Japanese made messed-up production

S

samu

New member
I'm going to write up a strange thing. Kinda rant, so please excuse me, will ya?

I'm a Finn, a citizen of a nordic metal nation. The age is 43. MSc, heavy machine industy, materials research, "plankton level" issues where problem solving is...

I'm ex-shredder (well..), short-haired nowadays. I have proper scars.


Well, To the point:

As a J-guitar fan (not a collector but a sexy user trader):

Japanese production indeed used the highest possible quality of methods and machinery to machine the highest quality of the "plainest wood ever", to realize their thing. Mahogany, sugar maple and basswood. Prime woodstuff. All in the name of both quality and practicality.

They did a precision job always, and the precision of the quality was literally unmatched (for example those Jap made unofficial Fenders).

However they screwed up:

Something essential about the difference of precision an accuracy.

You get me? Hitting always the same hole but not hitting the middle of the target eventually failed them (I wonder if this is why 80s-90s era hair metal shredders left those guitars, probably because of pure boredom).

Well, there was probably more in details, however plain precision just was not enough. Like said, the Public Primary-User Charvel/Jackson SuperStrat Shredder era lasted only a few funny years ending up with a dinosaur death: Suddenly everyone switched to something else.

I blame Jackson and Charvel (yes, separately) for being way too arrogant in their designs, and I Seriously blame the Chu Shin Gakki factory for not suggesting hard enough their own point of view (they probably were simply unable to do so, they were (and still are) japanese). Whatever is th reason, I just hate them both equally, only because of their single-minded one-eyeness.

Regardless, after 20 years or so, those Charvel/Jacksons are carrying their posture without a fling. I love Jap Charvels and Jacksons because of their precision, only because that is indeed the only thing left of them. It is all solid, even today.

Forgive me ranting, I just had to do so.

Samu
 
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Re: Japanese made messed-up production

I'm not really picking up what you're putting down. What do you mean? Do you mean that they were all very high quality instruments at a reasonable price point that had no personality or do you mean that they, for example, all had super tight neck pockets that had a repeatable tendency to lean one way or the other?

I'm a fan of Japanese guitars, as well, but I like the stuff from the late 70s and early 80s when they were really hitting their stride but it was still handworked to a large extent.
 
Re: Japanese made messed-up production

UberMetalDood said:
WTF? I think you're missing a few things in your enigmatic little rant.
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Re: Japanese made messed-up production

Eh, like said, sorry for a rant. I had to vent it off.

I adore precision, who wouldn't. I am no way advertising here, it's just like there was too much of a promise to me. I'm ranting due to personal reasons.

I bought one of those Model 4's when they were brand new (something about 12 of those arrived to Finland according to the order base in the first lot). I still have it with me.

Regardless of how I think of them nowadays, both the designer and the manufacturer, I still adore them as they are.

But What gets me, they just had so much potential, and still it went kinda wasted. Only those manufactured guitars remain.

Yeah, I was aggressive. I just felt so. I had a reason, I think. Well This is after all a guitar (pickup) forum.

Samu
 
Re: Japanese made messed-up production

I dont really understand what youre saying but Ive had a few Jap Jacksons and most of them were very disappointing and ended up sold. The two Chinese Epiphones Ive had were better built and sounding guitars.
 
Re: Japanese made messed-up production

That's certainly ok on my behalf. I'm not pushing anything (won't be for sale on next ebay or such). I just reserve my right to speak my thing according to the playground. Staying silent does not gain anything.

If you do not mind, what kind of Epiphones those are/were? Any idea on the actual factory then?

Samu
 
Re: Japanese made messed-up production

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Honestly, it would just be cool to even understand what he's talking about. Maybe it's something lost in translation?
 
Re: Japanese made messed-up production

Nobody necessarily disagrees with you, it's more that no one knows what your complaint is.
This is like a longer version of the "I accidentally a coke bottle" meme (see below).





i-just-accidentally-a-coca-cola-bottle.jpg
 
Re: Japanese made messed-up production

What I'm getting is not much has changed, maybe. I like a good nice rant, don't see them very often.
 
Re: Japanese made messed-up production

I have no idea what he's trying to say either.

And can we please retire the term "Jap"?
 
Re: Japanese made messed-up production

Is he saying the Japanese guitars were really great guitars and they were doing it right, but they messed up because instead of pushing their own designs, they sold out to Jackson/Charvel in the late '80s-early '90s?
 
Re: Japanese made messed-up production

blindedbysilence said:
Is he saying the Japanese guitars were really great guitars and they were doing it right, but they messed up because instead of pushing their own designs, they sold out to Jackson/Charvel in the late '80s-early '90s?
Click to expand...

The answer is in his link. They messed up by shopping at Target.
 
Re: Japanese made messed-up production

Thanks for the feedback. It got me back on the track again. I've been thinking this way too much it wasn't fun anymore.

From now on I'll stick with guitars only.

Samu
 
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