I have that exact Tokai, has been my ride or die for about 10 years now through pub gigs to cruise ships. Awesome to see one with such an excellent player!
Just yesterday I had a PRS SE CE 24 Vintage Burst delivered from Sweetwater and it’s awesome! Built in Indonesia. A couple years ago I bought a PRS S2 custom 24 which is built in Maryland. It’s hard to tell the difference, but the SE is just as good. PRS has the best quality…I also own a Fender American Strat and Gibson LP Standard that are great , but they just aren’t as good for me
When i saw the title, the first thing I thought of was Jet Guitar. For the price they are unbeatable. By the way in your hands a guitar made of plywood will sound lovely .
I remember seeing a few YT reviews on the Fender Player Plus MIM, they were complaining about the pull/push feature on it, saying it wasn’t functional etc. which I agree with. However when that same feature was introduced to the made in USA Line, they loved it and find nothing wrong with it. Lots of bias towards USA made products but the quality ain’t there for the price they ask for….
😂 agreed. They were really trying hard to find something wrong with it. I have a Player Plus Tele and a US Tele and there’s no prizes for guessing which one I like best!
Where is not so important as the amount of time that is spent on the guitar. That can be great on a guitar made in indonesia as a guitar made in the States. I have owned a core PRS Studio 10 top since 2012 and it's a gorgeous guitar, plays and sounds wonderful. I recently picked up a SE 24-08 - bottom of the line and while not quite the same amount of care (fret ends are great but not buffed as much as the Studio), it's 80% of that guitar at about 10% of the current value. I think it's because they still put a lot of effort into the finishing where it counts - playability and sound. Plus it's 7.5 lbs - wonderfully playable. I have Chinese Ibanez guitars that are fantastic - so no, good guitars, imo can come from anywhere. It depends on how they are made and the care that goes into them. That said, cultural differences can produce different instruments. So I could see folks still having preferences.
As long as they have good quality control and attention to detail, then it doesn’t matter where it’s made. There are great craftsmen all over the world. The problem is that most of the time when a guitar is made overseas, it’s a cost cutting decision, not a quality decision. But some foreign guitar manufacturers are outstanding. Japan makes some incredible guitars, as does Korea, and even Indonesia is much more consistent now. Some companies like PRS, Manson, and Gretsch, have gotten much better about training their Asian factories on their processes to improve the consistency.
In the case of PRS, the differences between the SE and Core versions of the same model aren’t just where they’re made, but also different pickups, electronics, and polyurethane vs nitro finish. The S2 line occupies a sweet spot, having as of this year all of those those important aspects of the Core, while having a more economical body carve and neck construction. To me, that was the basis for buying an S2 over an SE - not location of the factory. Conversely, all the Fender and Gibson QC issues are proof that American-made is not, by itself, a guarantee of Q.
I have an Ibanez Xiphos from Indonesia and an RG Prestige. Both are excellent guitars though the fret finish is a bit better on the Prestige. The Prestige I got was in the 1500-1800 range while the Xiphos was right around 1k USD. My expectation of quality regardless of country is usually proportional to the price. I bought a used Strandberg that was made in Indonesia, and that's an excellent guitar. Speaking broadly, I expect guitars made in South Korea, Japan, and the US to have a good level of quality regardless of the brand. I think PRS is correct provided the factory is set up for success with QC measures and training
I think at the end of the day budget guitars are still budget guitars. They still make compromises to get out at a price. My current #1 is prs se (pauls guitar) but i played a bunch of other se's and was pretty underwhelmed at all of them (silver skys, 24s, SAS's, DGT's, and NF3's) though that may have just been having to tune floating trems which is always a royal pain. On the other hand ive loved every american pro ii tele ive tried.
The unique thing that PRS did is name the manufacturer of the overshore-produced guitars on the guitar - not shy or hiding it. Regarding Tokai I was discussing them with Japanese work colleagues and said I'd like to visit their HQ in Hamamatsu, Japan. Instantly they said "oh that's the Yamaha town" and when you check, Hamamatsu even has a musical instrument museum - so a lot of history and regional expertise in that area. I've been a lifelong fan of Tokia since I saw my first white Tokai LPC in a small music retailer window in Lancaster, England in the early 80s. I live in the US now so there's no new Tokai supply. Fortunately I occasionally visit Tokyo so I've used that to do my Tokai shopping. Currently have two - a cherry sunburst Les Paul Custom-alike and a '58-ish black Les Paul Standard-alike. Compared to my Gibsons I'm a lot less shy of ripping out the electronics of a Tokai and have turned both into guitars that I adore as much as my Gibsons.
I think it shows how confident PRS are in their designs, and how invested they are in QC. So even though PRS SE are made by Cort, you can’t buy a Cort that feels and sounds as good. And I like Cort
The only reason Country of Origin is important is because it's a predictor of the odds a builder is able to achieve and maintain tolerances. It can't guarantee you a great build... just increase or decrease the odds that the particular guitar in your hands is built well (parts choices aside). The best Strat I have ever played was MIJ. I have faith the odds are high another Fender from Japan will equal it in quality of build. MIM? The ones I've played varied greatly in quality, and it makes me hesitate to purchase one because the odds are lower the one I get will be built well.
My favorite instruments are made by one man in Austin, TX. Never changes hands until handed over to me. He is as talented a player as he is a builder. CHC Custom guitars. I strive to do the guitars justice.
japan is highest quality fot the buck,reflected in the amount of guitar stores they have in japan,i live in london,there are few guitar shops still open,bar denmark st,which is top dollar and a tourist trap,glad they are still there,but the average joe in uk doesnt buy guitars there,its also a small side street,japan has streets of guitar shops.momose/devise japanr will build you a guitar comparable to custom shop/boutique quality wise for quite a bit cheaper.as for fender,there is a reason they dont import fender japan to usa,and only release in limited runs in europe/aus/nz etc truth is,fender never really wanted to start fender japan,they were forced to do so to compete with mij tokai/greco/fernandes copys ,that were cheaper and nicer than what fender usa were churning out at the time.tokai got offered the contract first and turned it down,as they were doing fine on their own early 80s,and would mean they had to stop selling tokai guitars in usa.fujigen makers of greco eventually got the job.much of the bits and pieces on usa fenders now is outsourced from asia anyway,same with gibson,hardly anything is 100 per cent made in usa anymore,just assembled there from a mix of local and outsourced parts
John you are one of a few that has the opportunity to test out a lot of gear. I would think you could tell more in the cross section of guitars you've tried if those subtle but important differences like action, intonation, fret board, hardware quality, etc. are better depending on where they are made.
Over 10 years ago I found a used, Made in Japan “Fernandes” 80’s Strat copy for $79 USD. The guitar had a few issues, the neck pickup was bottomed out and rattling in the pick guard, one lead on the bridge picking up had become unsoldered- no output, it had a self attempted “SetUp” with no intonation- couldn’t even play a chord, and finally the output jack was noisy. Took a chance, fixed all the issues myself- as I fix/ set up all my guitars. With $0 cost to fix all the issues the guitar was excellent 🎸🔥👍🏻. It rings out So Loud unplugged, and it’s a pleasure to play. Japan, Korea, China, Indonesia, India, are all countries I have found that have made very good guitars In MY opinion.
