Is MIK becoming the new MIJ??

[jake_xms3_punk]

Basically, every time I go on eBay I search for epiphone and the older ones have the descripion like "late 90s les paul MADE IN KOREA! Like its way better than today's "made in china"
And usually they are just as expensive as a brand new Chinese alternative
Are "MIK" epiphones that sort after?!

Is it that the new Chinese epiphone aren't nowhere as near good as the MIK ones?
Or is it that fender and gretsch and other well known companies have decent guitars coming from Korea that everyone thinks the epiphones should be worth more because Korea is making all these top companies lower end guitars? What's going on?

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Is MIK becoming the new MIJ??

Actually, all things being equal, the Chinese and Korean Epiphones are not bad at all.
It's the Indonesian ones I pick up that are the lowest quality.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Is MIK becoming the new MIJ??

It's hype from sellers trying to get the most from their old guitars, like Koreans are somehow 'vintage' instruments and represent a now-lost pinnacle of luthier's art. I've played many Korean and Chinese guitars, and prefer the Chinese myself. They're much more consistent and the quality's always been good on the ones I've seen (I'm sure they have their share of duds too). Korean Epi's vary a lot, in all aspects. With a 1990's Korean, I'm always concerned about fret wear, and many are dinged up. Epi's made in the 2000's (of which most are Chinese) have better tuners and from 2010 on, many have better pots and PU's. For tuners, most Koreans have an Epi logo on them or some cheap mystery brand. When it comes to PU's, all the Koreans I've seen have HB's that are best-suited for paperweights. So besides the mediocre minipots, tuners, and PU's, everything else about older Koreans is somehow top notch...

For the same model, I'd take a mid 2000's Chinese over a mid 1990's Korean any day. And especially a 2010-2013 Chinese with Probuckers or Alnico Classic Pros and push-pulls; some models have American-made PU's. I'm impressed with those that I've played. Driven by competition and a weak economy, Chinese guitars are being made to be very competitive in quality, price, and features; I don't think the older Koreans had quite the fervor in these areas. For me, the constant tinkerer, I can get a new Chinese Epi and not have to upgrade anything; I thought I'd never live to see that day.

 

[JeffB]

Re: Is MIK becoming the new MIJ??

Epiphone is making better more consistent guitars in China than they ever did in Korea. Its hype to sell something.

As for being the new Japan, there is som ereally good stuff coming out of Korea, but it is not equal to the MIj guitars..for one, the quality of parts used....from frets to ,to tuners to bridges and switches.The MIJ guitars also source much higher quality wood species..no "mystery mahogany", and "alder alternatives" The build quality of the least expensive MIJ guitars are as good if not better than the best stuff the Koreaan factories produce.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Is MIK becoming the new MIJ??

pretty much every guitar factory in the world is capable of making outstanding instruments, complete crap, or anything between. foreign company sez to the manufacturer, ''i need so many pieces with these general specs for this price,'' and the manufacturer figures out how to do it while making an acceptable profit. that's the reason why two different brands of guitars, two different models of the same brand, two different runs of the same model, or a run of 5,000 cheap guitars vs. a more expensive limited run of 250 special/limited edition guitars, all made in the same factory by the same workers can be quite different in quality. you can't really generalize by country ime. it's a run-by-run issue.

same **** with tubes. the same factory in russia makes 12ax7's that are complete dog **** one week for one client, and the next week the same workers fulfill an order from a different client for 12ax7's that are actually halfway decent. people buying the crap 12ax7's are left with a bad taste in their mouth for ''russian tubes,'' not realizing that it is the american company rebranding them that wanted to order cheap. meanwhile, the folks who installed the decent tubes think ''russian tubes'' are great, also not realizing that all the russians did is what the american rebrander specified them to do.

 

[formula73]

Re: Is MIK becoming the new MIJ??

It's certainly being MARKETED as the new MIJ...

 

[uOpt]

Re: Is MIK becoming the new MIJ??

MIK guitars have always been good and consistent, the problem is that they aren't that good because they are too consistent, they all feel and sound the same.

 

[jmh151]

Re: Is MIK becoming the new MIJ??

I prefer the Chinese Epi's over Korean. The Chinese made ones were greatly improved all across the board. Aside from the problem of inferior parts on the Korean, most korean EPI's I've picked up have had unacceptably high action, and when you try to adjust the truss rod to lover the action to an acceptable level, you get fret buzz due to a combination of improperly cut nuts and poor fret jobs. Also, most EPI's came with maple necks and alder, rather than maple tops.

The chinese EPI's come with better parts, are built with better wood, and come with better setups

 

[frankfalbo]

Re: Is MIK becoming the new MIJ??

No. For much of the reasons already mentioned.

