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!

[Eric***]

MIC - Made In Canada!

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)