I cared for a long time! This was reinforced by my two favorite guitars. Then I bought a Korean made guild Starfire. Completely changed my mindset! Then I got a D’Angelico. Amazing!! Now it’s about quality. A place is a place. But quality is essential.
I recently got an '83 squier jv strat, so good, so light and well made It made me sell my trusted fender american standard I owned since the '90s. japan made are Just another level
Those are amazing. I borrowed one recently and it is the best sounding strat I have ever played. I was travelling and recording, so the guitar was just plugged straight into the interface, and I’ve never heard a direct tone that good. Played it through a Tone King amp and it created that John Mayer kind of tone that people spend a fortune chasing.
I have MIJ Gretsch, K-Line Truxton, 2 USA PRS (Fiore and SS), and a Duesenberg. Can’t really say one is better than the others, regarding build quality. The Duesenberg can get the lowest action and has the best tuning stability of them all, which means a lot when you’re playing live.
Japan as long beeing praised for their quality work, and from what I hear, from a Japanese friend, there are a lot of very good quality guitars there, unknown to us in Europe or else. Indonesia and Korea (Gretsch?) come to mind...I bought a 'premium' *strandberg, made in Indonesia... The thing is, I believe there are great builders, everywhere, we just don't hear about them. I have a friend Luthier who builds super high grade guitars, in France, as an example. Ergon guitars are also premuim and hand built in Portugal. People just don't know they exist... The 'know how' is everywhere! Take care!
Cool post John! I've got two Tokai's! A beautiful blonde ES 335 type with nitro-finish and Seymour Duncan pickups bought used on Reverb and a newer P-90 equipped LP style Goldtop! Excellent guitars both! I also picked up a Sire ES 335 style with P-90's after hearing how nice the one "Danish Pete" on Anderton's channel sounded. They're to my mind, an excellent way to get more tools at a great price!
There is a risk associated with that. There are Chinese knockoffs coming over stamped made in Japan. And for the price of what people are asking for (maybe a MIJ) Tokai, you can get a used LP with a serial number you can authenticate. I even saw a gold top Tokai going for $2400. I can’t help but laugh 😆
I used to own a Tokai strat from the 80s. Beautifully made but the poly on the neck made it sticky to play. I also had a 1980s Love rock that was good but not as good as the Gibson Studio I bought as a replacement. The Fender Japan tele I own is an incredible guitar and I would probably by Fender Japan again over another Tokai. The only Indonesian guitar I own is the PRS DGT, which again is just fantastic but no other guitar in the SE range felt as good in the hands or seemed as well finished. The best guitar I own is a Gibson Memphis made 335 but I played a dozen others to find it. All in all I still think you have to try a guitar in the flesh wherever it’s made to find a gem.
I don’t mind where a guitar is made as long as there is good QC and quality components. Usually for the cheaper end guitars, the QC might be good but the components are hit and miss. For me, I have always enjoyed Japanese made guitars, great balance of quality, craftsmanship and price (new and used)
CNC is everywhere good enough for guitars. All other factors are cost, labour intensity and strategic choices. Control in every section of the manufacturing process in a foreign country isn't easy. Everyone who did something similar (and not just instruments) face the same issues. Different view of work ethics, less abundant qualified workers, availability of Ressources in general have to get overcome. But common knowledge since the beginning of industrialisation and it's funny that we still debate it. Anyone from the UK should know it, there where at the forefront since the 18th century in international or globalism affairs of production in foreign countries. If some countries couldn't make good quality, are others unable to make bad quality? What's predefine quality today is mostly margins and they depend on taxes, shipping costs, time consumption. Keyword for manufacturing is 'Standardisation' to achieve anywhere the same outcome in quantity and quality.
I’m not persuaded that’s as much about the skill in the country. Obviously there are the economics of wages and other costs in particular locations but more than that I think it’s the limitations on the build spec (for big brands) that they impose on non US guitars that makes the difference. I think that’s why we’ve seen a jump in quality in MIM fenders recently (not bad before) and a realignment in their price structure (China now taking thr budget side). The MIM workers were always a great (the Californian series made in the US in the 90s by Mexican trainees were amazing guitars) but now they are allowed to shop it more. Similar is true for higher species epiphones (which are about 1-15k btw).
Would like to see and hear your thoughts regarding Vola Guitars which are from Japan as well. Perhaps someone here can have the means or influence to make that happen.
100% couldn't care less where a guitar is made. Used to work in a music shop and played some banger budget instruments. On the other hand played some USA stuff that was junk. First off would try not to buy without seeing, secondly would focus on feel of the guitar make sure the bits you can't change are spot on. Then fully expect to replace pots, pickups, nut etc. Most bits don't cost loads and can be easily done yourself.
Timely video given rumors of Gibson moving production overseas. If Gibson moved production to Cort factory the quality would be better. And likely finslly get stainless steel frets and locking tuners in production models. When Epiphone started doing Gibson headstock that conditioned us for Gibson imports
I have 4 core PRS guitars and 3 Eastmans. I love them all. I haven't played a Gibson worth a crap in a very long time and I struggle with Fender. Dings under the finish on a 2200.00 Tele and flaws like that. Inexcusable and unimaginable on a PRS or Eastman. Even an SE has more care and attention than US Fender.
The question is how do brands present a product line and what corners do they cut for cheaper models to encourage buyers towards the high end. The custom shop and private stock offerings seem weird because they attempt “luxury” beyond anything important to most players. No-name brands from Asia can be surprisingly good because they don’t have a large product line to map out.
I have a Peerless Martin Taylor Virtuoso, made in South Korea. It's as good as a Benedeto or Sadowsky. I've had all 3, including Guilds, Gibsons, ect. over 35 years. And then there are Eastman's .The Virtouso is as good, if not better. It's all about the builders and the price point they're making them for.
If the guitar is built to the precise specifications of one made in the US or Japan it does not matter the country of origin to me. Although I'm in the US and have owned Gibson Les Pauls, I currently use Tokai Love Rock guitars instead...the latest are Premium Series.
Neck…weight and trem matters to me and in most cases I’ll just swap the trem if needed. Mainly if it feels good I’m buying it..everything else can be changed. Don’t spend thousands on something you gonna change anyway lol! So it doesn’t really matter where something is made because we’re all for the most part gonna change something and get a setup. A setup and fret file is mainly what separates the expensive guitars from the cheap. That’s with the exception of some parts but again…we typically change that stuff even in expensive guitars.
The artist at53 and the levinson Sceptre Ventana are some of the best guitars I've played. Have no idea where they were made. Probably China. Or Indonesia.
