Made in USA

[Ray175]

Funny how supporting US workers doesn't seem to extend to the origin of parts and wood to the same degree as the location of the registered office of the manufacturers. Surely the US is capable of supplying these elements to the major guitar assembly companies in the US? How about demanding exclusively US parts when we but and refusing to buy anything that has parts/materials of non-US origin?

[perttime]

Originally Posted by Ray175

Funny how supporting US workers doesn't seem to extend to the origin of parts and wood to the same degree as the location of the registered office of the manufacturers. Surely the US is capable of supplying these elements to the major guitar assembly companies in the US? How about demanding exclusively US parts when we but and refusing to buy anything that has parts/materials of non-US origin?

You are forgetting an important phenomenon, that might be even more prevalent in USA than in many other places:

"looking for a good Deal"

If somebody offers the "same" product at a lower price, that is what you buy.

[Golffishny]

In my own experience I owned a Korean made Fender acoustic for 20 years that I preferred over my past Yamaha and my friends Mexican Martin. I only parted with it after a shoulder injury made a dreadnought uncomfortable to play. In the electric world I miss a G&L S-500 made in Indonesia. I liked it as much as any stratocaster I've played. Everyone likes something different.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by Ray175

Funny how supporting US workers doesn't seem to extend to the origin of parts and wood to the same degree as the location of the registered office of the manufacturers. Surely the US is capable of supplying these elements to the major guitar assembly companies in the US? How about demanding exclusively US parts when we but and refusing to buy anything that has parts/materials of non-US origin?

Funny ? not really actually kinda more logical.
Steel parts strings tuners etc. then yes,,,,, wood ? not so much (perhaps yes if you could get a broad majority acceptance by customers to for N. American species for tone wood. But given woods like Rosewood , Mahogany , Koa Cocobolo etc. are still by far the preferred Back and Sides tone woods, doesn't seem logistically possible.
Not to mention the world is becoming much more a global market than a national one.
I am guessing US assembly is the only realistic option for preference

[rmp]

Originally Posted by s2y

I'll put my Ibanez against most Fenders and Gibsons when it comes to low action and overall QC. I think Japanese production guitars can give US production guitars a run for the money.

absolutely, From the ones I've had the pleasure of owning, they've been spot on for decades.

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by Ray175

Funny how supporting US workers doesn't seem to extend to the origin of parts and wood to the same degree as the location of the registered office of the manufacturers. Surely the US is capable of supplying these elements to the major guitar assembly companies in the US? How about demanding exclusively US parts when we but and refusing to buy anything that has parts/materials of non-US origin?

Many guitars that people are looking to buy include Mahogany and Rosewood for back/sides, Mahogany for necks, and Rosewood/Ebony for fretboards. That isn't sourced in the US (not sure if there are small tree nurseries for any of these). I see nothing wrong with importing this.

On a different viewpoint, Canada's Godin (Seagull, Art & Lutherie, Norman, Simon & Patrick) have many guitars that are completely sourced from Canadian woods except the fretboard, which is usually rosewood or ebony.

[rockabilly69]

I've been collection guitars as long as I've been playing and that's along time. Most of my guitars are American but in the last few years I've been buying some other guitars from all over.

And frankly, I like guitars from all countries, as long as the basic construction is good, I buy them and mod them to my taste. I am a tinkerer by nature, and very rarely do I find guitars that I can't make better for me than they are in their stock form. My favorite country outside of America for construction has to be Japan, as the quality of the Japanese guitars that I've bought have all been outstanding.

In the last few years I've bought...

1) Four Zemaitis guitars all built in Japan, and I've replaced the pickups in all of them. I didn't pay full price for any of them. I bought three of them at closeout prices, and one used. Three of them have American made pickups, two sets of Tyson Tone Lab Precious and Grace PAFS, and one set of DiMarzio Anniversary PAFs, and one has a set of made in Greece Gabojo Amplification MR2000B Dynasonic style pickups.

I've been a fan of Zemaitis guitars since I was a teenager, and although the reissues are built nice, I like to mod them to get them closer to what I feel the originals would have been like. An original is untouchable pricewise for me. Why did I buy four of them? Well the first two were 24 fret models, one wood topped, one metal topped. I wanted to see if one with a metal top would sound different. The next two I bought were 22 fret models. I wanted to see if the placement of the neck pickup would change the basic tone, which it did. The reason I bought two is that I got a killer deal on a custom shop model, otherwise I would have stopped at the first. One of the wildest mod jobs I even done was to put a Germanium tone boost along with a G&L style PTB tone circuit into metal topped 24 fret! And the germanium boost circuit was built for me by a guy in Italy! That guitar slays!!!

