Artino

Founded: 1974

Region: Germany, as well as Taipei, Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong, US

Website: https://www.ottomusica.de/catalogue

Related Names: Otto Musica Gmbh

Artino is a sub-brand of the Otto Musica company. They’ve been around since 1974, primarily in western instruments such as violins adn cellos. In 2018/2019 representatives attended the Music China tradeshow, and thereafter in ~2019 the Thomann department store of Europe began carrying “Macro Polo” Guzhengs. In ~2021 these were relabeled “Artino Macro Polo” alongside most if not all of Thomann’s Chinese instrument collection.

Otto Musica lists offices in Taipei, Shanghai, Beijing, and Hong Kong as well as the US and Germany. Guzheng Alive’s take from reviewing the early listings on Thomann.de is that these are low cost instruments with less attention to detail and likely lower quality materials with their listing photos showing construction quality issues.

That said, some community members purchased them and were satisfied with what they received. There is something to be said for having low-cost instruments available.

The actual producer/manufacturing location of the guzheng is unknown.