It depends...but I've had good luck with foreign and USA made guitars. My PRS se Chris Robertson and PRS SE Chris Robertson are pretty much on par in terms of build quality. My core is probably 12 times the price as my SE... but both exceptional. Now the flame on my core is the real deal whereas on my SE its a vaneer... and the core is nitro vs poly... but if you didn't know this you wouldn't be able to tell the difference. With that said a lot of other SE guitars look and feel very cheap in comparison... the Chris Robertson is really an exception and costed more than most other SE models. I've noticed that the older Korean SE guitars seemed way nicer quality than the indo or Chinese ones.
He's right - it doesn't matter where a guitar is made. But it matters WHY a guitar is made. Anywhere in the world, if people are working to make a guitar as good as possible then it will probably be a good instrument. Just look at Eastman. But if a guitar is being made just to be a cheap copy then it will probably always play like a cheap or cheaper copy of the genuine article.
Depends on what you mean by 'matter' - if you are talking about pure desire and 'mojo' only an American made Fender or Gibson will do :) P.S. I do have two PRS SE guitars and an FGN and they are close to faultless, but just not the 'real thing'. P.P.S maybe it's just my age, 68 ;)
How good a guitar is - is in the way it ages - keep an expensive guitar and a cheap guitar on a stand, even if you don't play them, see how they deteriorate over time, the cheap one will start rusting and rotting way sooner than the expensive one, it's all in the hardware - simple example is - keep an Epiphone and a Gibson side by side and see them age - the Epiphone will age much faster than a Gibson, regarding craftmanship - sure it matters - but even if you have a great luthier but give him shitty hardware, it's a no go situation, and vice versa, all in all luthier and craftsmanship matter but they are nothing without good hardware and it's hardware where companies cut cost first even before man power cost.
Where it’s made is just short hand for price point. More expensive guitars tend to play better. With PRS you’re getting great QC so for Paul it doesn’t matter
Paul is 100% correct. Once the manufacturing process and materials have been sorted out, It all comes down to quality controls. I mean Gibson are made in the USA, but the quality is crap 😬 Many prefer a Mexican Fender to the USA model. Some say the EVH model, made at Fender Mexico, is the best Strat ever. Beautiful intro piece btw.
I have owned many american and import guitars and there is very little difference these days. My silver sky SE plays better than an 87 prs custom 24 I had and the fender custom shop tele I have
What matters to me is if they have skilled craftsmen, knowledge of how a guitar works and is played, the tools to make quality instruments, proper materials, and a value in knowing that the guitars they make may well be a lifelong creative companion to a guitarist that could easily spend thousands of hours playing it over many decades.
@officialWWM The proof of the pudding is in the eating. A bad recipe and poor skills leads to a poor meal. Knowledge is more than likely be evident in the finished product, in this case the guitar.
@ but that suggests you can’t get a great cheap guitar. While 20 years ago, that was certainly true, it’s not anymore. Go pick up a Yamaha Pacifica or even the cheapest Squire Strat or Tele. These are hardly craftsmen built guitars but they are great and very very consistent.
@@officialWWM Depends on what you mean by "cheap." Sometimes that means poorly made with inferior materials and skill. Sometimes it simply means inexpensive. With CNC, consistently high quality instruments you can be produced at lower prices. Electric guitars are not very complex or complicated to make. I made a Classical Guitar at age 15 with the help of a mentor. My guitar instructor was a Luthier, as was one of my friends who built me two custom instruments. I have seen many guitars, etc. being hand built.,
Oh, I believe that a good guitar can probably be built anywhere in the world, but it takes no idiot to see the difference between an SE and a CE model or a wood library model or otherwise I mean if they built wood library models, which cost well I spent Almost $10,000 on my crossroads guitar my Carlos Santana so I have to tell you the SC was only about eight or 900 and it certainly did not have the woods the carving. The looks the feel the sound or any other thing that that high dollar Guitar had, but surely if they put the Maryland factory in Korea and all that wood And a lot more hand carving and a lot more hand work versus machine, and they pluck the frets certainly it could be as good a guitar so yeah, you can build a guitar anywhere that’s good. You just gotta want to. But it seems to me they purposely build cheap guitars overseas. Eastman does build good guitars and they’re from China, but they are certainly above and beyond anything PRS is building overseas. I think the Eastman is equal to less Paul right here in the USA I have several of them Again. He builds overseas to sell pretty guitars to customers that can’t afford the more expensive it’s to hit a price point. We all know the truth about that. 3:53
It depends. I think that the point is not which country, that shouldn't matter, but which factory it matters. I mean if there was, and probably there is, a crazy custom shop super expensive in indonesia we would put it on the same level as usa, uk, eu custom shops. If there was a cheap mass production low qc factory somwhere in the usa that would be like a made in china factory. That said guitar factories aren't that many, if it says Korea then it is 99% "World". The factory matter, in the same way in your own city a bakery can be shit and cheap and another one can be expensive and awesome that happens around the world. That said i have to agree that cheap and awesome appears often in japan, it can be materials, taxes, work culture, we don't know why it's cheap (remember the jhs saga) but it is very reliable quality, japan just doesn't ship crap, more so than anywhere else I must say.
No, I have a $250 Harley Benton Copy of the SE24 and I have a real SE 24. That PRS sits in its bag where it belongs. $1000 guitar should not have swirl marks in its finnish and at least some set up work done. None I spent days on that guitar and it will never be to the level the Harley Benton. I dont care whats on the headstock or how you spent, if you cant connect with it and become one with it. Then its garbage.
They are both made in Indoniesia. One thing I noticed on these guitars when I looked inside the electronics cavity. The wiring is Identical, the zip tie placement, the way the wireing is routed even the wire colors are the same, same pots, same selector switch, same coil split etc. The bodies are identical as well other than the maple top on the real McCoy. But I could not find that they are made at the same factory over there. But I suspect they are made at the same facitlity. Both are Left handed as well.
I have absolutely no idea why people think that a US made guitar is somehow untouchable in quality. Of course a PRS is a fine well made instrument for that price it absolutely bloody well should be.! However Gibson and Fender are really hit and miss and really shouldn't be for the cost. I have a collection of MIJ Tokai guitars and all are faultless,from the 80s to the 2000s.. they make the G&F of the same vibe look like Chinese knock-offs and for the price I'm getting custom shop quality at half the price.
I don’t, but the knowledge I can get a replacement if something is wrong with the guitar gives me peace of mind. I’ve only had one guitar from china that had no issues. But even that one needed a $200 set up from an amazing tech.
The issue isn't where they're made... it's the quality of the parts with which they are made. The PRS SE line, if made with the same quality parts as the core range, which of course they aren't, would be on par with their core counterparts... at a reduced price. Which is why they aren't?
if you give the same material, woods electronic etc to the guys in a factory in Indonesia or Vietnam or China or South Korea I am sure that the guitar they will make will be exceptional. Obviously the "mother company" uses these factories to create cheaper guitars and they provide cheaper materials....and the cost of labor is cheaper than USA....