 

[elelpe]

Re: Is MIK becoming the new MIJ??

pretty much every guitar factory in the world is capable of making outstanding instruments, complete crap, or anything between. foreign company sez to the manufacturer, ''i need so many pieces with these general specs for this price,'' and the manufacturer figures out how to do it while making an acceptable profit. that's the reason why two different brands of guitars, two different models of the same brand, two different runs of the same model, or a run of 5,000 cheap guitars vs. a more expensive limited run of 250 special/limited edition guitars, all made in the same factory by the same workers can be quite different in quality. you can't really generalize by country ime. it's a run-by-run issue.

^This

 

[SrDeMaFp]

Re: Is MIK becoming the new MIJ??

The only Indo-made guitars that were even playable that I've come across were from LTD. But, still...they were super-light, the frets felt like they were made out of melted down aluminum foil, the finishing was awful, etc.

 

[darnright]

Re: Is MIK becoming the new MIJ??

It's hype from sellers trying to get the most from their old guitars, like Koreans are somehow 'vintage' instruments and represent a now-lost pinnacle of luthier's art. I've played many Korean and Chinese guitars, and prefer the Chinese myself. They're much more consistent and the quality's always been good on the ones I've seen (I'm sure they have their share of duds too). Korean Epi's vary a lot, in all aspects. With a 1990's Korean, I'm always concerned about fret wear, and many are dinged up. Epi's made in the 2000's (of which most are Chinese) have better tuners and from 2010 on, many have better pots and PU's. For tuners, most Koreans have an Epi logo on them or some cheap mystery brand. When it comes to PU's, all the Koreans I've seen have HB's that are best-suited for paperweights. So besides the mediocre minipots, tuners, and PU's, everything else about older Koreans is somehow top notch...

For the same model, I'd take a mid 2000's Chinese over a mid 1990's Korean any day. And especially a 2010-2013 Chinese with Probuckers or Alnico Classic Pros and push-pulls; some models have American-made PU's. I'm impressed with those that I've played. Driven by competition and a weak economy, Chinese guitars are being made to be very competitive in quality, price, and features; I don't think the older Koreans had quite the fervor in these areas. For me, the constant tinkerer, I can get a new Chinese Epi and not have to upgrade anything; I thought I'd never live to see that day.

Yes....I agree wholeheartedly. I actually shy away from the Korean made ones. I have found a few very good MIK guitars, though. Over all I think the Chinese-made ones are better.

And I hate that it is that way!!!!

-dave

 

[uOpt]

Re: Is MIK becoming the new MIJ??

FWIW I have a very good Chinese LP style guitar, branded "Stellar".

 

[King IzzO)))]

Re: Is MIK becoming the new MIJ??

I can't make any Epi judgements, but the early low level Korean LTD's kick all kinds of ass over the newer Indonesian and China crap.

 

[T ROCKER]

Re: Is MIK becoming the new MIJ??

I have a MIK PRS SE Mike Mushok signature baritone that is worth every penny of the $670 price tag, but then I just let go of a Korean PRS SE EG for a couple of hundred , and for which only paid a couple of hundred. A magic object it was not ... I agree with the previous comment made about consistency being so-so ....

 

[napalmbreath]

Re: Is MIK becoming the new MIJ??

Some Korean guitars I've encountered aren't bad. I have a Kramer Savant 3 that I really like. I work in a guitar shop and have noticed the MIK models for some brands seem to be getting better. There use to be a time when MIJ was a bad thing, too. That, obviously, has changed over the years.

 

[jake_xms3_punk]

Re: Is MIK becoming the new MIJ??

Some Korean guitars I've encountered aren't bad. I have a Kramer Savant 3 that I really like. I work in a guitar shop and have noticed the MIK models for some brands seem to be getting better. There use to be a time when MIJ was a bad thing, too. That, obviously, has changed over the years.

That's exactly my point.

People now are even selling old Japanese "lawsuit" les Paul's with Bolt on necks and misaligned hardware etc for stupid money because it says made in Japan on the headstock. Are people starting to be like that with Korean guitars? I remember a time no so long ago where people hated Korean guitars. If the new Korean ones are getting better, then People are only going to ask for more money for the not so good older ones.



even the Indonesian epiphone I own is quite good. It's the epiphone jumbo acoustic with a solid spruce top, grovers, built in tuner and two pickups and stereo outputs and a blend slider for the pickups . Not a bad guitar for the money at all.

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: Is MIK becoming the new MIJ??

The best Epi Les Pauls I've ever played are the ones in stores right now.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Is MIK becoming the new MIJ??

The best Epi Les Pauls I've ever played are the ones in stores right now.

+1. Between the quality-control benefits of the Epi owned and run factory, and upgraded PU's, the 1990's Korean LP's can't compete with them.

 

[jake_xms3_punk]

Re: Is MIK becoming the new MIJ??

Why are they being marketed as superior guitars? I agree with everyone here. I have Korean epiphones and Chinese epiphones and one Indonesian one as mentioned . I was shocked and pleasantly supprised when I got my Chinese 355 through the mail, It Blew my mid 90's sheraton out of the water! And 90's sheratons are going for the same price used, as a brand new Chinese 355! I just don't understand.