I’ve got a Squier strat from over 20 years ago. I bought it used recently and put a player plus neck on it because I hated the big headstock and super blonde fretboard. Plays and sounds amazing.
@@robmcd Brother they’re great! I LITERALLY got gifted my first Squire YESTERDAY! and played some Lamb of God with it! Check this out😂 ua-cam.com/video/x1F2LIysCns/v-deo.htmlsi=IwJgXv6zL-svOOmh
As far as quality of workmanship, you can teach anyone anywhere in the world to build guitars, but where your guitar matters for many reasons, even if tone isnt one of them.
@@joshpointoh I agree. Yes you can teach anyone. But at a time, money and opportunity cost all while that person staying on the job or being a cultural fit is not a guarantee
Mr Sorenzo. Thanks for your video. My question ❓ is Can a guitar thats made on a high quality CNC machine in US for EG, not also be made on the same CNC machine in any other locations. Do we really need humans to make them. AI. Thanks. Best Regards. 😊
@@johnwebb2562 Thank you very much for your great question. While a high-quality CNC machine ensures precision and consistency in cutting and shaping guitar components, there are still critical stages in guitar manufacturing where human intervention and skill are essential. The following are some examples: 1. wood preparation (dehydration etc) and assessing grains 2. Fret installation and dressing 3. Neck shaping 4, final sanding: CNC machines shape it, humans sand the output 5. Assembly 6. Applying finish 7. Quality Control (points in part to the point about culture I mentioned earlier). Cheers, Mr. Sorenzo
Interesting discussion. I disagree with your arguments though. If they're skilled, they can be taught the way a particular company wants them produced. PRS are widely considered to be very consistent no matter which level of product you buy. Gibson's been around for more than 100 years, but people get custom shop and Murphy Labs with QC issues while Epiphones are doing pretty well making a larger volume. There was a time people wouldn't think of buying a car not made in the US or by a US company.
@@Scott__C I hear you on this. And you’re right about Gibson’s ongoing QC issues. My point never was that “all” US made guitars are better than the others. Unskilled staff and bad leadership can be found anywhere. But I think the countries that have been in the business for the longest, have certain advantages in terms of the quantity and the quality their skilled staff. But let me ask you this: do you believe that staff at Cor-Tek Indonesia right now can make PRS Core models that is of the same caliber as the home made ones? Btw, thanks for the respectful disagreement brother (genuinely!). It’s becoming less common online these days. Ppl like you make discussions fun again
@@mr.sorenzo Thanks, and no problem. I think like the SE line, if Jack Higginbotham and Paul spend time showing folks how to do it, sure. My point with Gibson is they have been around for a long time and still build a fair amount of clunkers. For $7k, those guitars should be perfect. I've seen interviews with Paul and Jack where they talk about someone coming in and starting in sanding, then moving up and being shown more. For starting positions on their website, they only say woodworking experience is a plus, not required. I've owned Gibsons, but got burned with both. I probably wouldn't buy a Gibson again. Those sounds can be had from other instruments. I currently have stuff from PRS in the SE, S2 and Core lines. All are great guitars.
@@Scott__C Interesting. Something for me to keep in mind. And I’m on the same boat with you re Gibson 😂 Never buying one. I have two SEs (holcomb blue and holcomb 7 string walnut). And they are fantastic! Love em!
Paul is 100% correct. Take it from me. I've had dozens of vintage American guitars. Some great. Some crap. I have a real '63 Strat that is the voice of god (and plays even better.) I have a real deal '69 Telecaster that's too heavy, has a bad feeling neck and doesn't sound particularly good. To tinker around a bit, I bought a Squier Affinity Chinese Tele for $178.00 at GC. It plays and sounds so much better than my vintage one. I've also played at least two dozen '59 Bursts over the years. How many of them were amazing? 2 or 3. Jimmy Page is right. It's just a piece of wood and strings. Guitars sound like their players. It's the wizard. Not the wand. Stop chasing and do the work.