Along with pickups I've changed all the electronics, knobs, switches, and tuners on three of them. One of them was a custom shop model so I just changed the pickups and the knobs on that one.

Here's the Custom Shop 22 fret model...


Production line 22 fret model (I like this one as much as the Custom Shop model, the padauk fingerboard on it feels like glass and has beautiful grain)...


Greek MR2000SB pickups in a Japanese Z...


Germanium Tone Boost 24 fret model (small switch between the knobs activates the boost, and the controls are treble cut, bass cut, master volume, boost volume)...


my friends thought that I should have my head examined for cutting into this guitar

a lot of stuff packed into a tidy little compartment (I eventually took the stuff out and coated under the circuit with shielding paint)



2) One Squier Jaguar made in China which I put a set of vintage style Jaguar pickups made in California by a small company called EP Customs.

I did more on this guitar than I've done to any guitar that I've ever owned. The only parts left from the original guitar is the body and strap pins!

I bought this guitar to test the waters to see if I'd like the short scale of a Fender Jaguar. I liked it so much, that I made it it into a guitar that would easily be on the level of a Fender custom shop guitar. I replaced every part on it with the best I can find for my needs. I even changed the neck. The inexpensive Chinese made poplar body, and Mexican made lacquer maple/rosewood neck maybe one of the best combinations I've ever tried on a Fender guitar. Together they ring like a bell! The bridge and tremolo system were made by a company called Halon from Greece. The machine work on those parts are beautiful, and their designs fixes many of the inherent flaws in the original Leo Fender designs!



3) Epiphone Masterbilt Olympic Archtop made in China. I bought this one just because I liked the way it sounded when I picked it up, and then I got the wacky idea of making it into a full blown electric guitar that I could gig with. I had TV Jones make me a custom wiring harness, and I threw a set of Gretsch Dynasonic pickups into it. The look on my girlfriend's face as I was cutting into this guitar's top with a saber saw was priceless...



4) One made in Japan Gretsch 6120T '55VS. This is a guitar I didn't touch one screw on, other than to set the action where I wanted it. The Japanese built construction on this Gretsch is top notch through and through! But, this guitar came with American made TV Jones T-Armond pickups stock. I also bought it used.

[Pura Vida]

Originally Posted by roylor4

I don't discriminate. If a guitar plays good and sounds good, I keep it, and i don't care what it's point of origin is.

This. I don't care where the guitar is made, as long as it speaks to me at the price that I feel is aligned with the product. Country of origin, brand, or allegiance to other companies or their workers are not a consideration for me. Same holds true for just about every other product I own.

[Mbroady]

Guitars with out boarders.

[Revy]

Being a person that manages a business that prides itself on selling American made products, I don't like to purchase overseas made guitars. I own one guitar that is made overseas and it's a Continental Tri-Cone made in Germany. I couldn't justify $2500 for National guitar I rarely play. All other 13 are American made.

How can I ask someone to purchase my American made product and not do the same in return? Especially after going through a pandemic where every American job it of the utmost importance. It seems hypocritical to expect it from others but not to do it yourself.

[nightchef]

I've never thought that much about it, to be honest. When I decide I need a guitar of a certain kind, I just keep shopping till I find one that I like and can afford.

I just went through my collection--of the 12 guitars and basses I own, 4 were bought used, and 8 new. Of the used ones, two were US-made (Strat and Guild D50), and two were Korean (both Epiphones). For the new ones, the sources break down like this:

US -- 1 (Martin HD28)
Mexico -- 2 (Fender Jazz bass and Martin X-series 12-string)
Japan -- 2 (Ibanez Roadstar II guitar and bass from the early 80s)
South Korea -- 1 (Reverend Airwave 12-string)
China -- 1 (Eastman E10OM)
Canada -- 1 (La Patrie nylon-string)

It hadn't occurred to me till I made that list, but the HD28, which I bought this past winter, is the first US-made instrument I've ever bought new. I just haven't been able to justify the expense till now (and I'm still freaking out a bit at the idea of having spent over $3,000 on a single instrument).