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Chinese Made Gutars?

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#104
Smooth_bass88 said:
So few products we use are made in USA. Your computer, iPhone, tablet, TV, all made overseas.
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I'm very aware of this. My drums, basses, furniture and many items are made here. I do the research and buy American products in every category that I can. Sometimes it is something small, yet very difficult to find. Disposable ballpoint pens are a good example. The only disposable ballpoint pen that I could find was the "Pilot Easytouch". It is the only pen that I use. It's a small thing, but it amazes me that you can go to an office supply store and find only one American made product on their wall of writing instruments.

American made clothing is getting difficult to find. It drives me nuts.
 
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#105
drummer5359 said:
I'm very aware of this. My drums, basses, furniture and many items are made here. I do the research and buy American products in every category that I can. Sometimes it is something small, yet very difficult to find. Disposable ballpoint pens are a good example. The only disposable ballpoint pen that I could find was the "Pilot Easytouch". It is the only pen that I use. It's a small thing, but it amazes me that you can go to an office supply store and find only one American made product on their wall of writing instruments.

American made clothing is getting difficult to find. It drives me nuts.
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I have 2 American Apparel T shirts and they're the most comfortable tees I own.
 
#106
Smooth_bass88 said:
Food for thought: how much would your iPhone cost if it were manufactured in the US?
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More. But the free market would fix that; Apple makes crazy money on their products exactly because they make them in China and sell them here with the patina of "Apple quality". I have an iphone and it has given me nothing but grief - Apple quality. Joy.

Nah, stuff would cost more. So we just might not buy them. So what? (which is to say, these are things we could live without).
 
#107
Smooth_bass88 said:
Food for thought: how much would your iPhone cost if it were manufactured in the US?
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1 we don't know, or know if the product would be different. But the workers would be treated better.
2 If we have to abuse workers and pollute third world countries to get these products, maybe we shouldn't have all these products. Do we all NEED iphones and upteen televisions?
3 In my lifetime, the US was a manufacturing leader. It can return.
 
#110
buldog5151bass said:
And they perpetuate the status quo. Don't complain about workers not getting paid if you support those who don't pay their workers.

I see a lot of out of work people or those complaining about lousy jobs with cars and phones nicer than mine.
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I agree. Unfortunately many people don't know any better. Look at all these 'dollar stores'. They're full of cheap crap but people flock to them. I despise these places.
 
#112
Smooth_bass88 said:
I agree. Unfortunately many people don't know any better. Look at all these 'dollar stores'. They're full of cheap crap but people flock to them. I despise these places.
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It's our "gotta have" society. I try to teach my son the difference between need and want.

And GB - at least 2x per day.
 
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#113
buldog5151bass said:
It's not noble sentiment, it's a belief in keeping as many jobs in my country, and a belief in accountability that I believe comes from buying here. Every instrument I own (other that an Epiphone Beatle bass, which I needed) are all US manufactured instruments.
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Hmmm,
You did get me thinking on this. With a quick inventory, what are the countries of origin for the basses I own? Maybe an interesting thread to start. I honestly never gave it any thought, I just bought the basses I really liked that I could afford at the time.
Mine looks something like this...
USA (vast majority of the 30+ basses I own, Fender, Gibson, Musicman, Rainsong, Reverend...)
Germany (a couple of Warwicks)
Czech Republic (one Spector, parent company is USA)
Mexico (a couple of Fenders, parent company is USA)
Japan (a few Fenders, parent company is USA)
China (one Fender, parent company is USA)
Indonesia (one Spector, parent company is USA)
Korea (one Danelectro)
So who gets to decide if my buying habits make me an evil person?
 
#115
My amplifiers are all made in USA. One guitar made in China. One guitar made in Korea but completely rebuilt by me in the USA with US made pickups and hardware. One bass made in Korea but rebuilt with US made pickups, one bass made in Mexico, two basses made in USA, one bass made in Japan. My upright is made in China. One project guitar with all US made parts that will eventually be screwed together with my unpaid labor - no wages paid anywhere for final assembly. Beats me where the cables are all made, but it all adds up, but how it adds up isn't obvious to me.
 
#116
I don't think that one's buying habits make someone an evil person. I'm just saying that I do give some thought as to where "new" products are made.

To put another little twist on this... I recently bought a 1987 Peavey Foundation. I appreciate that it is a quality product that was made in the United States. But... where this 27 year old bass was made affects no one when I purchase it today. I own six American Fender basses, three of them I bought new. The other three are American made, but my purchase of a used American Fender does nothing other than in a very small way help their resale value.
 
#117
I spoke with a DB player a couple of years ago, and remarked about the nice European looking carved DB he had. He told me he could never have afforded that; it was a $5k Asian knockoff. It was a really good DB. So the cost factor is going to be part of this kind of choice, especially for people on the bottom 1/2 of the income scale.
 
#119
buldog5151bass said:
I don't know if thecDB was a legal or illegal copy., so I can't comment. If it was illegal, I would be against it. Simple.
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Yes, things get grey quickly; building in a given style is fine, and how do you prove a counterfeit? It would have to exactly match a bass other than the ones produced. Agreed if it were a copy.
 
#120
drummer5359 said:
I don't think that one's buying habits make someone an evil person. I'm just saying that I do give some thought as to where "new" products are made.

To put another little twist on this... I recently bought a 1987 Peavey Foundation. I appreciate that it is a quality product that was made in the United States. But... where this 27 year old bass was made affects no one when I purchase it today. I own six American Fender basses, three of them I bought new. The other three are American made, but my purchase of a used American Fender does nothing other than in a very small way help their resale value.
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That's cool, I've never really been a conscious buyer when it comes to product origin. But interestingly enough (if you follow the same logic you've outlined) it looks like all my purchases except one German Warwick I bought new a few months ago have been USA or USA parent company basses. I can now sleep good at night. :thumbsup:
 
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