Paracho de Verduzco
Paracho de Verduzco (often called merely Paracho) is a small city located in Michoacán, Mexico. Located at 19°39′0″N 102°4′0″W / 19.65000°N 102.06667°W, about 100 kilometers (62 miles) west of state capital Morelia, it serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality of Paracho. It has a population of some 16,500.
Paracho is well known throughout both Mexico and elsewhere in the world as hub of lutherie. This is because they are reputed to make the best sounding guitars and vihuelas in all of Mexico. The town is full of music shops that sell handmade stringed instruments. Some instruments that can be found in Paracho are: 10-string mandolins, armadillo-backed guitars (concheros) and mandolins, and acoustic bass guitars, as well as regular classical guitars and mandolins, bajo sextos, vihuelas guitarrons and many others. Many of the stores and workshops allow visitors to watch the guitar-making process directly.
A national music festival is held in Paracho once a year, usually the second week of August.
