I had for a very short time, an Indonesian fretless Jazz Bass, the Jaco model made of agathis & some composite fingerboard material. While the build quality was clean & refined, I could not bond with it.
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Can anyone comment on instruments made in Indonesia?
- Thread starter alienstarguest
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I have a Squier CV 60s P that i love, and a Tribute L2k (swamp ash-maple fb)awesome too. I think quality has improved a lot in this subject. I play what my ears and hands like.
My Epiphone Classic IV Thunderbird was made in Indonesia and the craftsmanship is flawless (and I'm very particular and detail oriented about guitars). When I first decided I wanted a Thunderbird, I figured I would most likely get a Gibson, but someone here on TB got me hip to the Epi Classic IV (I thought Epiphone only made the bolt-on T-bird) and after AB'ing it against a few Gibson Thunderbirds, I genuinely felt the Epiphone had the Gibsons beat on all counts (sacrilege!).
I used to look down on Indonesian guitars, just like I looked down on Korean guitars 20 years ago, and before that, all Japanese guitars were considered crap. The truth is; there are fantastic guitars made in all of those countries... China too (my Chinese Epi Casino is a better guitar than the Korean one I bought 10 years ago, and that was a really well made guitar to begin with). CNC is a great equalizer, but I think there's also a greater level of skill and craftsmanship going into Asian-made guitars than ever before.
I used to look down on Indonesian guitars, just like I looked down on Korean guitars 20 years ago, and before that, all Japanese guitars were considered crap. The truth is; there are fantastic guitars made in all of those countries... China too (my Chinese Epi Casino is a better guitar than the Korean one I bought 10 years ago, and that was a really well made guitar to begin with). CNC is a great equalizer, but I think there's also a greater level of skill and craftsmanship going into Asian-made guitars than ever before.
Yep. My Indonesian Squier VM jazz, once set up, is am awesome instrument. I play it more than any of my others. Got it used for $175, threw in DiMarzio Model Js and perfect!
Good points everyone. Even if I am swayed to believe that all sorts of fine instruments come from Indonesia, was still wondering about the existence (or not) of the Mega-Plant I currently suggests exists.
My import Sterling (SB-14) is from Indonesia. It's the best bass I have, as far as precision of manufacture. Hard to compare to the Ripper, which has 40 years of wear. Still, it's at least as well made as I require.
Otto
Otto
I have a Cort and an Ibanez , both made in Indonesia. The Cort is the easiest bass i have ever played and it was really cheap. Not the greatest sound but I'm sure a pick up job would help that. The Ibby also plays darn good (though not as good as the Cort) and sounds good enough that I gigged with it for a couple of years. Both play easier than my 2 P basses though neither sounds as good. They are both fairly light also. Wish they sounded as good as my P basses. My shoulder would thank me.
Squier VMs made in Indonesia are generally pretty well-made. The parts may be a bit on the cheap side, but if so that's Fender's fault; the manufacturer builds them to spec for Fender and their QC seems pretty consistent. Certainly better than some of the other out-sourced work we've seen over the years.
As for the "mega-plant", I don't know enough about that. I have heard the Squiers are made in the same factory where the Corts are made, and that this is reflected in their serial numbers, but that's just a rumor to me.
As for the "mega-plant", I don't know enough about that. I have heard the Squiers are made in the same factory where the Corts are made, and that this is reflected in their serial numbers, but that's just a rumor to me.
It's not one mega factory, it's actually two megafactories, and then a few smaller shops. From this handful of factories there are literally hundreds of brands of instruments churned out, many we never see in the west.
The big names like Fender, Gibson, Yamaha and Ibanez all outsource *something* to these factories in order to meet demand for instruments at different pricepoints and in quantities they could never achieve internally. It might seem like a bit of a racket, but each and every brand has control over the materials, components, finishes and quality control over their independent products - coming down to A) how much they pay and B) how many people they have (or send) to oversee their interests.
There are maybe 100 total factories scattered throughout Asia, from Japan to Korea to Indonesia to China, along with some stuff in Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines also. The industry overlaps a lot and can be incestuous at times with one brand getting products from multiple factories at a time, some buying wood or parts or even rentin factories and equipment from each other. Often families will have fingers in multiple areas or own two seemingly competing companies, but in the end it comes back to the large global demand needing to be filled and someone has to do it.