Of course he's fucking right! He's a guitar builder. The people building the guitars, the equipment used, and the materials in use matter... not where the fuck it's built. It could be built on the moon.
I would buy a Japanese made guitar without worry, I would run a mile from one made in China. Its Japanese excellence vs cheap Chinese junk. I say the build location can make a significant difference John.
Intrinsically, no, it doesn't matter. However, in practice most non-western made guitars (except Japanese) are mass produced and made to a price point below their US/Japanese/EU counterparts and that is where the difference matters
Yes, most are. But their overseas counterpoints are mass produced to a lower price point. There are far fewer non-mass produced guitars outside of the USA/Japan/Europe to make them practically non existent
I want to say "No". Overall, people are people and a killer guitar is a killer guitar, regardless of where it is made. That being said, certain places may hold people with more experience, which would lead to a better product. My Musc man that was made in USA was miles and miles above my Sterling, though the Sterling is an extremely nice instrument that I hope to own forever. Something about the wood/lumber quality maybe as well? I have guitars made from multiple places int he world and the best feeling ones are either from the US or Japan. My other guitars are nice as well, but something about the Fujigen factory especially produces wonderful instruments. My Takamine from Japan has a neck that is so wonderful, you forget you are playing an acoustic. I think it is just wherever the most experienced builders reside. As far as factory production guitars, think about it, some people will be paid well and love their job, and others are just there for the low wages they receive.
A very well known tech that used to work for Fender told me once “You can buy a Made in Mexico” Strat made by Mexicans OR, you can buy a “Made in America” Strat….made by Mexicans😂
I don't care where a guitar was made as long as it was made well and the people making them aren't in some kind of slave labor. I've had good guitars from all over the world -- quality isn't necessarily something that's exclusive to specific countries. Train the employees well, treat them well, and pay them well, and you already have three of the essential ingredients needed for good quality. You can get the same quality of workmanship out of Indonesia that you can out of America, for example, the key difference here is that American labor costs considerably more (and American labor has to produce considerably less, as well, which is a big factor in why you're more likely to see more QA fails out of a foreign factory vs something assembled in the U.S.), but that doesn't mean it's any better.
PRS says a lot of things… For example if a guitar is built in my front yard near the sump pump outlet, I’d say that’s a poor choice of location. His assertion in absolute terms fails, obviously. Truth tables matter. Narcissists gonna narcissist, and absolute and incorrect statements made to attract attention bore me.
doesn't matter to me. It seems most American guitarists like US made guitars, but maybe that's just nationalism to a certain extent. I have Mexican, Japanese and Indonesian. All great guitars.
HI, John in the US here its so Funny how many guitarist say "I would Never by a Guitar overseas"... And the best is Fender , the Made in Mexico guitars are 100 miles away from California boarder , and i bet the US fender factory are made up of Mexican people !!! I Say SO .. what's wrong with them ? Are the People Different in other countries ? i don't know... But here is the Kicker > There Phone is made either in China or south Korea , There appliances are made in south Korea and China small amount made in usa, The best rated Cars are made i Japan , Most of there home items are made in China ... BUT They won't buy a Guitar made overseas !!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣 also This is Big The Eastman Guitars !!! they are HAND Built and did you ever see where they make them ? wow ..They make high end orchestral instrument's i saw men wearing suits building guitars and instruments.. There guitars are reasonable for what you get .. People comparing them to the Gibson Murphy line start at $7,000 in a factory and i bet there Not all hand made !!! they are equipped with state of the art machinery ..so who really knows what's Hand made !!!! BUT Those GOT TO HAVE ONLY USA MADE ...Well then You Pay the PRICE !!! Dumb way of thinking Oh and the Eastman Factory is Far from a SO Called Chinese Sweat shop !!! they don't know what there talking about !!!
Honestly it only matters to Americans. The decline in typical quality coming out of the US is far inferior to the like of Japan and has been for about 30 years years in regards to production line instruments. Genuine Custom made guitar transcend nationality and always has done
Paul Reed Smith is just a corporate mouthpiece now. He’s created an incredible brand no doubt, but these days he just talks a load of bollocks. He isn’t really involved in the SE stuff which, arguably, is more important to their business than the core instruments now.
mostly its the americans who think they build the best guitars in the world but lets be honest, most japanese made guitars of the same price are superior but no, the country of origin doesnt matter, the craftsmanship is what matters and that can be great or terrible from a lot of countries
@10sassafras You have a severely debilitating dopamine addiction fueled by incessant virtue signaling. I'm sorry, but it's likely not a habit you'll ever break. And just what i want to do; travel to countries that jail those who openly criticize the government and weld people into their homes because of the flu... 🤪
@@10sassafras You have a severely debilitating dopamine addiction fueled by incessant virtue signaling. I'm sorry, but it's likely a habit you'll never break.
I have that exact Tokai, has been my ride or die for about 10 years now through pub gigs to cruise ships. Awesome to see one with such an excellent player!
Just yesterday I had a PRS SE CE 24 Vintage Burst delivered from Sweetwater and it’s awesome! Built in Indonesia. A couple years ago I bought a PRS S2 custom 24 which is built in Maryland. It’s hard to tell the difference, but the SE is just as good. PRS has the best quality…I also own a Fender American Strat and Gibson LP Standard that are great , but they just aren’t as good for me
The work ethic of WHO makes your guitar definitely matters!! Japanese are top dogs in work ethic and attention to detail!
Not always, seen a MIJ charvel recently? You would change your mind.
No it doesn’t. A CNC machine in China works just as well as one in USA
@@officialWWMExactly right. And no doubt that person’s comment was made from a Chinese phone, but that didn’t stop them buying one…
@@GarrettMaple 😂😂
Play an Eastman and then try to tell me Chinese luthiers have no work ethic or attention to detail.
When i saw the title, the first thing I thought of was Jet Guitar. For the price they are unbeatable. By the way in your hands a guitar made of plywood will sound lovely .
I remember seeing a few YT reviews on the Fender Player Plus MIM, they were complaining about the pull/push feature on it, saying it wasn’t functional etc. which I agree with. However when that same feature was introduced to the made in USA Line, they loved it and find nothing wrong with it. Lots of bias towards USA made products but the quality ain’t there for the price they ask for….
😂 agreed. They were really trying hard to find something wrong with it. I have a Player Plus Tele and a US Tele and there’s no prizes for guessing which one I like best!
Where is not so important as the amount of time that is spent on the guitar. That can be great on a guitar made in indonesia as a guitar made in the States. I have owned a core PRS Studio 10 top since 2012 and it's a gorgeous guitar, plays and sounds wonderful. I recently picked up a SE 24-08 - bottom of the line and while not quite the same amount of care (fret ends are great but not buffed as much as the Studio), it's 80% of that guitar at about 10% of the current value. I think it's because they still put a lot of effort into the finishing where it counts - playability and sound. Plus it's 7.5 lbs - wonderfully playable. I have Chinese Ibanez guitars that are fantastic - so no, good guitars, imo can come from anywhere. It depends on how they are made and the care that goes into them. That said, cultural differences can produce different instruments. So I could see folks still having preferences.
