You are not logged in. Please login or register.
Guitar chord forum - chordie → Acoustic → Where Was Your Guitar Made
Where was your guitar built and is that important to you are not?
Some classical guitars are built in Japan, and some in China. Neither is out sourced because the factories are owned by the manufacturer of the guitars. Does that matter to you are not.
Electric
Fender Stratoaster - USA
Fender Telecaster - USA
Yamaha EG112 - Indonesia
Electro Acoustic
Melody 1200 - Italy
Yamaha APX10 - Tiawan
Tanglewood TW45 -assembled in the UK (from parts already preformed in some obscure part of the world, I think 
)
Daytona GRO 300 - China
Academy 5NE - China
Others
The two in the UK (a Vintage 12 string and a Martin Smith 6 string) I do not know but neither are expensive an will probable be China or similar.
I enjoy playing each and every one of them although favourites have to be for electric, the Yamaha EG112 as I built it from just a neck and body so the electronics are unique, and for acoustic the 1970's Melody 12 string.
Roger
Great topic, CG!
I'm as loyal & patriotic as any Canadian, but sometimes availability and price make it necessary to shop outside of ones locale. My guitars were built as follows:
EP Les Paul ... China
Gretsch Streamliner ... Indonesia
Takamine 12-string ... South Korea
LaPatrie Classical ... Canada
Norman 6-string ... Canada
Cordoba 6-string ... China
I have to honestly admit that the Asian-made product is as good as the Canadian-made, even though it's makes me queasy to do so. In our global economy, there are no more top secret materials or methods, and almost anything can be reversed-engineered and reproduced.
I have to honestly admit that the Asian-made product is as good as the Canadian-made
I have to agree. I have an Eastman guitar and mandolin that were made in China. The guitar is a lower end model but I've played a couple of their higher end guitars and they hold their own with any of the other big names. Beautiful sounding and playing instruments.
I have a Martin and a '46 Epiphone archtop that were made in the USA. I also have a '71 Fender acoustic. I believe it was made in the US but not certain. I'd have to look at it and it's not here at the moment.
Then there's the 3 Alvarez and 4 Epiphone that are Japanese. The Alvarez are beautiful guitars. 3 of the 4 Epi's from the 70's are a little lacking in the QC department.
Guild D40 - Tacoma, Washington, USA
Takemine RF508C - Japan (not further identified)
Breedlove Retro OM/ERe - Korea (not further identified)
Martin D12X1 - Nazareth, Pennsylvania, USA
(electric bass) Ovation Magnum 3 - New Hartford, Connecticut, USA
(electric bass) Yamaha RBX260F - Sticker must have been knocked off somewhere along the line. I'm guessing Japan. Possibly China or Korea.
(violin) Copy of Antonius Stradivarius - Handerbeit Garmisch b. Mittenwald Germany
(autoharp) Oscar Schmidt Autoharp - No clue? Germany maybe?
Hey Bill - What does "Handerbeit Garmisch b. Mittenwald" mean? Is that a location? I just copied what the sticker said inside the fiddle. I haven't used Deutsch since I was a teen. I haven't been a teen for a long time.
"HandArbeit" means it was "handmade" (I believe you may have misread the "a" as an "e"), Zurf and "Garmisch b. (bei) Mittenwald" means it was made in the town of Garmisch NEAR Mittenwald. You have yourself a very nice instrument there, my friend!
Your Pal
Bill
PS: My Epi Les Paul Studio is of Japanese manufacture and I'll tell y'all later about a guitar "Santa" sent me...... (wink-wink, nudge-nudge, say no more)
Thanks Bill! Very helpful. Entirely possible that I switched a and e. The sticker is quite old in the instrument. It was given to me by a family member. It was originally bought for my wife's auntie when she was a little girl. My mother-in-law was born in late 1930's and her older sister was older ... So I'm guessing this instrument was built some time between the wars, though that assumes he bought it new rather than used. It sustained some damage when aforementioned auntie decided she had had just about enough of practice one day and threw it. Grandfather-in-law took it to a luthier for repair. The luthier did a fine job because I cannot see where it was damaged.
Where a guitar is made is not as important as the sound and play ability and lastly the price. For some that order may be different and as long as you are happy with the guitars you own then you bought wisely.
As classical Guitar siad above:
Re: Where Was Your Guitar Made
Where a guitar is made is not as important as the sound and play ability and lastly the price. For some that order may be different and as long as you are happy with the guitars you own then you bought wisely.