It's not unlike bicycles or shoes or appliances, where the number of worldwide brands vastly exceeds the number of factories that make the stuff, some in their home countries and all whoa sub out something or other overseas.
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- Jul 7, 2010
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Quality and craftmanship MUCH better the last few years.....NOT MIJ quality but much better.
Even if there is a "mega plant" it doesn't follow that everything out of there is made to the same standards. Contracts for each branding company will specify quality of materials and components and level QC. The line for Laklands might be right next to the line for POS Brand X.
I live in Indonesia.. am a bass player (and other instruments). . Own a small music recording studio and have managed various musicians. I also shop a lot for instruments.. in Australia... England.. Singapore (electronic gear types) and am very particular and picky when purchasing instruments.
Also my part time day job is as a consultant who analyses and fixes companies and factories so I know the manufacturing practices and quality control standards.
There is no Giant Instrument factory in Indonesia. Yamaha has one of the biggest in the world here and exports all over the world. So does Fender/Squire.. Ibanez ... Cort. In fact the factories are very competitive with each other and really go all out one-upping at Trade Shows here... claiming their manufacturing quality is better because of. Blah blah blah.
Indonesia also has local brand custom products which are awesome (and expensive) . Also the woodworking and fine wood carving arts skills here are very very high standard and has been for hundreds of years.
Re quality.. the brand names are world class standard because Indonesia is paranoid about quality due to counterfeits that also unfortunately come out from here..
A lot of parts like metal pieces come from overseas.. and in my experience this is where the problem can be... especially the quality of metal parts from the US and Mexico..
Can you get defects? Yes, absolutely.. just like stuff from the US.. Korea... Japan.. etc..
Also my part time day job is as a consultant who analyses and fixes companies and factories so I know the manufacturing practices and quality control standards.
There is no Giant Instrument factory in Indonesia. Yamaha has one of the biggest in the world here and exports all over the world. So does Fender/Squire.. Ibanez ... Cort. In fact the factories are very competitive with each other and really go all out one-upping at Trade Shows here... claiming their manufacturing quality is better because of. Blah blah blah.
Indonesia also has local brand custom products which are awesome (and expensive) . Also the woodworking and fine wood carving arts skills here are very very high standard and has been for hundreds of years.
Re quality.. the brand names are world class standard because Indonesia is paranoid about quality due to counterfeits that also unfortunately come out from here..
A lot of parts like metal pieces come from overseas.. and in my experience this is where the problem can be... especially the quality of metal parts from the US and Mexico..
Can you get defects? Yes, absolutely.. just like stuff from the US.. Korea... Japan.. etc..
I used to service equipment at a mattress factory. I watched them have a box full of different labels/brands they were attaching to mattresses all made side by side. Same guys made big name expensive mattresses next to inexpensive ones. Same tools, same skill, lot of the same parts, just a different label/brand. I have a Squier VM jag that is Indo made in 2011. This one is made as well as any Mex Fender bass I have owned. Sounds better than a mex fender p I owned. If it did not say Squier you would not know it.
My
Squier VM Jazz is Indonesian. Its about a year and a half old and its still fine. I still can't tell a big difference between it and my AmStd Jazz, aside from cheaper metal which probably will still do the job as long as we're alive. And the computer machines that build it, they do a fine job.
Squier VM Jazz is Indonesian. Its about a year and a half old and its still fine. I still can't tell a big difference between it and my AmStd Jazz, aside from cheaper metal which probably will still do the job as long as we're alive. And the computer machines that build it, they do a fine job.
I read an article by a Fender rep, he stated that the Indo VM are the better made ones.
And cheaper management and less government regulations and fewer taxes (if applicable). As a union worker, I get it. Its expensive. If fair wages, let alone ridiculous wages, were paid to everyone, we probably wouldn't be here typing on the internet; we'd all be working second and third jobs to pay for just our food.
I find it highly unlikely that it's one giant factory. One of the reasons labor is outsourced is because land is cheaper in those places, not just hourly workers.