Man... what a lovely intro song. Made my day. Really nice melodic lines. :)
As long as they have good quality control and attention to detail, then it doesn’t matter where it’s made. There are great craftsmen all over the world. The problem is that most of the time when a guitar is made overseas, it’s a cost cutting decision, not a quality decision. But some foreign guitar manufacturers are outstanding. Japan makes some incredible guitars, as does Korea, and even Indonesia is much more consistent now. Some companies like PRS, Manson, and Gretsch, have gotten much better about training their Asian factories on their processes to improve the consistency.
i think paul reid smith contradicts himself a lot
How so?
Grifters often do.
In the case of PRS, the differences between the SE and Core versions of the same model aren’t just where they’re made, but also different pickups, electronics, and polyurethane vs nitro finish. The S2 line occupies a sweet spot, having as of this year all of those those important aspects of the Core, while having a more economical body carve and neck construction. To me, that was the basis for buying an S2 over an SE - not location of the factory. Conversely, all the Fender and Gibson QC issues are proof that American-made is not, by itself, a guarantee of Q.
I’m pretty sure the s2 had the same electronics as the se until recently
Hands up anyone who believes that the build location made no difference to this person… Nobody? Thought so.
@@shredgordon3240You’re correct. And some of the parts still are. The S2 is now ridiculously expensive as a result.
I have an Ibanez Xiphos from Indonesia and an RG Prestige. Both are excellent guitars though the fret finish is a bit better on the Prestige. The Prestige I got was in the 1500-1800 range while the Xiphos was right around 1k USD. My expectation of quality regardless of country is usually proportional to the price. I bought a used Strandberg that was made in Indonesia, and that's an excellent guitar. Speaking broadly, I expect guitars made in South Korea, Japan, and the US to have a good level of quality regardless of the brand. I think PRS is correct provided the factory is set up for success with QC measures and training
A Japanese guitar is the only one I would buy sight unseen/unplayed. Any other origin, I need hands on.
And a German amp.
😂😂
I think at the end of the day budget guitars are still budget guitars. They still make compromises to get out at a price. My current #1 is prs se (pauls guitar) but i played a bunch of other se's and was pretty underwhelmed at all of them (silver skys, 24s, SAS's, DGT's, and NF3's) though that may have just been having to tune floating trems which is always a royal pain.
On the other hand ive loved every american pro ii tele ive tried.
The unique thing that PRS did is name the manufacturer of the overshore-produced guitars on the guitar - not shy or hiding it. Regarding Tokai I was discussing them with Japanese work colleagues and said I'd like to visit their HQ in Hamamatsu, Japan. Instantly they said "oh that's the Yamaha town" and when you check, Hamamatsu even has a musical instrument museum - so a lot of history and regional expertise in that area. I've been a lifelong fan of Tokia since I saw my first white Tokai LPC in a small music retailer window in Lancaster, England in the early 80s. I live in the US now so there's no new Tokai supply. Fortunately I occasionally visit Tokyo so I've used that to do my Tokai shopping. Currently have two - a cherry sunburst Les Paul Custom-alike and a '58-ish black Les Paul Standard-alike. Compared to my Gibsons I'm a lot less shy of ripping out the electronics of a Tokai and have turned both into guitars that I adore as much as my Gibsons.
I think it shows how confident PRS are in their designs, and how invested they are in QC.
So even though PRS SE are made by Cort, you can’t buy a Cort that feels and sounds as good.
And I like Cort
That solo transition was top tier
The only reason Country of Origin is important is because it's a predictor of the odds a builder is able to achieve and maintain tolerances. It can't guarantee you a great build... just increase or decrease the odds that the particular guitar in your hands is built well (parts choices aside). The best Strat I have ever played was MIJ. I have faith the odds are high another Fender from Japan will equal it in quality of build. MIM? The ones I've played varied greatly in quality, and it makes me hesitate to purchase one because the odds are lower the one I get will be built well.
My favorite instruments are made by one man in Austin, TX. Never changes hands until handed over to me. He is as talented a player as he is a builder. CHC Custom guitars. I strive to do the guitars justice.
japan is highest quality fot the buck,reflected in the amount of guitar stores they have in japan,i live in london,there are few guitar shops still open,bar denmark st,which is top dollar and a tourist trap,glad they are still there,but the average joe in uk doesnt buy guitars there,its also a small side street,japan has streets of guitar shops.momose/devise japanr will build you a guitar comparable to custom shop/boutique quality wise for quite a bit cheaper.as for fender,there is a reason they dont import fender japan to usa,and only release in limited runs in europe/aus/nz etc truth is,fender never really wanted to start fender japan,they were forced to do so to compete with mij tokai/greco/fernandes copys ,that were cheaper and nicer than what fender usa were churning out at the time.tokai got offered the contract first and turned it down,as they were doing fine on their own early 80s,and would mean they had to stop selling tokai guitars in usa.fujigen makers of greco eventually got the job.much of the bits and pieces on usa fenders now is outsourced from asia anyway,same with gibson,hardly anything is 100 per cent made in usa anymore,just assembled there from a mix of local and outsourced parts
John you are one of a few that has the opportunity to test out a lot of gear. I would think you could tell more in the cross section of guitars you've tried if those subtle but important differences like action, intonation, fret board, hardware quality, etc. are better depending on where they are made.
Over 10 years ago I found a used, Made in Japan “Fernandes” 80’s Strat copy for $79 USD. The guitar had a few issues, the neck pickup was bottomed out and rattling in the pick guard, one lead on the bridge picking up had become unsoldered- no output, it had a self attempted “SetUp” with no intonation- couldn’t even play a chord, and finally the output jack was noisy. Took a chance, fixed all the issues myself- as I fix/ set up all my guitars. With $0 cost to fix all the issues the guitar was excellent 🎸🔥👍🏻. It rings out So Loud unplugged, and it’s a pleasure to play. Japan, Korea, China, Indonesia, India, are all countries I have found that have made very good guitars In MY opinion.
After more than a dozen guitars, japanese made consistently have the best quality.
PRS made in US are top notch too.
That Tokai looks great. The Springy Sounds are awesome.
I cared for a long time! This was reinforced by my two favorite guitars. Then I bought a Korean made guild Starfire. Completely changed my mindset! Then I got a D’Angelico. Amazing!!
Now it’s about quality. A place is a place. But quality is essential.
I recently got an '83 squier jv strat, so good, so light and well made It made me sell my trusted fender american standard I owned since the '90s. japan made are Just another level
Those are amazing. I borrowed one recently and it is the best sounding strat I have ever played.
I was travelling and recording, so the guitar was just plugged straight into the interface, and I’ve never heard a direct tone that good.
Played it through a Tone King amp and it created that John Mayer kind of tone that people spend a fortune chasing.
