Korean-made vs Indonesian-made vs Chinese-made Basses???

[dmibass123]

What can you tell about comparing the quality/craftsmanship of basses made from these countries, from your experience:

• Korean-made vs Indonesian-made?
• Indonesian-made vs Chinese-made?
• Korean-made vs Chinese-made? (i think you dont need to answer this part )

Thanks

 

[puddin tame]

I suppose people will say
Korean > indonesian > chinese

But I mean, it's not like you can tell how a bass is going to turn out from what country it's being made in

 

[Boombass76]

Hm... I can't really comment on Indonesia and China. In fact, the only bass that I have ever owned that was made outside the US, Japan or Denmark is a Lakland Skyline 55-02 made in Korea. But guess what? I still have it which is more than I can say about most of the other basses I owned...

 

[Lazarus.Bird]

I think it also depends on the company.

I own a MiK Ibanez SR700 and a MiIndo Ibanez SRX695DX. Both have immaculate rosewood finger boards, incredible body finishes, great action and in general both are gorgeous, well playing instruments. The SRX is a neck thru and by looking at it, playing it, and hearing it I would not assume it was made on a production line in a foreign country. Ibanez has been known to have excellent quality control regardless of where the instruments are manufactured.

I probably wouldn't spend $800+ on a MiIndo if I didn't get to try before buying, but if I played one and loved it, the manufacturing origin would not really affect my purchasing decision.

 

[some kid]

I suppose people will say
Korean > indonesian > chinese

But I mean, it's not like you can tell how a bass is going to turn out from what country it's being made in

I'd go with that too. But ultimately, it's the individual instrument that matters. For example, my $500 Chinese Ibanez is incredibly sturdy and never gave me any problems as a starter bass, which is why I still keep it around (and for sentimental reasons). Yet my $1200 short-scale six-string Chinese Gretsch is all kinds of shoddy. Same goes for Indonesian - My $1200 Ltd started falling apart after about six months, but my $1500 SBMM is solid and feels like a bass twice the price.

As for Korean, my Ibanez electric guitar is Korean. Had it for about four years now, still kicking as perfectly as it was on day one, and I don't plan on replacing or upgrading yet.

 

[bmc]

The more meaningful question to ask is whether a brown bass is better made than a black bass.

Mass production is accomplished with machinery. These countries have machinery, people and jigs. The marketing company that contracts the construction and assembly, sets the quality standards.

I have two Made in America basses (Fender and Sadowsky) and one Made in China, assembled in Japan with the final setup and marketing done here in Switzerland (Blade). When I last thinned the herd, I sold two MIJ Fenders and kept the MIC Blade. Why? because I used the Blade more than the Fenders.

Where my basses are made are of no concern to me whatsoever. I make my purchasing decisions on quality and price. I have clear memories of avoiding Fenders in the mid 70's because they hit and miss. Is that because they were made in the USA?

 

[IngerAlb]

You do realize the companies that build instruments in Korea and Indonesia are the same right? The only difference consists (prolly) in lower salaries for the workers (which in the end means lower production costs). I've also heard there's a massive wood cutting industry in Indonesia these days so prolly getting cheaper wood was a deciding factor too in shifting the production location.

I've owned MIK & MII basses (Ibbys) and those were fine instruments. I couldn't spot any quality differences between them (they were same model too). Indonesians managed to up the production quality and now their instruments are of the same quality of a Korean made one.

About China I don't know yet...but if the new W RBs are going to be sold at a decent price around here, I'm going to get one. I couldn't care less where it was made.

All the instruments manufactured overseas are produced in the same factories. There are companies that work for 8 - 10 - 15 different brands. So IMO the only difference between them resides in the wood quality and quality control checks. Some brands are very strict with what they put in their instruments and they double and triple check each bass, others have a more loose policy.

 

[elgranluis]

All three countries are able to produce great instruments.

However , they will produce whatever the contract says. If the name on the headstock wants cheap electronics , and no quality checks to bring the price down , that’s exactly what you will get. If they are hired to produce a top of the line instrument , thats what they’ll do.

 

[Jugghaid]

Yeah, factories in all of those countries build to customer specs. The PRS SE guitars from the COR-TEK factory in Indonesia are as good or better than many USA instruments, let alone Korea.

 

[Gopherbassist]

The biggest difference is going to be in design intention. What does the brand want from the manufacturer? Of those locations, brands are going to place products which the want the highest quality from in Korea. Then Indonesia, then China. Production facility design and what equipment it's outfitted with are also a factor. It's also based on supply chains and the experience of the local workforce.

Next is going to be labor quality. You can train anyone to build anything, and equip any factory for anything, but how you treat people is going to effect how dedicated they are to doing that work well. So too how well you pay them. Again, that's going to be Korea, then Indonesia, then China.

Last is buyer expectation. At all levels, distributions, wholesale and retail, purchasers have prejudices, biases and preconcieved notions about the characteristics they expect from different places. For instance, every instrument I've pulled out of a case that came from Indonesia has smelled really bad. The cases needed to be aired out to get rid of the funk. Is that true of every instrument made in Indonesia? I'm sure it's not. But it's a notion I have based on experiences I've had.

