Music experts at Music Lowdown, a well-known music publication, have announced their partnership with music retailer, Donner Music, in an effort to make musical instruments of all kinds, affordable for the mass market.

The online publication has done so by providing all its readers with a complimentary discount code that entitles them to 8% off of anything they buy through Donner, be that via their EU or US stores.

When talking to About Insider, Alex Harrison, editor in chief at Music Lowdown, expressed that: “With the sudden growth of the internet making the task of producing & distributing music easier than ever before, we want to ensure that musical instruments (the vital tools required for making music) follow suit.

‘As avid music fanatics ourselves we understand just how valuable learning an instrument can be. Not to mention the varied career paths it can lead to down the line, especially nowadays! In the past we’ve worked alongside a bunch of music artists, and have seen just how valuable their grasp of music has been to their overall success. Some have gone on to compose music for films & TV shows, with others going full-on Indie and attempting to break the charts.

“Exactly why when Donner approached us regarding a partnership, our ears pricked up.”

Donner Music is a music retailer, which has been selling instruments on the open market since 2012. As one of the newest instrument manufacturers to date, the company has had to overcome its fair share of criticism, mainly due to the fact its operations are based out of Asia. Something that allows it to produce and sell musical instruments at a consumer-friendly price.

Alex also added: “What we really like about Donner is their commitment to affordability. 

‘Granted, 10 years ago musical instruments from Asian manufacturers were of somewhat lesser quality than those you’d find companies manufacturing in the West. A stereotype that we had installed in the back of our mind, until a couple of years ago, when we first started investigating Donner’s range of guitars & pedals off the back of a bunch of positive reviews. 

“Since then we’ve been publishing our own thoughts on their music gear – from midi controllers & guitar pedals to ukuleles & drums. Something which inevitably caught their attention. In fact, it’s one of the main reasons this whole partnership came about – we’re huge fans of Donner and what they do.”

Over recent years, Asian manufacturers like Donner, have been heavily praised on their sharp rise in manufacturing standards, with many professional musicians struggling to spot the difference between a $200 guitar from Asia, and a $1000 guitar made in the West. 

A worrying prospect for many Western music manufacturers, as it poses a big question mark over whether they’re being very rapidly outpriced.