Members Vermoulian Posted May 5, 2009 Members Share Posted May 5, 2009 I've had six Korean guitars over the years, and here's how I'd rank them for general quality: Schecter C-1 EliteB.C. Rich NJ Classic MockingbirdEpiphone Korina Flying V (made by Unsung)Epiphone Sheraton II (made by Samick)Agile Valkyrie IIEpiphone Korina Explorer (made by Saien? Serial # started with an I) I haven't played some of the brands mentioned in this thread, but based on my experience with those guitars, I consider "Made in Korea" to be a good thing, a desirable characteristic in a guitar. Usually it means a lot of quality for not a lot of money. My least-favorite Korean guitar (the Explorer) was still a good, solid guitar. For a long time, the Korean builders were making guitars for sale under other brand names, which I think held back Korean instruments when it came to building their reputation. A generation earlier, when Japanese guitars were moving up in quality to rival the big names, they were being built by and sold under their own corporate names, or at least under unique brands, and nobody involved in selling them had any interest in making sure they didn't compete with the real deal back home. So Ibanez, Yamaha, ESP, etc. were able to develop reputations for quality. But Korean-built Epiphones, for instance, were never going to be allowed to really compete with "real" Gibsons. They were built down to a price point. When most of the guitars you make are sold a somebody else's lower line of instruments, it's an uphill battle to make a name for quality. I think they're doing it, but it has taken a long time. And, for the most part Korean-built guitars are not sold under the builders' names, which also hampers building a reputation. Again using the analogy of Japan, consider how Ibanez and Yamaha have long had reputations for making top-level instruments, but only in recent years has Matsumoku, which built great instruments but under other names, started to get the same level of respect, and still lots of people don't really appreciate them. It seems that a lot of the companies that used to have their lower-level guitars built in Korea are now having them built in China or Indonesia. So I wonder what the Korean industry is going to do now---hopefully they will do something to establish their own brands, to start earning the respect that I think they deserve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Surrealistic Posted May 5, 2009 Members Share Posted May 5, 2009 The Gretsch I just bought was built in Korea and I can't fault it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members deadwax Posted May 5, 2009 Members Share Posted May 5, 2009 altho not a crowd favorite Washburn had some very nicely made guitars at the Korean Samick factory. I'm not so sure that plant is closed. the "Greg Bennett" line still claims to be made there as of 2009. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MattLivingInVan Posted May 6, 2009 Members Share Posted May 6, 2009 gretsch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcats Posted May 6, 2009 Members Share Posted May 6, 2009 hands down....Brian May guitars rock!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members PlinytheWelder Posted May 6, 2009 Members Share Posted May 6, 2009 I'm pretty much done modding my MIK Hamer SATF, I really love this guitar and can hardly put it down. Ripped the pickups and pots and switch out and put in.... Vintage Vibe HSP90A pickups PAF gain, RS pots, CTS switch and a Jensen PIO tone cap. It's all straight, solid and fretbuzz free and sounds like a million bucks. I love this guitar.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members diceman1000 Posted May 6, 2009 Members Share Posted May 6, 2009 i have a korean made cort that is fabulous... Damon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BluesBrother Posted May 6, 2009 Members Share Posted May 6, 2009 I had a PRS SE awhile back, it wasn't very good. Headstock chipped really easy, pick-ups weren't that great. Everything was very mediocre IMO. I'm kind of interested in how the Korean made Hamer and G&L guitars compare? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members blazingblake Posted May 6, 2009 Members Share Posted May 6, 2009 My Korean Washburn is excellent quality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zigzaguarsnarl Posted May 6, 2009 Members Share Posted May 6, 2009 I've owned a couple Samick Epiphones that were top notch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members aprilapril956 Posted May 6, 2009 Members Share Posted May 6, 2009 As all guitar manufacturers, Korean have different quality levels. Some are excellent some not. The experience reflects in price one pays Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members unistudent1980 Posted May 6, 2009 Members Share Posted May 6, 2009 Anyone remember Valley Arts by Samick, can be had for ridiculously cheap now but they were quite spectacular at the time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cerebrix Posted May 6, 2009 Members Share Posted May 6, 2009 korean made junk food is completely full of win. seriously, nobody does junk food like the koreans. just take a look at this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members soliloquy Posted May 6, 2009 Members Share Posted May 6, 2009 Dean Hardtail, Epiphone (if any are made in Korea anymore), Washburn, Michael Kelly, Ibanez (plenty more expensive, but not sure where they are all made), Schecter, etc. These have models above and below the prices of the PRS Se's. PRS are priced right in the middle of the Korean brands. Maybe high compared to most Agile. The pre-custom ones were priced a bit better, but for maple "caps", they are priced right there. I have to admit that the Dean Hardtails are very nice for the money. I just wish I didn't find them so ugly. really? i find the hardtail to be a strange mixture of a PRS and a les paul. this isn't mine, but sure is beautiful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members PlinytheWelder Posted May 6, 2009 Members Share Posted May 6, 2009 AS far as MIK Deans go, I really like these..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members in_rainbows Posted May 6, 2009 Members Share Posted May 6, 2009 Personally I've loved every Schecter I've played. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members CptMcKay Posted May 6, 2009 Members Share Posted May 6, 2009 My schecter c1 blackjack and ESPECIALLY my dad's c1 classic are very hard guitars for me to put down. So you have my vote there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Spudro Posted May 6, 2009 Members Share Posted May 6, 2009 My MIK Dean Leslie West Standard is absolutely awe inspiring. My Hardtail is a USA Dean in Satin Walnut. I am VERY interested in a Soltero. I hope that the neck profile is similar to my 'Leslie', but I'll wager that if not, it's still amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members diddybow Posted May 6, 2009 Members Share Posted May 6, 2009 I'd like to try a new Harmony but untill I save enough for my next one, I'm happy with these two Korean made Epi's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members headless Posted May 6, 2009 Members Share Posted May 6, 2009 korean made junk food is completely full of win. seriously, nobody does junk food like the koreans. just take a look at this Freak-In Genius! Whoever came-up with that idea deserves to be the next "Dear Leader"--of the Planet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Crappymonkey Posted May 6, 2009 Members Share Posted May 6, 2009 I'm VERY happy with my MIK Dean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ihavenofish Posted May 7, 2009 Members Share Posted May 7, 2009 ive not played alot of korean guitars, but of the solid bodies, my agile 3000m is the nicest - this compared to several fenders, prs, and oddly even my epi custom from the same factory. second would be a fender lite ash, but now that ive seen a half dozen different ones, they seem to be somewhat variable in fit and finish. but the nicest guitar ive seen recently with an mik sticker was a bubinga ibanez artcore. amazing guitar and was fairly cheap too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members soliloquy Posted May 7, 2009 Members Share Posted May 7, 2009 My MIK Dean Leslie West Standard is absolutely awe inspiring. My Hardtail is a USA Dean in Satin Walnut. I am VERY interested in a Soltero. I hope that the neck profile is similar to my 'Leslie', but I'll wager that if not, it's still amazing. i'm not sure what the dean LW necks are like, but all korean and USA solteros have a V profile neck. the Soltero SL, which is a japanese made soltero, has a round neck. apparently its between the les paul 50 and 60's neck. closer to the 50's though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dimibetan Posted May 7, 2009 Members Share Posted May 7, 2009 YAMAHA and IBANEZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members maltomario Posted May 7, 2009 Members Share Posted May 7, 2009 havent read the entire thread but MIK fernandes guitars are great. no corners were cut on this guitar. 1pc mahogany back, 1pc 5A quilt top - not veneer mind you. fantastic instrument and was bought for ~ $300. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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