Gibson/Epiphone lies

[DrewPeterson7]

Ive played guitars for 36 years and own/owned everything from 59 les paul sunburst to flying v..yes the real deals. Jap/Korean stuff is shit from a players view. As noted they dont bring anywheres as high a price as USA. Last point ,if it fyuckin says made in the usa then it fuckin should be made in the usa! Not, made in Korea by horribly cheap labor by people that dont really care about workmanship and would just as soon see all Americans die then rape our country.

While you're right about a guitar should come from where it says it does, I disagree on the first two.

Japanese worksmanship really caught up with American in the 90s. Some of the higher-end Ibanez stuff, with flamed maple tops, ebony boards, and mahogany bodies, is right up there with American worksmanship. It was sort of the worst-kept-secret that a lot of the early '90s Japanese-made Strats were every bit as good as their American bretheren, to the point where there's still a number of conspiracy theories that suggest they moved production because the work was TOO good, and American strats couldn't compete. I don't buy that exactly, but the japanese strats from that era I've played have all kicked ass.

Korean, meanwhile... There was a serious gap in quality between Korean work and Japanese work until 2000 or so, but these days even Korean worksmanship has improved leaps and bounds. Want to see something that will blow your mind? Pick up a couple Korean Schecter diamond Series guitars, and in particular look at the fretwork. Ten years ago you'd never see anything that nice coming out of Korea.

so, with all due respect, have you played a Japanese or Korean guitar made in the last five years?

 

[drstawl]

Then again, my Filipino girlfriend was ecstatic to learn that there was a slur for Filipinos ("flip") and thought it was the funniest thing she'd ever heard.

If she is your GIRLfriend, that would be Filipina.

 

[MCI2424]

Note the date of that article -- March 2004, and the date of this thread --2008. While they may have built those guitars in Nashville in 2004, it's possible things have changed in 4 years.

They only made 1965 of them in only 1 year. I can't find it at all on the Epiphone website. If they still make them, I can't find it. They make the John Lennon Casino in 2008 that says "Assembled in USA" on the headstock, but the 2004 John Lennon "Revolution' guitar is history and WAS made in the USA.

 

[stevieb]

Why does it matter where a guitar is made again? If it feels, plays, and sounds right I couldn't care less if a guitar was made on the moon.

Because:

1. Craftsmanship and/or workmanship can vary tremendously. Can you say "Made in China?"

2. Perceived value and resale value- already addressed here.

3. Durability- sure, you can evaluate how it plays (if you can get your hands on it) but how long will it last/continue to play that well?

4. Human rights issues- again, say it with me, children: "Made in China."

 

[Rickson Gracie]

Just look at the prices of Gibsons/Fenders/Martins/Gretch theses days. They are WAY higher than Jap/china/Korea. This is also getting way off point form origional post. If a guitar says "made in the usa' it should be. Made in Japan with it then shipped over to USA to apply the finish does not in any way right true to the made in usa lable.

New Gretsches (the high end- ones not the Electromatics) are made completely in Japan. I believe they are made in the same factory as the Revolution Casinos.

I have a Revolution Casino that I purchased new about 2 years ago and it CLEARLY says "Assembled in the USA" on the back of the headstock NOT "Made in the USA."

 

[jmorris]

New Gretsches (the high end- ones not the Electromatics) are made completely in Japan. I believe they are made in the same factory as the Revolution Casinos.

I have a Revolution Casino that I purchased new about 2 years ago and it CLEARLY says "Assembled in the USA" on the back of the headstock NOT "Made in the USA."

I sent the 2 casinos back to guitar center, they both sucked.not at all like old americam made ones,you can have them

 

[Rickson Gracie]

thats too bad. mine is VERY well built and the setup was great right out of the case. it has a better feel and quality than any new gibson that ive purchased in the last few years. i also love the little 'lennon' details like the serial #, former tuner screw holes...etc

i always get compliments from other serious players when they see and play it.

