Meet Dejawu Guitars
Hi everyone!
Some of you may already have heard some background stories about Dejawu Guitars here and there but there is so much more we would like to share with you! As we already mentioned in last week’s post, we have been on many adventures with Dejawu Guitars over the years. However, before we continue to provide you with all the juicy details, we would first like to introduce ourselves a bit more.
From left to right: Derk Jan, Wu Lei, Jin Youmei, Wu Dongming
Dejawu Guitars is a collaboration between Derk Jan Lievers from the Achterhoek in The Netherlands and Wu Dongming from Hubei Province in China. The way we crossed paths will be explained in a future blog post. ;) It is our ultimate goal to build high-quality handcrafted semi-acoustic guitars and archtop guitars using exclusively solid tone woods and high-quality hardware. By working together and sharing our skills and knowledge we are able to provide outstanding guitars that are truly unique.
As most or you will understand, quite a lot goes into making a handcrafted guitar. From start to finish, it can take up to four months! Even though Derk Jan and Dongming are the main initiators of Dejawu Guitars, there is a whole team busy behind the scenes. In this respect, we are a true family business! On the Chinese side, we have Wu Dongming who is in charge of all the woodwork, fretting, painting and lacquering. His wife Jin You Mei applies bindings, and makes sure all our guitars get completely (hand) polished and leave the workshop with the nicest shine. Wu Lei is the man who is there when you need him the most. Wu Lei plays an important role in our team as our translator and guide in China. He’s always in a good mood and in for a joke or two.
On the Dutch side we have Derk Jan Lievers who takes care of the design of the guitar, assembly of electronics and hardware, other finishing touches and sales. Derk Jan’s wife Bea Lievers, has been Derk Jan’s right hand for decades and assists wherever needed. Derk Jan’s daughter Martine Lievers (myself) is responsible for the design and maintenance of the website and social media, provides assistance with Chinese translations and joins on business trips, meetings and exhibitions. Daan Loeff, Martine’s husband provided all the beautiful photography for the website. Best of both worlds, you could say.
Over the years, we all have developed a good and friendly relationship and it is surely not all about the money or strictly business. We highly value sustainable use of materials and labor, fair trade, proper and safe working conditions and above all, a good laugh! By buying our instruments, you will contribute to making this possible. You can be assured that the money you pay for a Dejawu Guitar ends up in a good place!
Have any questions or want to share something with us? Please don’t hesitate to contact us or leave a comment below :)
Team Dejawu
P.s. Check out our new Team Dejawu page for more info!