What is the Value of "Made In USA" for SD Pickups?

[kmcguitars]

Re: What is the Value of "Made In USA" for SD Pickups?

I try not to buy Asian products (admittedly difficult these days), and I prefer to give my money to American workers whenever possible.

Very well said.
More than half my Guitar collection is made in the orient. ( I'm not particularly proud of that) I had a few very nice M.I.A. guitars that I sold. Why? VALUE!! I have a 84' M.I.J. Strat style Guitar in the trading post now for a very low price. Can't seem to sell it? FWIW it plays as good as a 84' M.I.A. Strat. IMO if it was a M.I.A. Instrument, It would be worth triple my asking price... AND SOLD ! It's getting harder to find MIA products these days.:blackeye: As all the manufacturing jobs go over seas. A quick history lession... It was America's manufacturing ability That helped us become a Super power. We are letting that trickle away by sending it over seas IMO.:usa1:

 

[XSSIVE]

Re: What is the Value of "Made In USA" for SD Pickups?

what does it mean to me???

that's simple...quality and consistency!

if you guys outsource work to another country like i have a feeling you're hinting at with this post then that quality and consistency WILL be lost no matter how much you want to believe it won't. just look at most (not all but most) imported guitar lines for example, you have to play a few to find a good one of the bunch. i don't want to have to test a few duncans to find a good one.

-Mike

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: What is the Value of "Made In USA" for SD Pickups?

(remember, Canada is part of America - North America)

So is Mexico, but no one ever refers to Mexico as America. Same with Canada. When a label says "Made in America", it means the United States of America.

 

[Evan Skopp]

Re: What is the Value of "Made In USA" for SD Pickups?

if you guys outsource work to another country like i have a feeling you're hinting at with this post

No hint intended. All we're doing is gathering your thoughts for a discussion we're going to have at Business Planning. It's just a discussion. But your thoughts will help us be better informed for our discussion.

These are great comments, guys. Keep 'em comin!

 

[nuntius]

Re: What is the Value of "Made In USA" for SD Pickups?

Do you mind us asking how much it means for SDs not to be MIA?

 

[badco33]

Re: What is the Value of "Made In USA" for SD Pickups?

What it means to me:
A quality / consistent product. It also means I'm giving back to the country I live in and helping to support it.

What it means to me in regards to the Seymour Duncan family of products:
It shows me that the man that puts his name on the product and had a hand in a lot of the original designs is also directly involved in the creation of the current products. Knowing that Seymour with all of his knowledge is still walking through the factory, checking in on production or even winding some himself goes a long for me and helps put an identity with the brand. I wouldn't get that same feeling if a 12 year old kid over in some Asian country was winding my pickup off a spec sheet.

 

[Luke Duke]

Re: What is the Value of "Made In USA" for SD Pickups?

+1 to Curly, D!ck, and Erik.

I feel the same way. I am willing to pay more for a product made in a first world country. Nothing chaps my hide more than shipping jobs overseas to second and third world countries to add profit to someone's pocket. I say that because there is never a price decrease for the money saved by lower wages. Like was also stated what's the difference between MIK SDs, or GFS's?

I assume this question is being asked because of rising minimum wage costs in many states.

To answer directly:

It is more important than trademark issues, or import tariffs/fees.

Luke

 

[Evan Skopp]

Re: What is the Value of "Made In USA" for SD Pickups?

Do you mind us asking how much it means for SDs not to be MIA?

Good question, but not one I want to address here.

This thread is meant to be fodder for a discussion at Business Planning. If you want, I can let you know some of the points that were raised in the discussion. But you'll have to wait until early-October for that. Thanks for understanding.

 

[Evan Skopp]

Re: What is the Value of "Made In USA" for SD Pickups?

I assume this question is being asked because of rising minimum wage costs in many states.

No, not really. Even thought California has the highest minimum wage in the States (I think), our workers are all paid above that wage.

This is just prep for a discussion we're going to have next month.

Keep those comments coming!

 

[italic zero]

Re: What is the Value of "Made In USA" for SD Pickups?

MIA doesn't make much of a difference to me compared to other first world countries e.g. Canada, UK, Germany, Japan. However, experience says Korean, Chinese, Mexican, etc. made products are lower quality and I would not expect SD to be an exception to the rule. If it were inevitable, I would certainly pick a Korean made product over a MIC.

 

[Voxman]

Re: What is the Value of "Made In USA" for SD Pickups?

Well,i drive a toyota and it`s the best damn car i`v ever had.Everybody knows toyota is a high quality car(mij hehe)........But,that`s not the case when it comes to guitars etc
Made in usa guitars etc has always been the top line products .u know,fender and gibson uses mexico,japan,china and chorea facilitys to make guitars for the student marked.Aleast thats how it`s been the last 20-25 years.
This is how i see it and the reason i buy mia

 

[V!N]

Re: What is the Value of "Made In USA" for SD Pickups?

Being a bloody Dutchy, I can find NOS Philips and Mulards a bit more easy. Yet, I'm glad there are being tubes made in the orient that are good enough to compete with NOS and leave other current productions behind.

Not being a limey, I don't have to worry about Vox reissues not being made in the UK and I'm actually that Korg has found a factory in the orient that makes them both better and cheaper.

