I was hoping for a little more depth from this article.
Does It Matter Where Guitars Are Made? | Sweetwater
Does It Matter Where Guitars Are Made? | Sweetwater
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Does it matter where they are made?
- Thread starter juancaminos
- Start date
I only got to halfway through the answers on the second question. It's like they either are paying their web server by the letter or they want it to be like a Fox News pundit thing? "You answer! Now you! Took too long, you there- go!"
If they wanted, each one of these guys could go on for several paragraphs on each answer. SW must think that anyone on their site reading an article certainly has ADD and can't handle lots uv werds.
If they wanted, each one of these guys could go on for several paragraphs on each answer. SW must think that anyone on their site reading an article certainly has ADD and can't handle lots uv werds.
Hello. That is discussed here sometimes:
it's a worn subject and mostly moot now, but I still have an affinity towards American made guitars even if only my handful of old Fenders and Peaveys are the sole remaining examples of USA mades now out of the current bunch while my foreign Dean fretless and Peavey Zodiac BXP are basically all I grab now. it comes down to design and quality control, just like with Leo et al who are famed for both their hits and misses and of course the inevitable % of dogs which slipped out the factory door. the electronics are generally the issue now and could almost be left out of any bass made today to provide a better price for buyers cos that is usually their weak link, whether supplied of lesser quality or just need to be tailored to individual tastes. but for most players these are great times in getting big bang for little bux.
Never made a difference to me, but it was nice buying my first USA-made G&L.
No. How well it's made isn't just from where it is made.
My Korean made bass is the best I have, and other bassists rave over it. It is from a VERY carefully chosen factory which met the standards of a picky American designer. You might think it was hand-made from the quality, but it is a Korean, factory produced bass.
My American made bass sold for about the same price. It is excellent, but you would not know that it is American made unless you look at the headstock. It is a fine bass but has one odd trait.
My Mexican made bass is the loudest one I own, and has remarkable sustain. It was my #1 gigging instrument for six years. Though I upgraded a few parts, it was the fundamentally fine quality that make me keep it. My repairman praised it highly today.
My Korean made bass is the best I have, and other bassists rave over it. It is from a VERY carefully chosen factory which met the standards of a picky American designer. You might think it was hand-made from the quality, but it is a Korean, factory produced bass.
My American made bass sold for about the same price. It is excellent, but you would not know that it is American made unless you look at the headstock. It is a fine bass but has one odd trait.
My Mexican made bass is the loudest one I own, and has remarkable sustain. It was my #1 gigging instrument for six years. Though I upgraded a few parts, it was the fundamentally fine quality that make me keep it. My repairman praised it highly today.
I mainly use fenders, and frankly I dont really care if they were made by Mexicans in Ensenada or Mexicans in Corona.
I think now with CNC machining and other very mature manufacturing techniques, that it is less about where and more about who.
My PRS SE is Korean made, and it is a very good bass. My Carvin is American made and I love it; it's been my #1 and only since 1988 until this year. My Pedulla is a work of art. Michael is an artist, not a builder, IMHO.
There is a human factor in making a great instrument. A talented artist can be from anywhere.
My PRS SE is Korean made, and it is a very good bass. My Carvin is American made and I love it; it's been my #1 and only since 1988 until this year. My Pedulla is a work of art. Michael is an artist, not a builder, IMHO.
There is a human factor in making a great instrument. A talented artist can be from anywhere.
If you happen to get the right combination of wood, electronics, hardware and whatever the ethereal component of truly special instruments is, you'll get a great one. Buy it and keep it. Wherever this happenstance occurred is unimportant.
the CNC really takes away the human factor, if only for shaping the bodies and necks. One will be no different from the other, except for the tolerances (which are very tight BTW)
Agreed, assuming that is all the work that is done. However, after the machine is finished, usually a person takes the result and does the final assembly and finish. This is where an artist's talents can (and hopefully does) come into play. IME this is why there is a variance between instruments from the same manufacturer and model.
In Pedulla's case, there is no CNC; it's all by hand, and it is all art in his case (IMO, of course).
I only own one USA made bass which is my EBMM USA SUB. If not USA I'll try for Japan (my mustang) or Mexico ( mustang PJ and my P). They're better than Chinese or Indonesian made IMO. Could just be my experience with poor quality. YMMV.
People would down MIJ in the late 80's as much as early 80's US Fender, then Korean, early MIM was considered underfinished junk, then China, now Indonesian.
I've seen people turn their nose up at Fenders made after the move, CBS, etc.
Judge something on it's own merits.
Whatever is considered junk today 10 years from now will have it's praises sung after that line is refined.
I've seen people turn their nose up at Fenders made after the move, CBS, etc.
Judge something on it's own merits.
Whatever is considered junk today 10 years from now will have it's praises sung after that line is refined.