I have a FujiGen(FGN) Les Paul custom, awesome guitar. I believe Ibanez and Tokai come out of that factory
@@thejuggernaut5327 have their neo classic NLS11RMP. Plays like a dream.
@thejuggernaut5327 Tokai is their own entity with their own factory and has zero to do with Fujigen.
Japan
I have MIJ Gretsch, K-Line Truxton, 2 USA PRS (Fiore and SS), and a Duesenberg. Can’t really say one is better than the others, regarding build quality. The Duesenberg can get the lowest action and has the best tuning stability of them all, which means a lot when you’re playing live.
I’d be interested in seeing you experience some of the more interesting UK builders guitars. For example - Trent, West Valley, Ancoats and Fidelity.
PJD as well….
Is the transcription for that solo on your patreon page?
Japan as long beeing praised for their quality work, and from what I hear, from a Japanese friend, there are a lot of very good quality guitars there, unknown to us in Europe or else. Indonesia and Korea (Gretsch?) come to mind...I bought a 'premium' *strandberg, made in Indonesia...
The thing is, I believe there are great builders, everywhere, we just don't hear about them. I have a friend Luthier who builds super high grade guitars, in France, as an example. Ergon guitars are also premuim and hand built in Portugal. People just don't know they exist...
The 'know how' is everywhere! Take care!
Intro song was beautiful!
Cool post John! I've got two Tokai's! A beautiful blonde ES 335 type with nitro-finish and Seymour Duncan pickups bought used on Reverb and a newer P-90 equipped LP style Goldtop! Excellent guitars both! I also picked up a Sire ES 335 style with P-90's after hearing how nice the one "Danish Pete" on Anderton's channel sounded. They're to my mind, an excellent way to get more tools at a great price!
There is a risk associated with that. There are Chinese knockoffs coming over stamped made in Japan. And for the price of what people are asking for (maybe a MIJ) Tokai, you can get a used LP with a serial number you can authenticate. I even saw a gold top Tokai going for $2400. I can’t help but laugh 😆
I used to own a Tokai strat from the 80s. Beautifully made but the poly on the neck made it sticky to play. I also had a 1980s Love rock that was good but not as good as the Gibson Studio I bought as a replacement. The Fender Japan tele I own is an incredible guitar and I would probably by Fender Japan again over another Tokai. The only Indonesian guitar I own is the PRS DGT, which again is just fantastic but no other guitar in the SE range felt as good in the hands or seemed as well finished. The best guitar I own is a Gibson Memphis made 335 but I played a dozen others to find it. All in all I still think you have to try a guitar in the flesh wherever it’s made to find a gem.
I really like my Reverend guitars, they are made in Korea and setup in Toledo, Ohio each guitar is signed by the tech who set it up.
I don’t mind where a guitar is made as long as there is good QC and quality components.
Usually for the cheaper end guitars, the QC might be good but the components are hit and miss.
For me, I have always enjoyed Japanese made guitars, great balance of quality, craftsmanship and price (new and used)
The only MIJ guitar I have is a FGN Odyssey and it’s very well made for the money.
CNC is everywhere good enough for guitars. All other factors are cost, labour intensity and strategic choices. Control in every section of the manufacturing process in a foreign country isn't easy. Everyone who did something similar (and not just instruments) face the same issues. Different view of work ethics, less abundant qualified workers, availability of Ressources in general have to get overcome. But common knowledge since the beginning of industrialisation and it's funny that we still debate it. Anyone from the UK should know it, there where at the forefront since the 18th century in international or globalism affairs of production in foreign countries. If some countries couldn't make good quality, are others unable to make bad quality?
What's predefine quality today is mostly margins and they depend on taxes, shipping costs, time consumption. Keyword for manufacturing is 'Standardisation' to achieve anywhere the same outcome in quantity and quality.
I’m not persuaded that’s as much about the skill in the country. Obviously there are the economics of wages and other costs in particular locations but more than that I think it’s the limitations on the build spec (for big brands) that they impose on non US guitars that makes the difference. I think that’s why we’ve seen a jump in quality in MIM fenders recently (not bad before) and a realignment in their price structure (China now taking thr budget side). The MIM workers were always a great (the Californian series made in the US in the 90s by Mexican trainees were amazing guitars) but now they are allowed to shop it more. Similar is true for higher species epiphones (which are about 1-15k btw).
I own two SE PRS guitars and don't really have issues with them.
Would like to see and hear your thoughts regarding Vola Guitars which are from Japan as well. Perhaps someone here can have the means or influence to make that happen.
I’m happy with my two Greco’s but happier with my USA Fenders & Andersons.
100% couldn't care less where a guitar is made. Used to work in a music shop and played some banger budget instruments. On the other hand played some USA stuff that was junk. First off would try not to buy without seeing, secondly would focus on feel of the guitar make sure the bits you can't change are spot on. Then fully expect to replace pots, pickups, nut etc. Most bits don't cost loads and can be easily done yourself.
Timely video given rumors of Gibson moving production overseas. If Gibson moved production to Cort factory the quality would be better. And likely finslly get stainless steel frets and locking tuners in production models. When Epiphone started doing Gibson headstock that conditioned us for Gibson imports
I have 4 core PRS guitars and 3 Eastmans. I love them all. I haven't played a Gibson worth a crap in a very long time and I struggle with Fender. Dings under the finish on a 2200.00 Tele and flaws like that. Inexcusable and unimaginable on a PRS or Eastman. Even an SE has more care and attention than US Fender.
I don't care where they are made as long as the wood, components and craftsmanship are quality.
The question is how do brands present a product line and what corners do they cut for cheaper models to encourage buyers towards the high end. The custom shop and private stock offerings seem weird because they attempt “luxury” beyond anything important to most players. No-name brands from Asia can be surprisingly good because they don’t have a large product line to map out.
I have a Peerless Martin Taylor Virtuoso, made in South Korea. It's as good as a Benedeto or Sadowsky. I've had all 3, including Guilds, Gibsons, ect. over 35 years. And then there are Eastman's .The Virtouso is as good, if not better. It's all about the builders and the price point they're making them for.
I have MIJ Fenders they are my favorite.
Sure I agree with him. You can make a cheap guitar anywhere. It’s the process, methods and materials that make a US guitar more expensive.
If the guitar is built to the precise specifications of one made in the US or Japan it does not matter the country of origin to me. Although I'm in the US and have owned Gibson Les Pauls, I currently use Tokai Love Rock guitars instead...the latest are Premium Series.
Neck…weight and trem matters to me and in most cases I’ll just swap the trem if needed. Mainly if it feels good I’m buying it..everything else can be changed. Don’t spend thousands on something you gonna change anyway lol! So it doesn’t really matter where something is made because we’re all for the most part gonna change something and get a setup. A setup and fret file is mainly what separates the expensive guitars from the cheap. That’s with the exception of some parts but again…we typically change that stuff even in expensive guitars.
Cort is making some pretty epic guitars these days. Not my style though.
