More extensive quality control

Of course, a long specification list doesn't automatically make a great acoustic guitar.

Construction quality and consistency remain extremely important.

But there's no technical reason a well-equipped Chinese factory can't produce an excellent acoustic guitar when the manufacturer, specification and quality-control budget allow it.

Chinese Acoustic Guitars vs Cheap Chinese Acoustic Guitars

It's useful to separate Chinese acoustic guitars as a whole from the very cheapest instruments produced in China.

China's enormous manufacturing capacity means it can produce guitars at remarkably low prices.

At the cheapest end of the market, manufacturers inevitably have to compromise somewhere.

That might mean inexpensive woods or laminates, basic hardware, less time spent on fretwork and setup, or less extensive quality control.

Move further up the price range and manufacturers have more room to improve those areas.

This is why two Chinese acoustic guitars can have completely different levels of quality despite sharing the same country of manufacture.

The factory is building to a price and specification, not simply to a nationality.

Why Are So Many Acoustic Guitars Made in China?

China developed an enormous musical instrument manufacturing industry because it combines large-scale production capacity with extensive supply chains and decades of manufacturing experience.

For international guitar brands, Chinese manufacturing can make it possible to offer instruments at prices that would be difficult to achieve with production in countries with substantially higher manufacturing costs.

Over time, those factories have also accumulated experience.

Workers, engineers and manufacturers that have spent years producing guitars for international companies have developed considerable knowledge of instrument construction.

At the same time, Chinese companies have increasingly launched and developed brands of their own.

The result is a guitar industry that now covers almost every level of the market.

International Guitar Brands Manufacturing in China

It's also important to distinguish between a Chinese guitar brand and a guitar manufactured in China.

They're not necessarily the same thing.

A guitar company can be based in the United States, Europe or elsewhere while having particular models manufactured by a Chinese factory.

Likewise, a Chinese company may manufacture instruments under its own brand while also producing guitars for other businesses.

This type of OEM and contract manufacturing is common throughout the guitar industry.

As a result, players who have never intentionally purchased a "Chinese guitar" may already have owned or played guitars manufactured in China.

Chinese Acoustic Guitar Brands vs Japanese and Korean Brands

China isn't the only Asian country with a major guitar industry.

Japan has a particularly long history of producing highly regarded guitars, including numerous instruments that have become collectible in their own right.

South Korea also developed a strong guitar-manufacturing industry and has produced instruments for numerous international brands.

China entered large-scale international guitar manufacturing later but has developed extremely quickly.

One of China's particular strengths is the sheer scale of its manufacturing industry, covering everything from very inexpensive instruments to increasingly sophisticated production.

There isn't a simple rule that a Japanese, Korean or Chinese guitar will automatically be better than another.

The individual manufacturer, factory, specification and quality control matter far more.

What Should You Look for in a Chinese Acoustic Guitar?

If you're considering buying a Chinese-made acoustic guitar, we'd concentrate on the instrument itself rather than the label on the back of the headstock.

Top Wood

Check whether the guitar has a solid or laminated top.

A solid top isn't automatically better in every respect, but it's an important specification for many players shopping for a more serious acoustic instrument.

Back and Sides

Find out whether these are solid wood or laminate and what materials are being used.

Neck and Fretwork

Good fretwork and a correctly constructed neck can have a huge effect on playability.

Check for excessive fret buzz, sharp fret ends and unusually high or low action.

Bridge and Construction

The bridge should be properly fitted and the guitar should show no obvious structural problems around the top, neck joint or internal construction.

Hardware

Tuners should operate smoothly and hold tuning reliably.

Setup

Even a well-manufactured acoustic guitar may benefit from a professional setup according to the player's preferred action and string gauge.

Are Chinese Acoustic Guitars Good for Beginners?

Chinese-made acoustic guitars can be excellent choices for beginners, particularly because so many affordable instruments are manufactured there.

However, extremely cheap guitars can sometimes make learning more difficult rather than easier.

An acoustic with excessively high action, poor fretwork or tuning problems can be uncomfortable and frustrating for a new guitarist.

A beginner doesn't need an expensive instrument, but they do need one that plays properly and stays in tune.

Choosing a well-constructed affordable guitar is usually better than simply buying the cheapest acoustic available.

Are Chinese Acoustic Guitars Good for Experienced Players?

Increasingly, yes.

Players who haven't looked at Chinese acoustic guitars for several years may be surprised by how far the upper end of the market has developed.

Brands such as Eastman and Kepma demonstrate that Chinese manufacturing isn't restricted to entry-level instruments, while companies such as Enya and LAVA are exploring designs and technologies beyond conventional acoustic guitar construction.

Experienced players should judge these guitars exactly as they would instruments manufactured elsewhere: by their sound, construction, materials, playability and value.

Are Chinese Acoustic Guitars Worth Buying?

A good Chinese acoustic guitar can offer excellent value, but country of manufacture alone should never be the deciding factor.

China produces such a broad range of instruments that it's impossible to make a meaningful judgement about all Chinese acoustic guitars as a single category.

The better question is:

Who made the guitar, what is it made from, how well was it constructed, and does it play and sound good?

Brands such as Kepma, Eastman, Enya and LAVA Music show how diverse China's modern guitar industry has become, covering everything from traditional solid-wood acoustics to technologically advanced modern instruments.

If you're shopping for a Chinese-made acoustic guitar, compare the actual specifications, construction and quality rather than assuming that "Made in China" automatically means either cheap or poor quality.

As Chinese guitar manufacturing continues to develop, the distinction between a "Chinese guitar" and simply a good guitar is likely to become increasingly less important.