@@scottnathanphoto I disagree. No one said that ALL expensive or american guitars are always better. I’m saying that you can train people up and give them the same material, BUT it comes at a time, money and opportunity cost all while there is no certainty that the subject of you time and money investment and business risk (the trainee) will be staying there. And in that interim the quality won’t be of the same caliber as the US or Japan made guitars. Also, why don’t we see a PRS Core model made in Indonesia then?
@@mr.sorenzo Here's the thing. The CNC machines and their tolerances are so tight now, that there's very little human touch and I would argue, zero actual craftsmanship. Every neck. Every fitment is identical now. Anecdotally, I did a session with Jeff Beck in the late 80's. He showed up with neither a guitar or amp. He borrowed a Mexican strat from the front desk. Sounded the same as everything he's ever done.
Great point about the CNC machines! I totally agree. There’s less and less human touch in the building of the guitars, making the staff skills less relevant than before. Genuinely asking this: why do you think that the US or Japanese made guitars are not totally outsourced to countries with cheaper labor, materials and overheads? Like what happened to the US car industry. Why the Core and S2s, but also other high end guitar brands are not outsourcing their guitars abroad?
@@mr.sorenzo I think it's pride and branding. Gibson stuck to their guns because they take justifiable pride in "Made in U.S.A." The Fender products are similar. Their offshore models have lower spec components, but are basically the same. I know a pro that only plays Indonesian Jackson's. He's famous and tours year around. Japan isn't the value proposition it once was, but those factories have been around so long, it would be a lot of work to build plants, train operators and sort out trade routes for wood supplies. Good points though.
Paul is wright. Your medaphore is weak. Take for example the japanese, those guys are exquisite woodworkers and they have been built musical instruments for centuries. the level of craftsmanship at factories like Fugigen and I could name a few others is arguably considerably higher than at the US factories. I grant you that their guitar are not cheap. The Koreans have fantastic factories as well. Some Chinese factories have decades of experience of making high-quality instruments for well-known brands. I have three Indonesian guitars, one of them are Yamahas which I ordered online from Thomann, both of those are exquisitely well built. And I mean, they are perfect. admittedly I also have a cheap Indonesian made guitar called Harley Benton HB35 which is I can see when I look very closely at it, that it was built fast and to price. But standing a meter away from it, it looks fine and it plays fantastically. I think that's even more of an achievement on the part of those Indonesians than being able to build a perfect $800 guitar.
@@svarfinnbogason3645 I don’t think you understood my argument here. I actually used the Japanese example in my videos. This bit at least is not in contrast with my argument. I didn’t argue that because it’s Indonesian it’s bad. I have 2 Indonesian made PRS guitars which are fantastic! And frankly we can have bad guitar makers in the US. I never said or implied that because it’s made in the USA, it’s good. Let me ask you this and hopefully this makes for an even more productive discussion: Why do you think then that the PRS core models are not made in Indonesia? Or China?
@ I think it has more to do with pricing. Wages and many other costs of production are lower. That means that if if you want to be competetive in the price to quality ration market you make things overseas. Sometimes that also means using as cheap parts and woods as you can reasonably get away with. You will sell more quantity (bet you PRS sells a heck of a lot more SE’s than Core) but the markup of each item is likely considerably lower. PRS also cater to the high end maket where people are willing to pay a high premium for brand assosiation and ideological and subjective reasons. Like assosiatin with famous players and havin the thing made in the US. Much like people prefere Italian pasta and French red wine to equally good substitute products. That is why it makes sense to produce this segment of the PRS catalouge in the US. But now CNC machines and the high level craftmanship and exerience of the Japanese, Korean and Indonesian makers has levelled the playing field so much so that un-innovative makers like Fender and Gibson struggle to find new and more ridiculous ways to rehash and re-market the old stuff. PRS has been more innovative and savvier in its approach than most. I think they are on the ball. The SE series’s are really great buys and the CORE series deliverers what it promises to the customers who are happy to pay the premium, in the end, this means fever items sold but a higher margin on each. These are the kind of luxury items where the high price is a part of the appeal for the buyer, the exclusivity and appearance matters to this buyer. Because there is this mistaken view that American craftsmanship is superior producing in the US is a crucial for the marketing strategy of the Core Models.
