Which guitars are made in Japan and Korea?

[Eric]

I've been curious about which guitars are made where these days. Specifically, I was wondering what of the reasonably well-known guitars are that are made in A) Japan and B) Korea.

I really only know the uber-basics, like that Ibanez are (I think) made in Japan. I'm pretty sure Schecter are made in Korea too, right?

Anyone?

[marnold]

The oddball Fenders are sometimes made in Korea like many (all?) of the Showmasters. The middle-of-the-road Jacksons like my DK2M are made in Japan.

[Spudman]

Ibanez has factories in the USA, Korea, Indonesia, China and Japan for sure and maybe elsewhere too.

Epiphone has/had factories in Korea and China.

Squier has had factories in Japan and Korea but now we seem to see more coming from China, Indonesia and Vietnam.

Samick has a USA factory and along with Cort have Korean and Chinese factories and sub contract to make guitars for many well known brands.

There is a lot more to this story but that should get you started.

Some of the China and Indonesia factories are turning out really good quality products at their price points.

[Tibernius]

Just to save a bit of time:
MIC = Made in China
MIK = Made in Korea
MIJ = Made in Japan


I've been curious about which guitars are made where these days. Specifically, I was wondering what of the reasonably well-known guitars are that are made in A) Japan and B) Korea.


ESP are MIJ, LTD are MIK. Cheaper Tokai guitars are MIC, top-of-the-range ones are MIJ. Burny guitars are MIJ (in the same factory as Tokai).



I'm pretty sure Schecter are made in Korea too, right?


All the Diamond series are MIK. There's quite a few MIJ Schecters but you have to import them yourself IIRC.

[Robert]

MIC - Made In Canada! :D

[Eric]

MIC - Made In Canada! :D
Fair point. Are there many? The only one I can think of (only talking about electrics) is possibly Godin, and it wouldn't surprise me if some part of their process was done overseas.

[Robert]

Larrivee, Seagull, Morgan, lots of small builders too.

[Eric]

Larrivee, Seagull, Morgan, lots of small builders too.
I didn't realize Larrivee made electrics...or...looks like electric, actually (no plural).

[Robert]

Oh sorry, I missed the part about them having to be electric.

[markb]

Larrivee make electrics.

http://www.larrivee.com/instruments/electrics/index.php

Godin are the biggest Canadian manufacturer. Seagull, Art & Lutherie, Simon and Patrick and La Patrie are all Godin brands.

[Eric]

Larrivee make electrics.

http://www.larrivee.com/instruments/electrics/index.php
Yup, I saw that. I think it's actually kind of a neat concept to just try to make one really good guitar instead of a line of guitars offering variety. +1 to them.

[Spudman]

Just to save a bit of time:
MIC = Made in China
MIK = Made in Korea
MIJ = Made in Japan



and...CIJ Crafted in Japan

[Robert]

EIC - Engineered In Canada

[Spudman]

MFW - made from wood

[Kestrel]

I've been curious about which guitars are made where these days. Specifically, I was wondering what of the reasonably well-known guitars are that are made in A) Japan and B) Korea.

I really only know the uber-basics, like that Ibanez are (I think) made in Japan. I'm pretty sure Schecter are made in Korea too, right?

Anyone?

It depends on the manufacturer. Many guitar companies are using various factories in several countries to build their guitars.

As far as I know:

All current Reverend guitars are made in Korea. There were US-made Reverend models up until 2006.

Schecters have been made in Korea but some models are now coming out of China.

Like Spudman said, Ibanez has guitars made in a variety of places. Japan, Indonesia, China, etc.

Epiphones are likewise made in a variety of places. Most of the current basic models appear to be coming out of China, but a few are still made in Korea and Indonesia, etc...

Fender (Japan) still produces guitars for the Japanese market.

ESP Guitars has their budget lines LTD and X-Tone made in Korea, Indonesia and China

[Tonz]

Lasido is the parent company of a slew of Canadian guitar makers. Years ago we could but necks and bodys from Lasido.
Lado (Joe Kovacs) is another Canadian builder, Lado makes all their own necks and bodys.

[sunvalleylaw]

CFS - as in Deeaa's case, Carved From Stone

[wingsdad]

Epiphone has had its own Gibson China factory in Qiang Dao (spelling?) for about 5 years, cranking out LP's and others, as well as acoustics. Prior to that, and still, depending on the model, they contractedwith a number of Korean factories, among them Samick, Aria and Peerless, just to name a couple.

As Korea got more expensive, they shifted contracts to Chinese factories, and then again to Samick & Cort, who'd boogied away to Indonesia in search of cheaper rice.

Epiphone's now dwindling Elitist series were mainly contracted Japanese, using the same mfr (Fujigen) as many high end Ibanez models. Ibanez used Cort (part of their parent Hoshino Japan empire) Korea for many models, now also in Indonesia.

G&L's Tribute Series started out as Japanese product in the 80's, then faded away for a while, to come back in 2004 under contract with Cort Korea. A couple of years ago, this went to Indonesia.

Washburn used Samick Korea for a slew of electric and acoustic models, again, until 2004 or so when Samick flew the coop to Indonesia.


The common recurring factory thread here: Samick, Cort.

