Spent some time in a shop today, got a few MIKorea surprises

[chadd]

Re: Spent some time in a shop today, got a few MIKorea surprises

I was surprised how little human hands touched guitars in the Gibson factory in Memphis. Those nice carved tops? Machine. Fret jobs? Machine. They are painted and the binding is scraped by hand...and that was about it.

That's pretty much the case with most manufacturing in the US anymore. There aren't many jobs left in that line of work.

 

[BTMN]

Re: Spent some time in a shop today, got a few MIKorea surprises

Nice post. I have been a fan of the better made Korean guitars for a while. Hamer, Dean, and PRS have some great stuff in their lines. Well, Hamer HAD. Dean has had some great Korean made guitars since early 2001 or so. Get yourself one of those Gretches and rip it up! :headbang: Obligatory Korean made Dean Pron. Victoria a Dean Z and the prototype to a run of 16 like it in 2005.

 

[Lovegun]

Re: Spent some time in a shop today, got a few MIKorea surprises

I was surprised how little human hands touched guitars in the Gibson factory in Memphis. Those nice carved tops? Machine. Fret jobs? Machine. They are painted and the binding is scraped by hand...and that was about it.

I think that is a double edged sword. Now you allways get the exact same model. Less chance of getting a lemon, but maybe there is no more that magical special one. Or maybe the folks at Gibson can scan that someones special Les Paul and then you can have it too.

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Spent some time in a shop today, got a few MIKorea surprises

I had an indonesian built washburm parralaxe a short while ago, its only shortcomings were its pots, they developed a crackle almost from day one.
It was the easiest playing guitar I have owned, in fact it was so ergonomic it didnt even feel like you had it in your hands.

Had? What happened to it?? Those look like killer axes to me

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Spent some time in a shop today, got a few MIKorea surprises

Korea stepped it up MASSIVELY over the last years.

In the 90s, Korea was today's Indonesia, and even worse actually.
The WMI factory in Korea keeps pumping out kickass instruments. By far the best I've tried from Korea are newer Schecters. Those things are crazy good.

I've got a Schecter that is probably the best made/finished/playing/sounding guitar right off the shelf that I've purchased (about 3 dozen guitars). It's even on par with the guitars that I have made (about 2 dozen). The only thing I've done to it is replace the EMGs with Duncans. I didn't even have to do any fret dressing on it...something I have had to do to EVERY other guitar that I have bought (especially the Gibsons)!

 

[ErikH]

Re: Spent some time in a shop today, got a few MIKorea surprises

Even Indonesia and China made guitars are better now than they were a few years ago. Today's Korea is like 80's Japan. I love my Korean made Dean ML Chicago Series. There are a lot of really good instruments out there these days no matter where they are made. All it takes is finding that one that works for you.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Spent some time in a shop today, got a few MIKorea surprises

I actually like my Korean PRS SE's better than my Japanese Ibbies, Prestige and older non-Prestige.