As far as luthiers here in the Philippines go, Max Rufo is among the household names you should…read moredefinitely consider when taking your guitar for repairs, or if you would like him to modify an existing one, or customise you one from scratch. He's very popular in the local music industry and known for his work on electric guitars for several personalities in the music industry. He's also known internationally for creating his own, patented, noiseless pickups for guitars. His shop is quite a challenge to find, as Mang Max doesn't exactly do marketing and he's a bit under the radar. Here's a landmark: it's a small, small shop that's located on the corner of one of the subdivisions on Victoneta Avenue. If you get lost, ask around the area as he's quite known. Being inside his shop was definitely a new experience, as I've never set foot in an actual guitar workshop, seeing deconstructed guitars, jars of paint, work-in-progress guitars, and guitar encyclopedias. You can tell how this place has served him for many, many years. Just tell him what kind of guitar you have in mind, and he will create it for you (at reasonable prices, too). Very nice and accommodating fella.

Beautiful mahogany guitars made by Filipino Luther Ramon Jacinto. Love the wood appliqués- reminds…read moreme of Ovation guitars. However, the selection of Classical Nylon string guitars is a little limited.

According to store staffs, it's a first Gibson guitar store in Philippines. There are famous "Les…read morePaul", "ES335 B.B.King signature model" acoustic guitars, and Epiphone guitars as lower price range products. For guitar freaks it's a paradise! Unfortunately, the retail prices are almost double on Gibson HP catalog prices, and other than that, selected models are all good.

Manila has a growing community of Ukulele players, groups, and clubs, and most of them congregate…read moreat Ukulele Philippines. One of the last bastions of cool in the increasingly declining Collective, Ukulele Philippines has everything a Ukulele player could ask for. Whether you're a beginner, an enthusiast, or a pro, this is the shop for you. Aside from Ukes and gear, Ukulele Philippines is also an organization that does a lot of Ukulele-related stuff (Obviously). If you're timing is right, they usually do incredible jamming sessions in their shop. It's worth checking out, if only for that. Brilliant place. Almost wish I could play a Uke.

As a teenager, I was preoccupied with the guitar. In my younger days, I even took lessons from a…read morenoted guitar maestro of his time. One of my early jobs was marketing light musical instruments, specially guitars for the Yamaha Music Corp. It was a nice if shortlived gig As some kind of not-so-hot guitarist, I have always looked down at ukuleles as some kind of poor cousin of the classic Spanish guitar. I thought ukes were little more than toys. Cheap toys. How wrong I was. It turns out that there is a ukulele culture in the Philippines and Ukulele Phils sells all types of this instrument from all over the world. The one thing they do not sell are those cheap ukes sold at the tourist shops and in some public markets like Baguio. I was stunned to find out that a simple, good uke sells for around P4,500 if it;s made of mango wood. One top-of-the-line brand Martin goes for a heady P25,000! This makes them even more expensive than the good brands of guitars. I can only wonder why Yamaha doesn't manufacture ukuleles. The place not only sells ukes, but there are also teachers who give lessons at P200 per hour.