 

[Gervais Cote]

To me, it depends on the brand, model and the year it was made.

I played on a wonderful Chinese Fender jazz bass with humbucker pickups that was from end of the 90's and quality was on par with an American custom shop. I also saw Chinese products that were pieces of ….

I lately tried a Squier jazz bass from Indonesia that was perfect and sounded bigger than its actual size. OTHO, I cut my fingers with serious fret sprouts on another one from that same brand and country of manufacture.

As for Korea, all the ones I tried were great quality but sounded, meh…….

Nowadays, I would be willing to buy a bass of any brands from any of these countries but I would give it a try and go through a thoroughly inspection .

 

[thrashingbass]

All three countries are able to produce great instruments.

However , they will produce whatever the contract says. If the name on the headstock wants cheap electronics , and no quality checks to bring the price down , that’s exactly what you will get. If they are hired to produce a top of the line instrument , thats what they’ll do.

Old thread, but this was the answer that should have followed the very first post, back in 2010.

Some Chinese factories are excellent, one based in Taiwan. That is why many of the Jackson Pro Plus guitars are made in China, though there are some Indonesian as well in that series. Their X series is excellent, made by Cort-Tek or Samick in Indonesia, but with some cost cutting here or there-the bodies are generally flawless (or I have been lucky, but they do great work even at the less than premium tiers-lower tiers are good to excellent too, but have higher risks of getting a lemon.)

So be aware that not all Made in China are equal-there are some factory products made at a very high level. We just have been preconditioned to believe Made in China is the most possible cost cutting there is to do, but some of the factories are paid more to produce a much higher quality instrument with sometimes more rare finishes.

I have a Made in Korea Epiphone Flying V short scale bass that, while I will never part with it, had some flaws that I haven't usually found even in Indo Squier. Not throwing any shade in their direction, as I am always tempted to make a Korean choice if all things are equal, and the same model is sold at different places of provenance. But I have witnessed firsthand too many great Cort-Tek and Samick basses and guitars of lovely quality, and do have a great Ibanez Iceman guitar that was made in China. Epiphone is also seemingly doing well with their China factory. There are tons of low tier instruments being done by China and Indonesia, but the ones they are paid well to spec and build, most modern factories will do a great job with.

Do not be afraid of Made in Indonesia/China-be wary instead of made in the lowest, cheapest build tier of any factory. When the name companies pay them well, an excellent guitar/bass is the result.

 

[mikewalker]

In the mid-tier price points (around CAD $1000) I have played some really excellent Indonesian-made guitars the last decade or so. I also do have one 'Crafted In China' Fender (starcaster bass, CGF serial) that is excellent too - and had a perfectly good Chinese Hofner. Don't remember any Korean-built instruments so cannot comment on those...

 

[sve33]

I have a Mexican made Charvel, an Indonesian made Cort, and a Chinese made Sadowsky, and honestly, they are all excellent instruments. At this point, country of origin does not tell you nearly as much as it used to. Modern manufacturing has gotten so good that it is genuinely hard to find a bad instrument anymore.

 

[GIBrat51]

What can you tell about comparing the quality/craftsmanship of basses made from these countries, from your experience:

• Korean-made vs Indonesian-made?
• Indonesian-made vs Chinese-made?
• Korean-made vs Chinese-made? (i think you dont need to answer this part )

Thanks

Well...
I'd have to say that the answer is very much "it depends". I have basses (and some guitars) that were made in all 3 locations. They range from the late 1970's to a couple of years ago; and, when they were made, is most definitely a factor.
Basically, the progression from "cheap, beginner" basses that were... playable, but not really gig-worthy, to basses that are very well made; worth every penny of their not inconsequential price; and get gigged a lot, has been Japanese > Korean > Chinese > Indonesian. And, IMO? The quality vs. price curve has been blurred in the last 2 decades by the rise of CNC-made bodies and necks; automated pickup manufacturing, and the drop in wholesale price of at least decent hardware. The realization that good quality control is necessary - and worth the expense - hasn't hurt, either. CNC machines don't care where they are... So...
Bottom line? If you're looking at new basses? All of them make good basses, that are worth what you pay for them. Indonesia and China still make inexpensive "beginner" basses, but they make other, very well made basses, too. Japan? They've been out of that market for quite a while; and, so - pretty much - has Korea. These days, you can be pretty confident you'll get what you paid for - and expect, no matter where the bass is made...

 

[Pep]

I suppose people will say
Korean > indonesian > chinese

I agree with this to a certain extent, however, when you consider that Dingwall and Michael Tobias Designs (MTD) are having their “more affordable” models made in China, then going through an extensive set-up / wiring / etc, in their home locations, I’d move these Chinese versions ahead of the other two.

 

[staccatogrowl]

We're at a point in time when quality/craftsmanship of basses are not dependent on country of origin. Great basses are made worldwide, as are terrible ones. Stereotypical hierarchies no longer apply.