I’ve got a Squier strat from over 20 years ago. I bought it used recently and put a player plus neck on it because I hated the big headstock and super blonde fretboard. Plays and sounds amazing.
@@robmcd Brother they’re great! I LITERALLY got gifted my first Squire YESTERDAY! and played some Lamb of God with it! Check this out😂
ua-cam.com/video/x1F2LIysCns/v-deo.htmlsi=IwJgXv6zL-svOOmh
As far as quality of workmanship, you can teach anyone anywhere in the world to build guitars, but where your guitar matters for many reasons, even if tone isnt one of them.
@@joshpointoh I agree. Yes you can teach anyone. But at a time, money and opportunity cost all while that person staying on the job or being a cultural fit is not a guarantee
Mr Sorenzo. Thanks for your video. My question ❓ is Can a guitar thats made on a high quality CNC machine in US for EG, not also be made on the same CNC machine in any other locations. Do we really need humans to make them. AI. Thanks. Best Regards. 😊
@@johnwebb2562 Thank you very much for your great question. While a high-quality CNC machine ensures precision and consistency in cutting and shaping guitar components, there are still critical stages in guitar manufacturing where human intervention and skill are essential. The following are some examples:
1. wood preparation (dehydration etc) and assessing grains
2. Fret installation and dressing
3. Neck shaping
4, final sanding: CNC machines shape it, humans sand the output
5. Assembly
6. Applying finish
7. Quality Control (points in part to the point about culture I mentioned earlier).
Cheers,
Mr. Sorenzo
Thanks very much 😊 But in the future AI will take care of all that with super computers.
Interesting discussion. I disagree with your arguments though. If they're skilled, they can be taught the way a particular company wants them produced. PRS are widely considered to be very consistent no matter which level of product you buy. Gibson's been around for more than 100 years, but people get custom shop and Murphy Labs with QC issues while Epiphones are doing pretty well making a larger volume. There was a time people wouldn't think of buying a car not made in the US or by a US company.
@@Scott__C I hear you on this. And you’re right about Gibson’s ongoing QC issues. My point never was that “all” US made guitars are better than the others. Unskilled staff and bad leadership can be found anywhere. But I think the countries that have been in the business for the longest, have certain advantages in terms of the quantity and the quality their skilled staff.
But let me ask you this: do you believe that staff at Cor-Tek Indonesia right now can make PRS Core models that is of the same caliber as the home made ones?
Btw, thanks for the respectful disagreement brother (genuinely!). It’s becoming less common online these days. Ppl like you make discussions fun again
@@mr.sorenzo Thanks, and no problem.
I think like the SE line, if Jack Higginbotham and Paul spend time showing folks how to do it, sure.
My point with Gibson is they have been around for a long time and still build a fair amount of clunkers. For $7k, those guitars should be perfect.
I've seen interviews with Paul and Jack where they talk about someone coming in and starting in sanding, then moving up and being shown more. For starting positions on their website, they only say woodworking experience is a plus, not required.
I've owned Gibsons, but got burned with both. I probably wouldn't buy a Gibson again. Those sounds can be had from other instruments.
I currently have stuff from PRS in the SE, S2 and Core lines. All are great guitars.
@@Scott__C Interesting. Something for me to keep in mind.
And I’m on the same boat with you re Gibson 😂 Never buying one. I have two SEs (holcomb blue and holcomb 7 string walnut). And they are fantastic! Love em!
Paul is 100% correct. Take it from me. I've had dozens of vintage American guitars. Some great. Some crap. I have a real '63 Strat that is the voice of god (and plays even better.) I have a real deal '69 Telecaster that's too heavy, has a bad feeling neck and doesn't sound particularly good. To tinker around a bit, I bought a Squier Affinity Chinese Tele for $178.00 at GC. It plays and sounds so much better than my vintage one. I've also played at least two dozen '59 Bursts over the years. How many of them were amazing? 2 or 3. Jimmy Page is right. It's just a piece of wood and strings. Guitars sound like their players. It's the wizard. Not the wand. Stop chasing and do the work.
@@scottnathanphoto I disagree.
