In my country handmade american guitars are import guitars. I think i like import guitars.
@gregoryblack3888
4 жыл бұрын
I would say a majority of us Americans don't think about that. Personally I'm finding that Indonesia made guitars are my favorite. But I still feel that stigma about my USA SG.
@trance9158
4 жыл бұрын
Great thought provoking video!
@yestoES355
4 жыл бұрын
Gregory Black yeah. I personally love US made guitars, mostly the custom shop stuff that truly shows and backs the “USA prestige” reputation. I think the US and Japan make the best guitars out there currently. Korea and Indonesia are definitely up there as well.
@josephlopez9585
4 жыл бұрын
I have a USA Gibson les paul and a indo ibanez rg8 and if I were to say who did better on quality control I say indo kills it. I only buy indo squiers or any imported guitar for that matter but I do love my gibson it could have left the facility a little better.
@BloodpactORG
4 жыл бұрын
Why settle for American when you can have Japanese
@DK-mc1yr
4 жыл бұрын
I have replaced my expensive Music Man guitars with their Sterling models because I can't justify the damage that occurs at gigs - regardless of how careful I am. I upgrade my $250-$500 dollar guitars with all new electronics, pups and tuners and they are all pretty much equal to the US made ones. Necks is where the real differences are as far as I am concerned, but I can live with the import necks.
@MoonshineDelight
4 жыл бұрын
Man for me, the neck is everything. That's what my hand touches and that's what I'm paying for.
@rocknrollmouseuk
4 жыл бұрын
Yes to necks, on Gibson vs Epiphone, that's where I feel it, that and the finish (varnish). For bashing out tunes at gigs, I agree use the one that looks the same, and feels close enough, my heads got other things to think about, and piece of mind in not having to worry about something that costs more than my car is only a good thing. Playing at home, I appreciate the subtle differences. Key for me is whatever you play, enjoy it; I enjoy both.
@barbmelle3136
4 жыл бұрын
From Leo: That i a good point. After hurting my #1 guitar years ago, I switched to a Squire with upgraded electronics. No more worries about hurting something nice playing outdoors.
@tonepilot
4 жыл бұрын
And theft, losing guitars to thieves at gigs is a big problem.
@DMSProduktions
4 жыл бұрын
@@rocknrollmouseuk Peace of mind! (But I'll GIVE you a PIECE of my mind!)
@malicesmom
4 жыл бұрын
"A thousand brands and no choices" - the story of every left handed player walking into a guitar store.
@asdf9890
4 жыл бұрын
Don't you hate it? On the plus side, I've found that it curbs my gear acquisition syndrome. I've seen a lot of right handed models at pawn shops that I'm sure I would have taken home if I could play them. It's also like a scavenger hunt and brings me excitement when I finally do find a good used lefty. So far I've gotten 4 pretty awesome lefty guitars from pawn shops in the 2 years since I started seriously playing again.
@frankjuster8726
4 жыл бұрын
@@asdf9890 i don't play guitar i play bass and i fell in love with the epiphone viola ( made in china ) . i asked the clerk at the store if he could order a lefty but epi doesn't make lefties ! luckily their luthier was able to modify it for me . my first bass is the hofner ignition , also made in china , both great bang for your buck ! at least hofner makes lefties . i don't know what it is but there's something about violin basses that have a massive bottom end moer than my jazz or precision basses ( fender squiers , classic vibe series , outsourced by fender and made by cort gutars of south korea ).every bit as good if not better than mexican fenders and half the price !
@crsantin
4 жыл бұрын
We get black
@AClassOldie
4 жыл бұрын
PREACH
@the_hippykiller22
4 жыл бұрын
@@asdf9890 That being said as a lefty everytime I see a cool left handed guitar I just have to have it because I'll never find it again probably so I end up buying and selling quite a lot. Fortunately I almost never buy new and wait for good bargains but still, I have like 15 guitars at the moment lol that's more than pretty much any of my righty friends.
@OldManGrocer
4 жыл бұрын
Phil, for me, this is the best video you’ve ever made. I’ve seen ‘em all and I’ll see them all. Thanks for bein’ you,
@alanhembra2565
4 жыл бұрын
I only buy used guitars from local music stores or pawn shops or person to person. I just don’t see a reason to buy new guitars when there are so many great guitars used I see it as a form of recycling.
@caseylee12
4 жыл бұрын
I agree 100%! I bought my 2017 fender professional strat in 2018 for $800. I just picked up my Fender professional telecaster on Saturday, 8-1-20 for $900. IT'S 4 MONTHS OLD! Both are 3color burst, so they're like brothers. Also this year I've bought: peavey USA evh Wolfgang $500, D'angelico premier DC $300, Charvel San Dumas (MIM) Pro MOD 2 blue burst $300, Epiphone '56 reissue goldtop with p90s $300. So many guitars, so little time!
@SourStrawberrys
4 жыл бұрын
Because there are some limited edition ones I want.
@gregoryblack3888
4 жыл бұрын
@@russellzauner I my experience there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. I just purchased a squire bullet tele and its shaping up to be my favorite rig. Candy apple metallic and 180$. I was able to get 20$ off cause it had a small chip in the finish. Typical guitar center rash. Lol.