In general, the pecking order from 'high end' to 'budget' goes Japan, Korea, China, Indonesia.

[SuperSwede]

SSI (screaming solos included)

[Commodore 64]

Last night I traded for a PRS SE that is made in Korea.

[markb]

Last night I traded for a PRS SE that is made in Korea.

Those are made by World Music in Korea and every one I've handled has been very nice indeed.

[riverrick]

You can add Gretsch to the list...they are MIJ & MIK. I recently bought one not knowing it was MIJ. Always thought it was made in USA guitar. But a really fine guitar none the less. Being a newbie here...can someone tell me what GAS is???:confused: I see it used alot in the forum.

[DeanEVO_Dude]

Don't for get Samick (Greg Bennett) are made in Korea, I think the same factory makes the Michael Kelly guitar as well as some of the import Deans (my EVO Exotic Burl and the Special Select I had before that). Dean also has some made in China (my EVO 1000) which are inferior in quality (both build and the wood itself).

[DeanEVO_Dude]

You can add Gretsch to the list...they are MIJ & MIK. I recently bought one not knowing it was MIJ. Always thought it was made in USA guitar. But a really fine guitar none the less. Being a newbie here...can someone tell me what GAS is???:confused:

GAS : A common affliction that affects musicians (as this site goes, anyway), not all, but alot of them... an acronym that stands for Gear Aquisition Syndrome! "Gotta get that new amph!"

Being a relative newb here, myself, can anyone explain why alot of you guys spell amp with an "h" at the end?

Thanks.

[riverrick]

Thanks for the definition DeanEVO. Knew it was something like that....and I definitly suffer from the affliction....HELP ME!!!:help

[DeanEVO_Dude]

Thanks for the definition DeanEVO. Knew it was something like that....and I definitly suffer from the affliction....HELP ME!!!:help

Sorry, I can't help you either (since I am also afflicted with it! :thwap ). The only cure is to give the cash, credit/debit cards and the checkbook to someone else! :poke

[markb]

You can add Gretsch to the list...they are MIJ & MIK. I recently bought one not knowing it was MIJ. Always thought it was made in USA guitar. But a really fine guitar none the less...

The modern high end Japanese Gretschs are on the whole better than the US made vintage ones and while quite expensive, much better value. I'm not convinced "mojo" is worth that much.

GAS never sleeps :cool:

[syo]

You can add Gretsch to the list...they are MIJ & MIK. I recently bought one not knowing it was MIJ. Always thought it was made in USA guitar. But a really fine guitar none the less. Being a newbie here...can someone tell me what GAS is???:confused: I see it used alot in the forum.

You can also add MII (Indonesia) to Gretsch as well. Saw these at a local music store recently. Not really for playing but nice to look at anyway.

http://www.gretschguitars.com/americana/

[Commodore 64]

Being a relative newb here, myself, can anyone explain why alot of you guys spell amp with an "h" at the end?

Thanks.

I wondered this forever

I've surmised that: It's an inside joke amongst long-time fretters having to do with a Harmony Central review of an amp, where the reviewer indicated among other things, that he got "screaming solos on the amph".

[Eric]

I wondered this forever

I've surmised that: It's an inside joke amongst long-time fretters having to do with a Harmony Central review of an amp, where the reviewer indicated among other things, that he got "screaming solos on the amph".
Yeah, that's pretty much it. It's here:

http://www.thefret.net/showthread.php?t=403

[kerc]

Reverends are made in Korea.

[Brian Krashpad]

Reverends are made in Korea.

Current ones, older were USA.

The setneck models of the DeArmond line were all MIK. Bolt-necks were MII.

Fernandes has had some MIJ, plus MIK and MIC. To show how far the MIC guitars have come, I have a Ravelle made in China, after the first year or so of production, Ravelles were made in Korea, but then Fernandes actually shifted production back to China. I haven't played one of the MIK ones, but have seen plenty of people who feel the MIC ones are actually better than the MIK ones.

Most Gretsches can be divided into upper end MIJ and Electromatic MIK. Older pre-Fender Electromatic/Synchromatic Gretsches were also MIK. As pointed out the cheap "cowboy" graphic acoustic guitars are MII. There are some current or almost current Gretsch Electromatics that are MIC, as an exception to the general rule of them being MIK-- my Special Jet (apparently ceased prodution in the last year or so) is MIC rather than MIK.

Looks like most Epiphones are being made in China now, though they mainly used to be MIK. The Elitist line was MIJ.

I have a nice MIK Schecter, but as pointed out they build in other countries too.

G&L Tribute series are MIK I believe.

[kiteman]

Jackson - MII (made in India). :)

[street music]

CARVIN is one of the few electrics still made in US, I do like their acoustics even though they are partially made in Korea.

[player]

CARVIN is one of the few electrics still made in US, I do like their acoustics even though they are partially made in Korea.kinda doubt my 66 Fender is not made in the US but will find out at a antique roadshow coming close in August.
topic maybe should be what guitars are made in the states?you could probably count on one hand Ha!

[wingsdad]

kinda doubt my 66 Fender is not made in the US but will find out at a antique roadshow coming close in August.
...
Your '66 Coronado is most certainly made in the USA. One of the slew of new models that CBS added to the Fender line following its purchase of the company from Leo in early '65.