Not being a yank, I couldn't have to worry about SD's not being made in the USA anymore. It makes business sense and the whole "quality and consistency" simply does not apply. They're capable of doing a better job at things than us stuck up Western lads can and if SD would take the time to search for the right factory, I see no worries. Especially if there are actual benefits for the customers in it as well.

But again, I'm a just a bloody Dutchy thinking rationally and internationally here ..

 

[junior]

Re: What is the Value of "Made In USA" for SD Pickups?

I guess being a proud American, I'd like to support my fellow Americans. And my next worry would be, why mess with a good thing? The pups are great as they are. And as far as the stomp boxes being made in China, my pup booster, (and a few others), have had switches go bad. easy, cheap fix, and still one of my fav pedals. And there was a thread about a twin tube having problems, which doesn't mean I'm not gonna get one, but it leads me to question the quality control of the products currently made overseas. I have heard of very few if any American made pups go bad, and would worry if that would change.
I hope this doesn't come off as accusatory, or whining, or whatever because I will be a Seymour Freak for the reast of my life, but I'm just stating what went through my head when I saw the thread.:reporter:

 

[daemon barbeque]

Re: What is the Value of "Made In USA" for SD Pickups?

Made in U.S.A does not mean quality and consistency every time.Look the QC of Gibson ,and please tell me they have a better QC than any Japanese company like Tokai or Ibanez!!!
It is like MADE IN GERMANY.It was a big pride here to have stuff that have this stamp on it.But as "profit" raises and the competition grows ,the quality of the "german made " or "U.S.A made" products are getting "rare".The Volkswagen was teh "pride" of Germany making "tank" like cars.Now the they are matchboxes in real scale!!!!
For a Jackson ,i would buy 100000% made in U.S.A...But if i want to buy a Car ,it would never be an american!!!lack of QC ,too much consumption ,poor steel quality and so on.
For a PU ,it would be nessecary to know it where it was made and who designed them.SD is MAde in U.S.A and designed by people who can play and understand the "tone"!If Seymour was a Japanese man ,i would buy hisd PU's too.If it sounds good and the QC is descent ,i would buy it.I own a Peavey hand made in korea ,and it is 100 times better made than many Gibsons.
And for the last line ,Many "Pride " Americans play MARSHALL amps and they never think of it if it's British or not!!!

 

[kmcguitars]

Re: What is the Value of "Made In USA" for SD Pickups?

One more thing to consider. I wonder how it affected Celestion's profit margin + or - by sending the operation over to China? I see that the Made in U.K. speakers have a stronger selling point. I shutter to think that U.S. made SD PuPs would be a selling point on ebay.:yell:

 

[Voxman]

Re: What is the Value of "Made In USA" for SD Pickups?

BTW,this is how i see SD in the future:
Custom shop in the us and all the rest in tinypeopleland.
I don`t think you guys can resist the smell of a extra buck,it`s all about capitalism

 

[LesStrat]

Re: What is the Value of "Made In USA" for SD Pickups?

Evan,
To me, it means most importantly that you value quality above profit, and that you value your employees as a real asset.

I cannot improve on this argument, Gary.

In other words, I concur.

 

[Voxman]

Re: What is the Value of "Made In USA" for SD Pickups?

what does it mean to me???

that's simple...quality and consistency!

if you guys outsource work to another country like i have a feeling you're hinting at with this post then that quality and consistency WILL be lost no matter how much you want to believe it won't. just look at most (not all but most) imported guitar lines for example, you have to play a few to find a good one of the bunch. i don't want to have to test a few duncans to find a good one.

-Mike

Dear mr exsclusive
American companies like gibson and fender is`nt trying to make good guitars over there,their meant to hit the student marked.The only thing Gibson(epiphone) and fender(squire) try to do over there is to make the best student marked guitars,read low cost. The reason why you sometimes can find good guitars amung epi and squire lines is more of an accident.
Actually tinypeople are very good at what their told to do,and more productive as well. SD can make high quality pus uver there
if the want to.

 

[3th3r]

Re: What is the Value of "Made In USA" for SD Pickups?

Logically, I understand that quality is not dictated by the manufacturer's location, but rather the manufacturer's expertise, conscientiousness, and quality control. There are some excellent products (not necessarily guitar related) coming out of Korea, India, Mexico, etc. Conversely there are some crap products that are MIA, too.

Unfortunately (or fortunately), logic does not dictate consumer buying habits; buyers' emotions do, and to many people around the world, including me, MIA may not mean higher quality, but it does mean higher status, and therefore greater value.

 

[Jeff Dunne]

Re: What is the Value of "Made In USA" for SD Pickups?

Personally, it's more about the fact that it's made in a 1st world country to me. While it's more expensive, I'd put better faith in a working class person putting my stuff together than a 3rd world child. I don't mean this as an absolute or judging third world children or anything, but generally something put together by grown people living in an educated society just seems a bit more reliable.

That said, most products that arent going to take a complete beating (pickups, speakers, etc) won't sound different whether made in China, the US, or England. Celestions from China sound the same as the English ones, and I doubt Duncans (made to the exact spec, of course) made in China would sound any different.