Are we really aware about. . .

[Guitarplayer_PR]

. . . which guitars musicians love outside our side of the world? Are their tastes in tone and brands the same as ours? We tend to think the usual suspects (Martin, Gibson, Taylor, etc.) are viewed, for example, in Japan, China, etc., as the ones with THE sound, but is it true? Just for thoughts.

[Wade Hampton]

I do know that guitarists in Japan have a much higher opinion of Ovation guitars than is common in the West.


whm

[Guitarplayer_PR]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

I do know that guitarists in Japan have a much higher opinion of Ovation guitars than is common in the West.


whm

It's not my intention to find out about any particular brand, regardless of my likes or dislikes. Furch, Eastman, Takamine, Maton, Lowden, etc. are guitars made overseas and many of them are mentioned here in this forum (and, from those brands, I've only owned and play Takamine guitars, which are very popular in Puerto Rico among my peers). Are these guitars popular in their countries of origin? How about overseas? I'm looking for a much deeper answer.

But now that you used the O word, Japan is another ballgame in terms of music, guitars that they like, etc. Also, France is another country in which Ovations are more appreciated. And, in Puerto Rico, on the other hand, I haven't seen many high-end Martin guitars. They tried to enter the high-end market here (which it's not that big) and that didn't go well (TBH, Martin is doing really good with their low-end stuff). Here, Taylor is the undisputed king of high-end acoustics. Same as Martin, Gibson (in terms of acoustics; their electrics sell VERY good here). Sadly, guitars like Collings, Bourgeois (sp?) or high-end Breedloves are nowhere to be found.

One brand that's probably the second most popular high-end acoustic in my island isn't even a full acoustic: Godin Multiac guitars. There are everywhere!

[tadol]

I think you’ll find the most popular guitars ones most available - if you can’t buy a brand in some area, its pretty hard for it to be popular -

[hubcapsc]

I've been having fun flipping through this guy's ebay
store... full of nice-I-think(?) guitars made by Japanese
builders, most of whom I've never heard of...

http://www.ebaystores.com/Victor-s-G...Gallery?_rdc=1

-Mike

[Bob Womack]

Well, the Brits and the French seem to like us. There are local favorites as well.


Bob

[Silly Moustache]

Hi, British chap here.

We have long had a desire for US made brands, and most of mine are, indeed US made.
I link this to the music that most Europeans grew up listening to, and the pictures of Americans playing US made instruments on their LP covers.

Also, whilst there were instrument makers in Europe long before they were established in the States, the music industry (and many others) were just a little affected by a couple of world wars.

There was a very active instrument industry in the area called Sudatenland sometimes in Czechoslovakia and sometimes in Germany until taken over by the USSR.
So many fine luthiers and other makers were killed by this situation.

Also some London based builders were destroyed in the UK during the bombing and, of course materials were redirected.

Whilst many small shop guitar makers re-emerged in the '60s when the UK embargoed luxury goods from the US companies like Burns, and Watkins emerged in the electric market.

Swedish makers were unaffected as they remained neutral, but Martin killed off Levin (Goya) in the '70s, reducing the options.

Nowadays, I'm seeing far far fewer folk playing US made products, with Faith, Blueridge, Eastman, Furch, Stonebridge and in the low budget area lots of Fender, Epiphone which, of course are all Far eastern made and branded.

[Tony Burns]

I dont feel that guitars around the world are any less than the ones here in the US -their are great builders in every country of the world .no country is out of the loop .
Thou we have a long history of great instruments of quality in the us.
But -that being said many guitars from other places other than the U.S
tend to not have a great resale value -which is on my mind when i buy something either new or used .

When it comes to Ovation's - I have had two in my lifetime - both legend 6 strings with the gold tuners - one was decent the other was great
-they were more prevalent in the late 70's and early 80's -when they first came out they were the best guitar for sound threw a sound system
-non pickup guitars with a added pickup ( of that era ) didn't come close .
After hearing the 14 fret classical Ovation with a cutaway a Brazilian guitarist played at a local venue -
, it had an amazing sound ( thou credit is also due to the sound person and possibly a few effects he had ) But again
-i still believe most of any guitars sound is because of the player and their skill.

I typically say -Id rather listen to a skilled player on a 200 $ guitar
than a so-so player with a pro instrument .

[Matts67]

Seems like there's a substantial Gibson following in Japan. A good portion of the used Gibson classifieds I see on eBay and Reverb are being sold from there.

[Bob Womack]

Originally Posted by Silly Moustache

There was a very active instrument industry in the area called Sudatenland sometimes in Czechoslovakia and sometimes in Germany until taken over by the USSR.

Yep, I inherited a violin made in Prague in about 1931. Hitler took over the Sudatenland and moved the entire instrument industry inland and eventually to Germany. After the war some returned.

Bob