@gregoryblack3888
4 жыл бұрын
@@SourStrawberrys Also nothing wrong with that either. It's the golden age of musical instruments. So many awesome choices for every budget and interest.
@Beinlausi
4 жыл бұрын
I'm a lefty, the used market is limited, so I have some new ones.
@vidarragnarsson4020
4 жыл бұрын
I am so grateful to have found channels like yours on KZitem I overdose on politics all week long and I am absolutely out of my mind by the Weeknd and when I dial you up I smile for the first time and really feel happy thank you so much
@GearreportdotCom
3 жыл бұрын
I stumbled on a USA Godin Radiator for cheap recently and snagged it. I’m blown away by the details and craftsmanship. Hearing that they age the wood so long helps explain it. They just have a different philosophy than some of the high volume brands. I think Godin is one of the most underrated brands in the US market.
@sublyme2157
4 жыл бұрын
Regardless of where a product is made, if you like it, and you buy it, you just helped someone feed their family.
@gmichaelhall
4 жыл бұрын
Phil, thank you. From an expat living life in the world outside 🇺🇸, it's great to hear this discussion being presented domestically. Great job. I hope that the conversation will encourage others to research the companies they want to buy from with strong emphasis on the sustainability, human rights and eco hazards each company has a deciding say in. Brands Low balling contractors means all breaches of social responsibility are undermined, I don't care what their marketing team says. Ive lived and travelled all over Asia and it's always the same with Western businesses. The amount of conscious ignorance to it all is just staggering. Ones man definition of shwred in these countries, means something or someone gets shat upon. I'm so glad that we don't have to wait so long for this discussion to go domestic, cuz we'd be here a long time if we waited for those who benefit most from irresponsible social and eco duty of care of another country they do business in, to stand up and own it. It's your best video ever. I'll drop some dosh in patreon cup and wish you the best through all this. Nothing is ever going to be the same again, particularly mass production industries. Let's hope we come out the other side a bit kinder, a bit more patient and understanding of each other, and a compassionate attitude of gratitude for just how lucky most of us. ✌️#notjustaboutguitars #corruption #greedaddicts
@1rwjwith
4 жыл бұрын
Brilliantly thought out commentary. Great job.
@electroKrunch
4 жыл бұрын
I love that you understand supply chain economics, Phillip! You get it, where many don't. Another great vid and thanks for that!
@gdaddychuck
4 жыл бұрын
This is one of those videos that feels more like a rant than one that informs & it gets my blood pressure up as well as frustrates me & I am sure it does others who are just beginning their journey of not only trying to learn to play a guitar, understand how one actually works & why and how to trouble shoot issues, repair or improve one. At age 56 I was given a first act 4 string bass from a friend who heard me say i have always wanted to learn how to play one & I have, but it has always been a after thought stuck way deep in memory. In Nov.2019 is when I was handed this gear, I did the "right thing" took it straight to my local and only music store & asked dozens of questions & left it with them for a week to be "set up" for 35 I was suppose to get new strings & a pro set up. The day I picked ut up I was suppose to get a "run down: or intro to how it works and how to play it. Turned out the "luthier" was a guy who plays in a local band and is friends with the owner. Long story short, no new strings, no understanding of anything and watched him play a few scales. From that day, I have wondered why at this time in history there seems to be a lot of "talk" about the 10 issues with the industry, but NO ACTION, no REAL DESIRE to clean it up, to fix it or even to truly educate us and I have a hunch it is because of the MONEY. I love Phil, but even in this video there is a lot of hints, accusations, theories, almost finger pointing and blame, but played very carefully as to not cross the very thick line that no one sees but knows is there. Phil is a very smart business man & knows if he calls out, names names or steps on toes, there goes his support, sponsors, channel, supply lines and livelyhood. I understand the complexity of it all, but unless WE the community decide to not be a part of or contribute to the frauds, abuses and greed of this industry, this whole video is nothing more than a time filler and waster, which in my opinion seems to be what everyone really loves to do more than anything. It has amazed me to learn how much every owner/player of any gear has plenty to say about how much crap you can buy and it seems that it is all crap, some crap costs more than other crap. I made a trade for a Dean MAB1 RETAILS for almost 2 grand, I thought I hit gold everyone I show it to says its crap. It basically cost me 100.00 to aquire that crap and I live it
@dalgguitars
4 жыл бұрын
thank you so much for the video. You are correct on all points. Also looking forward to the 2020-build-off videos.
@DragNetJoe
4 жыл бұрын
7:40 don't assume that the regulations actually do anything of any significance. I'm not advocating sweatshops with one door and no fire extinguishers, but US regulations are often arbitrary and capricious and an ever moving target. Just when you think you have your factory all updated to the latest standard a new standard is published. Businesses can sink massive amounts of money into projects just to get the rug pulled out from under them at the last minute. Overlapping city, county, state and federal regulations require an army of lawyers to navigate and even then some building commissioner could decide what you thought was right was really wrong and send you back to the drawing board.
