My impression has always been there is one single gigantic factory in Indonesia that produces all or nearly most guitars and basses which sport the "Made in Indonesia" moniker.
True or False?
For me the "Made in Indonesia" stamp on an instrument foretells of the world's possibly lowest quality. This is a generalization, and I'm sure is not universally applicable to every single thing made there, yet IMO, there is some truth to it. Even surpassing China as a kind of "be careful of what you are getting" type of warning.
Just in case anyone might be thinking that I'm personally ragging on Indonesia or its populous, don't.
Why must such a question be true or false? Is this a black and white world? The maze and labyrinths which companies, factories are owned by one or two stock owners or by one or two large conglomerates are virtually impossible for anyone of us to sort out. Joint-stock companies are "owned" by stock owners that own quite a few different plants, or sites though. So while they're made at different plants, they're made by one large "owner". We can't possible tell that. It's just the way it was in Japan in the 70s. The Greco, Fernandez, Vester, Kasuga, Pearl bla bla (is there anyone who can list all the copycats real names of counterfeit or copied basses/guitars?) was owned by one big company, Matsushita* or whatever. We can't possibly tell. They all were made in one plant at first, but when demand were too high, and sales skyrocketed, they couldn't keep it at one plant, and started another plant in another city. Just put different stickers and brand names on to them. Subsidiaries, daughter company, holding companies, you name it. We can't possible track of what is what or which ones ownes what.
As it is, when handling lumber/timber and such things you can only have such a big factory in one place. It reaches maximum size. Due to logistics and all the organisation you can't just build a super large factory to produce 40.000 guitars or basses an hour at one place.
It's too much of a risk! Wood is flammable. It makes a hell of a bonfire. If a bomb or fire, or natural disaster such as a, hurricane, tsunami , earthquake should take down the factory - which can very well happen in that area and has even frequently done so, as we all know - then all of the world would be out of products for a year or two then.
You always spread the risks, by opening another plant, far from the other one, and carry on building the same brands and basses there. Or anything other that would happen to that factory. Electricty failure or something like that. Anything that causes a production halt. If I would be the CEO I would definitely not put all my eggs in one basket, but spread them out, because - simply - that is a better and much profitable business conduct. If I didn't I would be out of my job at the drop of a hat.
One single gigantic factory produces all or most basses ? = Definitely false!
One single gigantic (holding) company owning different plants, companies, subsidiaries, spread out across the country, (factories) producing all or most guitars and basses ? = Probably. Neither true nor false, because we can't tell. And won't ever be able to.
Different plants owned by each of the
larger brands, like Yamaha, Ibanez? = Probably true.
... was still wondering about the existence (or not) of the Mega-Plant I currently suggests exists....
*can't believe that talkbass changed out company name Matsus*h*i*t*a to poopia. C'mon guys. A word or name in another language is like that, whether you'll like it or not!