I would love to see a batch of MIJ Fender roadworn / relics. 😂 I bet the builders there would have even the paint crackle consistently. ❤️🕊🤘
The artist at53 and the levinson Sceptre Ventana are some of the best guitars I've played. Have no idea where they were made. Probably China. Or Indonesia.
It depends...but I've had good luck with foreign and USA made guitars. My PRS se Chris Robertson and PRS SE Chris Robertson are pretty much on par in terms of build quality. My core is probably 12 times the price as my SE... but both exceptional. Now the flame on my core is the real deal whereas on my SE its a vaneer... and the core is nitro vs poly... but if you didn't know this you wouldn't be able to tell the difference. With that said a lot of other SE guitars look and feel very cheap in comparison... the Chris Robertson is really an exception and costed more than most other SE models. I've noticed that the older Korean SE guitars seemed way nicer quality than the indo or Chinese ones.
I agree with him here, tbh I'd rather have guitars made by someone who cares about their craft, rather than by some big name.
He's right - it doesn't matter where a guitar is made. But it matters WHY a guitar is made. Anywhere in the world, if people are working to make a guitar as good as possible then it will probably be a good instrument. Just look at Eastman. But if a guitar is being made just to be a cheap copy then it will probably always play like a cheap or cheaper copy of the genuine article.
Man....i guess i better dig out that jet guitar and give it more of a go.
It doesn’t matter where a guitar is made, but that tonewood though… - PRS
Depends on what you mean by 'matter' - if you are talking about pure desire and 'mojo' only an American made Fender or Gibson will do :)
P.S. I do have two PRS SE guitars and an FGN and they are close to faultless, but just not the 'real thing'.
P.P.S maybe it's just my age, 68 ;)
In before the Paul Reed Smith response video.
How good a guitar is - is in the way it ages - keep an expensive guitar and a cheap guitar on a stand, even if you don't play them, see how they deteriorate over time, the cheap one will start rusting and rotting way sooner than the expensive one, it's all in the hardware - simple example is - keep an Epiphone and a Gibson side by side and see them age - the Epiphone will age much faster than a Gibson, regarding craftmanship - sure it matters - but even if you have a great luthier but give him shitty hardware, it's a no go situation, and vice versa, all in all luthier and craftsmanship matter but they are nothing without good hardware and it's hardware where companies cut cost first even before man power cost.
my idea is play a guitar every night on a stage, summer winter springtime, outdoor gigs, and pubs and see how they sound and how they age! .....:)
Where it’s made is just short hand for price point. More expensive guitars tend to play better.
With PRS you’re getting great QC so for Paul it doesn’t matter
Paul is 100% correct. Once the manufacturing process and materials have been sorted out, It all comes down to quality controls. I mean Gibson are made in the USA, but the quality is crap 😬 Many prefer a Mexican Fender to the USA model. Some say the EVH model, made at Fender Mexico, is the best Strat ever.
Beautiful intro piece btw.
I have owned many american and import guitars and there is very little difference these days. My silver sky SE plays better than an 87 prs custom 24 I had and the fender custom shop tele I have
I'd really love these Yamaha guitars if the pickguard didn't look like someone just took a band saw to it.
To further your point about Core owners speaking poorly about SE models...nobody speaks worse of Epiphones than Gibson owners.
I wish I could get a tokai in the Usa
What matters to me is if they have skilled craftsmen, knowledge of how a guitar works and is played, the tools to make quality instruments, proper materials, and a value in knowing that the guitars they make may well be a lifelong creative companion to a guitarist that could easily spend thousands of hours playing it over many decades.
How would you know if the builders have that knowledge? 😂
@officialWWM The proof of the pudding is in the eating. A bad recipe and poor skills leads to a poor meal. Knowledge is more than likely be evident in the finished product, in this case the guitar.
@ but that suggests you can’t get a great cheap guitar. While 20 years ago, that was certainly true, it’s not anymore. Go pick up a Yamaha Pacifica or even the cheapest Squire Strat or Tele. These are hardly craftsmen built guitars but they are great and very very consistent.
@@officialWWM Depends on what you mean by "cheap." Sometimes that means poorly made with inferior materials and skill. Sometimes it simply means inexpensive. With CNC, consistently high quality instruments you can be produced at lower prices. Electric guitars are not very complex or complicated to make. I made a Classical Guitar at age 15 with the help of a mentor. My guitar instructor was a Luthier, as was one of my friends who built me two custom instruments. I have seen many guitars, etc. being hand built.,
Oh, I believe that a good guitar can probably be built anywhere in the world, but it takes no idiot to see the difference between an SE and a CE model or a wood library model or otherwise I mean if they built wood library models, which cost well I spent Almost $10,000 on my crossroads guitar my Carlos Santana so I have to tell you the SC was only about eight or 900 and it certainly did not have the woods the carving. The looks the feel the sound or any other thing that that high dollar Guitar had, but surely if they put the Maryland factory in Korea and all that wood And a lot more hand carving and a lot more hand work versus machine, and they pluck the frets certainly it could be as good a guitar so yeah, you can build a guitar anywhere that’s good. You just gotta want to. But it seems to me they purposely build cheap guitars overseas. Eastman does build good guitars and they’re from China, but they are certainly above and beyond anything PRS is building overseas. I think the Eastman is equal to less Paul right here in the USA I have several of them Again. He builds overseas to sell pretty guitars to customers that can’t afford the more expensive it’s to hit a price point. We all know the truth about that. 3:53
My Mexican Tele is the best guitar in the world 😂
No it's my Mexican strat 😂
@ 😂😂
The nut of the Tokai is cow bone.
It depends. I think that the point is not which country, that shouldn't matter, but which factory it matters. I mean if there was, and probably there is, a crazy custom shop super expensive in indonesia we would put it on the same level as usa, uk, eu custom shops. If there was a cheap mass production low qc factory somwhere in the usa that would be like a made in china factory. That said guitar factories aren't that many, if it says Korea then it is 99% "World". The factory matter, in the same way in your own city a bakery can be shit and cheap and another one can be expensive and awesome that happens around the world. That said i have to agree that cheap and awesome appears often in japan, it can be materials, taxes, work culture, we don't know why it's cheap (remember the jhs saga) but it is very reliable quality, japan just doesn't ship crap, more so than anywhere else I must say.
No, I have a $250 Harley Benton Copy of the SE24 and I have a real SE 24. That PRS sits in its bag where it belongs. $1000 guitar should not have swirl marks in its finnish and at least some set up work done. None I spent days on that guitar and it will never be to the level the Harley Benton. I dont care whats on the headstock or how you spent, if you cant connect with it and become one with it. Then its garbage.
They are both made in Indoniesia. One thing I noticed on these guitars when I looked inside the electronics cavity. The wiring is Identical, the zip tie placement, the way the wireing is routed even the wire colors are the same, same pots, same selector switch, same coil split etc. The bodies are identical as well other than the maple top on the real McCoy. But I could not find that they are made at the same factory over there. But I suspect they are made at the same facitlity. Both are Left handed as well.