Music is what feelings sound like.
No kidding - until I read this I always thought that my Alvarez was made in USA
It plays beautiful - I just looked at the sticker and in tiny lil ol letters in the corner - yup - " Made in China"
and I don't care - it could've been made in Timbuctu and it would still have the great sound it emits .
Jim
As classical Guitar siad above:
Re: Where Was Your Guitar MadeNo kidding - until I read this I always thought that my Alvarez was made in USA
It plays beautiful - I just looked at the sticker and in tiny lil ol letters in the corner - yup - " Made in China"
and I don't care - it could've been made in Timbuctu and it would still have the great sound it emits .
Jim
Jim years ago I bought an Alvarez classical from a local music store for one of my daughter who I was helping to learn to play. It was made in China and was a 2nd so the price was very low. The only thing I could find was a very small defect in the finish on the back. The guitar sounded great and she still has it and still plays it.
Martin 000-16SRGT .... Nazareth PA, USA
Recording King ROS-16 ....China
Blueridge BR-63A....China
Ohio Valley OV-100 ..... sticker says Kent, OH but I suspect it was assembled there from Asian parts
LAG Tramontane T100DCE ..... older model probably made before LAG started making them in China - sticker says made in Bedarieux France
DE
American standard strat
`` `` tele
`` `` Martin acoustic
Japan Suzuki Acoustic
hey when you play like i do you need all the help u can get!
U.S.A., China, Japan, Korea, Indinesia. I have the whole world in my hands. Is everyone forgetting who I am?/ Lol
What matters is if you like it and it feels and sounds good.
Nazareth, PA
U.S.A., China, Japan, Korea, Indinesia. I have the whole world in my hands. Is everyone forgetting who I am?/ Lol
Thanks for the grin, JJJ ...
I just re-read this post, and had an idea. What if you put up a world map on the wall, and stuck a push-pin in it for each guitar's manufacturing origin? A second question comes to mind: is there somewhere you can buy push pins in bulk? 
I am so looking forward to the day of JJJ's announcement that he now owns a guitar made on all 7 Continents.
Is there such a thing as Penguin Guitars from Antarctica ?
Mostly China and Korea, I think my Ovation 12 string is USA. Not sure if the Rogue Basses are made here or abroad.
I am so looking forward to the day of JJJ's announcement that he now owns a guitar made on all 7 Continents.
Is there such a thing as Penguin Guitars from Antarctica ?
Your post got me thinking and I just checked and there are some Penguin Guitars. Here is the link: http://www.gretschguitars.com/gear/family/penguin
that is too funny. I guess if you can think of something - somebody probably already has done it
Good find CG
Hahahahaha!
I wonder what kinds of tonewoods grow in Antarctica? If JJJ got one, he'd have to sell the bread machine to buy a freezer, so he could store his Penguin before it melted.
Too silly ... I know ...
My main squeezes
Gibson LP Kalamazoo MI.U.S.A.
2017 Fender Stratocaster Mexico ( got it new)
Modern players Telecaster China
Fender Squire Indonesia
Hohner electric acoustic China (fantastic tuners and tone)
3 Fender Strats made at home from parts all over the world
Each guitar has its own sound and playability the only thing they have in common is they all stay in tune and obey me.
Late 80's Ovation Balladeer shallow bowl-Korea Applause traveler-Korea Danelectro '56 reissue-Japan Early 80's Ovation Ultra GS solidbody-US Ibanez resonator-Japan
unknown maker-6 string banjo it's probably Japan but not sure Ovation Celebrity mid-depth bowl-China Breedlove Pursuit 12 string-China from US parts There's also a Washburn that's being used by a buddy I believe it's made in Indonesia but not certain. Also have a couple cigar box guitars that were made locally
Chord CW26 acoustic .. probably China, cost a massive £60 brand new, this is the guitar I have knocking around without a case and play most.
Epiphone " Joe Pass" Emperor II archtop, Indonesia
Fender Standard Telecaster, Mexico
Guild D62 acoustic, USA, plain looks but lovely sound and easy to play, cost quite a bit 2nd hand, it's my "precious one".
A lot of them produced in China and Mexico and some other countries, the guitar brand often build their own factories so production is controlled. It should not affect sound and play ability.
Guitar chord forum - chordie → Acoustic → Where Was Your Guitar Made