No one said that ALL expensive or american guitars are always better. I’m saying that you can train people up and give them the same material, BUT it comes at a time, money and opportunity cost all while there is no certainty that the subject of you time and money investment and business risk (the trainee) will be staying there. And in that interim the quality won’t be of the same caliber as the US or Japan made guitars.
Also, why don’t we see a PRS Core model made in Indonesia then?
@@mr.sorenzo Here's the thing. The CNC machines and their tolerances are so tight now, that there's very little human touch and I would argue, zero actual craftsmanship. Every neck. Every fitment is identical now. Anecdotally, I did a session with Jeff Beck in the late 80's. He showed up with neither a guitar or amp. He borrowed a Mexican strat from the front desk. Sounded the same as everything he's ever done.
Great point about the CNC machines! I totally agree. There’s less and less human touch in the building of the guitars, making the staff skills less relevant than before. Genuinely asking this: why do you think that the US or Japanese made guitars are not totally outsourced to countries with cheaper labor, materials and overheads? Like what happened to the US car industry.
Why the Core and S2s, but also other high end guitar brands are not outsourcing their guitars abroad?
@@mr.sorenzo I think it's pride and branding. Gibson stuck to their guns because they take justifiable pride in "Made in U.S.A." The Fender products are similar. Their offshore models have lower spec components, but are basically the same. I know a pro that only plays Indonesian Jackson's. He's famous and tours year around. Japan isn't the value proposition it once was, but those factories have been around so long, it would be a lot of work to build plants, train operators and sort out trade routes for wood supplies. Good points though.
Paul is wright. Your medaphore is weak. Take for example the japanese, those guys are exquisite woodworkers and they have been built musical instruments for centuries. the level of craftsmanship at factories like Fugigen and I could name a few others is arguably considerably higher than at the US factories. I grant you that their guitar are not cheap. The Koreans have fantastic factories as well. Some Chinese factories have decades of experience of making high-quality instruments for well-known brands. I have three Indonesian guitars, one of them are Yamahas which I ordered online from Thomann, both of those are exquisitely well built. And I mean, they are perfect. admittedly I also have a cheap Indonesian made guitar called Harley Benton HB35 which is I can see when I look very closely at it, that it was built fast and to price. But standing a meter away from it, it looks fine and it plays fantastically. I think that's even more of an achievement on the part of those Indonesians than being able to build a perfect $800 guitar.
@@svarfinnbogason3645 I don’t think you understood my argument here. I actually used the Japanese example in my videos. This bit at least is not in contrast with my argument.
I didn’t argue that because it’s Indonesian it’s bad. I have 2 Indonesian made PRS guitars which are fantastic! And frankly we can have bad guitar makers in the US. I never said or implied that because it’s made in the USA, it’s good.
Let me ask you this and hopefully this makes for an even more productive discussion: Why do you think then that the PRS core models are not made in Indonesia? Or China?
@ I think it has more to do with pricing. Wages and many other costs of production are lower. That means that if if you want to be competetive in the price to quality ration market you make things overseas. Sometimes that also means using as cheap parts and woods as you can reasonably get away with. You will sell more quantity (bet you PRS sells a heck of a lot more SE’s than Core) but the markup of each item is likely considerably lower. PRS also cater to the high end maket where people are willing to pay a high premium for brand assosiation and ideological and subjective reasons. Like assosiatin with famous players and havin the thing made in the US. Much like people prefere Italian pasta and French red wine to equally good substitute products. That is why it makes sense to produce this segment of the PRS catalouge in the US.
But now CNC machines and the high level craftmanship and exerience of the Japanese, Korean and Indonesian makers has levelled the playing field so much so that un-innovative makers like Fender and Gibson struggle to find new and more ridiculous ways to rehash and re-market the old stuff. PRS has been more innovative and savvier in its approach than most. I think they are on the ball. The SE series’s are really great buys and the CORE series deliverers what it promises to the customers who are happy to pay the premium, in the end, this means fever items sold but a higher margin on each.
These are the kind of luxury items where the high price is a part of the appeal for the buyer, the exclusivity and appearance matters to this buyer. Because there is this mistaken view that American craftsmanship is superior producing in the US is a crucial for the marketing strategy of the Core Models.