I have absolutely no idea why people think that a US made guitar is somehow untouchable in quality. Of course a PRS is a fine well made instrument for that price it absolutely bloody well should be.! However Gibson and Fender are really hit and miss and really shouldn't be for the cost.
I have a collection of MIJ Tokai guitars and all are faultless,from the 80s to the 2000s.. they make the G&F of the same vibe look like Chinese knock-offs and for the price I'm getting custom shop quality at half the price.
the only people who think US made guitars and untouchable are Americans
I don’t, but the knowledge I can get a replacement if something is wrong with the guitar gives me peace of mind. I’ve only had one guitar from china that had no issues. But even that one needed a $200 set up from an amazing tech.
The issue isn't where they're made... it's the quality of the parts with which they are made. The PRS SE line, if made with the same quality parts as the core range, which of course they aren't, would be on par with their core counterparts... at a reduced price. Which is why they aren't?
It matters to me.
if you give the same material, woods electronic etc to the guys in a factory in Indonesia or Vietnam or China or South Korea I am sure that the guitar they will make will be exceptional. Obviously the "mother company" uses these factories to create cheaper guitars and they provide cheaper materials....and the cost of labor is cheaper than USA....
Of course he's fucking right! He's a guitar builder.
The people building the guitars, the equipment used, and the materials in use matter... not where the fuck it's built. It could be built on the moon.
Vola Guitars
If it dont matter then why make them in different places?
I would buy a Japanese made guitar without worry, I would run a mile from one made in China. Its Japanese excellence vs cheap Chinese junk. I say the build location can make a significant difference John.
Intrinsically, no, it doesn't matter. However, in practice most non-western made guitars (except Japanese) are mass produced and made to a price point below their US/Japanese/EU counterparts and that is where the difference matters
USA guitars are mass produced too :)
Yes, most are. But their overseas counterpoints are mass produced to a lower price point. There are far fewer non-mass produced guitars outside of the USA/Japan/Europe to make them practically non existent
All I know is American made ones aren’t worth a premium. I have Chinese and Japanese and Korean guitars that blow my American Gibson out of the water.
I want to say "No". Overall, people are people and a killer guitar is a killer guitar, regardless of where it is made. That being said, certain places may hold people with more experience, which would lead to a better product. My Musc man that was made in USA was miles and miles above my Sterling, though the Sterling is an extremely nice instrument that I hope to own forever. Something about the wood/lumber quality maybe as well? I have guitars made from multiple places int he world and the best feeling ones are either from the US or Japan. My other guitars are nice as well, but something about the Fujigen factory especially produces wonderful instruments. My Takamine from Japan has a neck that is so wonderful, you forget you are playing an acoustic. I think it is just wherever the most experienced builders reside. As far as factory production guitars, think about it, some people will be paid well and love their job, and others are just there for the low wages they receive.
A very well known tech that used to work for Fender told me once “You can buy a Made in Mexico” Strat made by Mexicans OR, you can buy a “Made in America” Strat….made by Mexicans😂
I don't care where a guitar was made as long as it was made well and the people making them aren't in some kind of slave labor. I've had good guitars from all over the world -- quality isn't necessarily something that's exclusive to specific countries. Train the employees well, treat them well, and pay them well, and you already have three of the essential ingredients needed for good quality. You can get the same quality of workmanship out of Indonesia that you can out of America, for example, the key difference here is that American labor costs considerably more (and American labor has to produce considerably less, as well, which is a big factor in why you're more likely to see more QA fails out of a foreign factory vs something assembled in the U.S.), but that doesn't mean it's any better.
PRS says a lot of things… For example if a guitar is built in my front yard near the sump pump outlet, I’d say that’s a poor choice of location. His assertion in absolute terms fails, obviously. Truth tables matter. Narcissists gonna narcissist, and absolute and incorrect statements made to attract attention bore me.
doesn't matter to me. It seems most American guitarists like US made guitars, but maybe that's just nationalism to a certain extent. I have Mexican, Japanese and Indonesian. All great guitars.
PRS claims the material the tuners are made out of affects the tone of the guitar. Yeah sorry, he completely lost me when he said that 😂
I don’t care where in the USA a guitar is made ;)
HI, John in the US here its so Funny how many guitarist say "I would Never by a Guitar overseas"... And the best is Fender , the Made in Mexico guitars are 100 miles away from California boarder , and i bet the US fender factory are made up of Mexican people !!! I Say SO .. what's wrong with them ? Are the People Different in other countries ? i don't know... But here is the Kicker > There Phone is made either in China or south Korea , There appliances are made in south Korea and China small amount made in usa, The best rated Cars are made i Japan , Most of there home items are made in China ... BUT They won't buy a Guitar made overseas !!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣 also This is Big The Eastman Guitars !!! they are HAND Built and did you ever see where they make them ? wow ..They make high end orchestral instrument's i saw men wearing suits building guitars and instruments.. There guitars are reasonable for what you get .. People comparing them to the Gibson Murphy line start at $7,000 in a factory and i bet there Not all hand made !!! they are equipped with state of the art machinery ..so who really knows what's Hand made !!!! BUT Those GOT TO HAVE ONLY USA MADE ...Well then You Pay the PRICE !!! Dumb way of thinking Oh and the Eastman Factory is Far from a SO Called Chinese Sweat shop !!! they don't know what there talking about !!!
It does matter how it is made. I wish paul made Epiphone
It's all about wood selection, not country.
I bought your PayPal thing when will I get it? First time buyer do you need my email to send it
@johnnathancordy
Honestly it only matters to Americans. The decline in typical quality coming out of the US is far inferior to the like of Japan and has been for about 30 years years in regards to production line instruments. Genuine Custom made guitar transcend nationality and always has done
Paul Reed Smith is just a corporate mouthpiece now. He’s created an incredible brand no doubt, but these days he just talks a load of bollocks. He isn’t really involved in the SE stuff which, arguably, is more important to their business than the core instruments now.
mostly its the americans who think they build the best guitars in the world but lets be honest, most japanese made guitars of the same price are superior
but no, the country of origin doesnt matter, the craftsmanship is what matters and that can be great or terrible from a lot of countries
Paul Reed Smith will say whatever he needs to do to sell guitars. More so he will say it to justify the price of those guitars.
I prefer to avoid countries who have "friendship" nets around their factories for their "employees"
@@AmericanNationalist852 Hoho! Is this how some Americans imagine countries they’ve never visited?
What an utterly daft and shortsighted comment.
@10sassafras You have a severely debilitating dopamine addiction fueled by incessant virtue signaling. I'm sorry, but it's likely not a habit you'll ever break.
And just what i want to do; travel to countries that jail those who openly criticize the government and weld people into their homes because of the flu... 🤪
@@10sassafras You have a severely debilitating dopamine addiction fueled by incessant virtue signaling. I'm sorry, but it's likely a habit you'll never break.
@@10sassafras You waft your own farts, don't you?