American Epiphone Les Paul?

[JB_From_Hell]

Local CL guy is selling an Epiphone Les Paul he’s claiming was built in Korea from American materials. I have no interest in buying it, just curious if this was actually a thing.

Ad copy below:


All the parts to this Guitar were manufactured in Nashville Tenn.
It's a Epiphone Gibson Les Paul
Serial #S9213244,, indicates this guitar was assembled in South Korea between 1989/ 1992, with ALL American parts,,, with original case,,
Excellent condition,,, $950.00 OBO make offer,,
When Gibson wanted to go to mass market with the Les Paul; they sent many American made parts of the Gibson Les Paul to South Korea for mass production. After they completed using the American made parts to this Guitar that was sent to them, South Korea then started using their own materials to reproduce the guitar for mass production.

 

[Kac]

I guess it could be possible… but doesn’t seem very likely to me. Does he claim to have any documentation to back it up?

 

[Adieu]

Recycled story

Sourced from seller tales about Japanese and Mexican Squiers from the transition periods

 

[JB_From_Hell]

I’ve heard that about Fender MIM, and considering how close the two facilities are, it doesn’t seem so ridiculous.

Shipping American parts to Korea for a budget instrument seems ridiculous, though. There’s a mandolin company called Northfield that sources wood here, partially builds them, then ships to their shop in China for full build and finish. They come back here, get setup and sold. You end up with an instrument on par with a 7 or 8 grand mandolin for about 4K. So it’s cheaper, but hardly an economy model.

 

[ErikH]

There were some Epiphone Les Pauls made in Korea with American electronics, even the pick ups, but they were a very short run and I think the pick ups were 57 Classics. And I don’t think they were that early on either as 57 Classics weren’t around until 1994.

 

[ehdwuld]

Yeah I played one at a shop back in 2015
American hardware and picups
Asian body and finish

They listed at $899 new

 

[dave74]

As long as it wasn't assembled at Gibson USA you'll be fine! lol





^^^Whaaaaaaaat?

 

[PS412]

Yeah I played one at a shop back in 2015
American hardware and picups
Asian body and finish

They listed at $899 new

These? They're nice.

 

[Aceman]

Yeah I played one at a shop back in 2015
American hardware and picups
Asian body and finish

They listed at $899 new

That happened. May have even happened again recently....a 335 style maybe?

 

[Synapsys]

Weren't thd Elite models supposed to be Asia-made with American materials?

 

[DavidRavenMoon]

If it’s Korea it’s probably Cor-Tec (Cort). They make excellent guitars for lots of companies including PRS.

A lot of the hardware Gibson uses is also made in Korea. Pickups too. So it’s not unreasonable.

Gibson does own a factory in China that produces Epiphone. That was probably cheaper.


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