 

[K Road]

I sent the 2 casinos back to guitar center, they both sucked.not at all like old americam made ones,you can have them

About 13 years I played a Korean Epi Casino together with an American one made in the 60's in an A/B kind of test, and I was impressed by just how similar they sounded, played and looked. Yes, I would have prefered the American one, but it wasn't for sale. The machine heads on the Korean were definately better than on the American. Qualitatively, I found the Korean every bit as good as the American made model. Every guitar is different. You gotta try 'em. Its not just a case of because its American made its automatically gonna be better. I understand that some people prefer American over Japanese, Chinese, Indonesian or Korean made guitars - but this has to do with reasons that go beyond the question of quality. It's a bit like motorbikes. Personally, I had to have a Triumph - sure the Japanese, Italians, & Germans all make superb bikes - but to me it was like buying into an image/legend of something that had been forged in my mind way back when I was at school. Even if Triumphs were crap compared to say a Suzuki, I was gonna have a Triumph. Similarly, I could never play an Epi Paul, it HAS to be a Gibby for me - but I bet in a blind fold A/B test it would be dam hard to tell the difference all things being equal, especially once some crunch has been applied.

K.

 

[MCI2424]

About 13 years I played a Korean Epi Casino together with an American one made in the 60's in an A/B kind of test, and I was impressed by just how similar they sounded, played and looked. Yes, I would have prefered the American one, but it wasn't for sale. The machine heads on the Korean were definately better than on the American. Qualitatively, I found the Korean every bit as good as the American made model. Every guitar is different. You gotta try 'em. Its not just a case of because its American made its automatically gonna be better. I understand that some people prefer American over Japanese, Chinese, Indonesian or Korean made guitars - but this has to do with reasons that go beyond the question of quality. It's a bit like motorbikes. Personally, I had to have a Triumph - sure the Japanese, Italians, & Germans all make superb bikes - but to me it was like buying into an image/legend of something that had been forged in my mind way back when I was at school. Even if Triumphs were crap compared to say a Suzuki, I was gonna have a Triumph. Similarly, I could never play an Epi Paul, it HAS to be a Gibby for me - but I bet in a blind fold A/B test it would be dam hard to tell the difference all things being equal, especially once some crunch has been applied.

K.

I have been playing guitar for well over 30 years. I spent all my life playing and buying/selling used guitars (mostly in the 70-80s and not to make money). When I was actively buying/selling guitars, Gibson Les Pauls were like $400 and Fenders were cheaper. I will say I have played tons of both that were "Made in America" and were the worst piles of crap ever made. The only thing they all have in common today are the prices. The collectors made them worth a fortune BUT plenty of collector guitars are still not good guitars. They hang on a wall and collect interest. That is about all. A good guitar is a good guitar independent of where or who it is made by.

 

[DrewPeterson7]

I have been playing guitar for well over 30 years. I spent all my life playing and buying/selling used guitars (mostly in the 70-80s and not to make money). When I was actively buying/selling guitars, Gibson Les Pauls were like $400 and Fenders were cheaper. I will say I have played tons of both that were "Made in America" and were the worst piles of crap ever made. The only thing they all have in common today are the prices. The collectors made them worth a fortune BUT plenty of collector guitars are still not good guitars. They hang on a wall and collect interest. That is about all. A good guitar is a good guitar independent of where or who it is made by.

Amen, man... Collector mentality pisses me off, a guitar is meant to be played and not hung in a display case and dusted every once in a while...

Gibson's QC has been awfully iffy of late, I've played some great Les Pauls (my roommate has a Studio that I love), and some horrid ones. Fender hasn't been so hot either - I bought my Strat sight-unseen ten years ago (the shop didn't have the color I wanted, and I was 17 so I didn't know any better), and I totally lucked out as it IS one of the better sounding and playing USA Fenders I've ever picked up. But, I've played my share of American Fenders that aren't really worth the price, too...