@albertoansaldo2958
4 жыл бұрын
Few years ago, a big Italian company that makes canned tomatos found out that import the tomatos from Cina was much cheaper. They were than canning them in Italy, and sending to their customers. At that point their supplier suggested that they could directly import the canned product custom labeled with their brand and so they did. Few yeas later they said: whay you have to take care of the logistics in Italy. Give us the shipping list and we will send the product to your customers directly. A year later a Chinese company contacted all their customers to propose them "the same product but at lower price". I cannot blame too much the customers or the Chinese company (even if I hope there was something aginst it in their cotract), but I think the shame is all for the management fo the Italian one that for, the crave of earning more money, got completerlly ruined by itself.
@liquensrollant
4 жыл бұрын
I can't help but feel this is a metaphor for the west in general and our addiction to cheap things. We're shipping our industries, trades and crafts to China, and when they're gone that knowledge will be lost.
@timf7413
4 жыл бұрын
Import guitars are not necessarily a bad thing, in and of themselves, but they're often made to hit a lower price point, and sometimes you do get what you pay for.
@timf7413
4 жыл бұрын
@@russellzauner Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that modern import guitars can't be of high quality (as this channel, among others, has covered at length) just that you can't buy a guitar (import or not) that's not intended to be a top grade instrument and expect it to be one.
@thoughtsbeforesleep
4 жыл бұрын
I recently bought a Harley Benton telecaster-style guitar for $84. I guess it will be ok if it doesn't last for 3 generations :)
@tonepilot
4 жыл бұрын
We had Blood Diamonds and now we have Blood Guitars.
@vluke1000
4 жыл бұрын
I love your stuff dude I’m excited to see what you do in that guitar build off competition
@DragNetJoe
4 жыл бұрын
"Specifications may change without notice" is a super common disclaimer on all sorts of products. Guitar makers don't innovate because guitar players are obsessed with "vintage" stuff.
@solardisk3
3 жыл бұрын
Last year I bought a Squier 70's Classic strat and immediately sent it back to Sweetwater. I was APPALLED at the poor quality in the finish. I asked my sales guy Patrick, what is the one guitar brand you never see sent back, he said PRS, hands down. I'm now the proud owner of a 35th Anniversary Custom 24 SE with abalone inlays. I. Am. In. LOVE!! So beautiful in every way.
@Rahn1975
4 жыл бұрын
This is the BEST video you have ever made. I have watched all of them and I have listened to all of your podcasts. What I love about you, Phil is that you have the same philosophy I do when it comes to my passion. I personally have lately been buying parts from makers in the us and Canada and assembling them to make to make guitars that are just right for me. I’ve got a couple cheap import guitars and Basses, no big deal, but I put my passion into supporting small makers close to home for surprisingly short money. I’m fairly handy but your sharpen my axe videos really helped me get to the place I am today. Thanks man and I’ll be watching and listening!
@MarshallGTV
4 жыл бұрын
In the 90’s I worked at a retail store that sold peavey guitars, I remember trying to do a basic setup on a strat style guitar, I think a raptor. The ‘wood’ between the pickup route and the Pickup route cracked, actually it crumbled. The guitar was made of particle board..
@fawkesandhound
4 жыл бұрын
I have one of these! It’s junk and I thought someone had did a terrible respray job but it’s factory!! 😂
@michaelcrosby4970
4 жыл бұрын
Clear and non-biased/judgmental.
@JustinVan1986
3 жыл бұрын
Private sector can produce in 2 of 3 ways: quicker, cheaper and higher quality. Great video, Phillip. 🤘
@MyFirstGen
4 жыл бұрын
When you talk about Peavey and the restrictions that the U.S put on him and other guitar makers. Thats just an example of 1 industry. That’s why alot ofjobs are over seas. The US as put to many restrictions on our manufacturers. Don’t want to get political here. Good video. Great work
@SeanFication
4 жыл бұрын
I get tired of all the hysteria about how supposedly "expensive" and "over-priced" American-made guitars are. The truth is that, adjusted for inflation, they' are currently MUCH cheaper than they were several decades ago. A 1965 Fender Strat would have set you back about $300. In 2020 money, that's $2,500. Actual cost of a 2020 MIA Strat is about $1,500. We live in an age when people consider it to be their inalienable right to get something for nothing.
@liquensrollant
4 жыл бұрын
While I agree with you, and believe that thanks to cheap imports from a tyranny we have lost all sight of what the real value of a product is, it's also true that wages in the US have stagnated for the past few decades. That fact itself might be linked to the import economy, but that's just a guess.
@OmicronTauKappaClassicDaddy
4 жыл бұрын
I remember pining over "real guitars" that I couldn't afford as a teenager in the 80's. Since then all guitar manufacturers have improved the factory processes (thanks Hartley Peavey for CNC process) and we now have more affordable guitars and a more plentiful selection.
@goltzhar
4 жыл бұрын
@SeanFication In 1965 it was a completely different situation. Comparing dollar to dollar is just lazy. There is "hundreds" of factors that needs to be included in comparing a specific product price and value for 1965. BUT you are not totally wrong. And another thing... there was not much that was not MADE IN AMERICA, supporting american citizens. (no... I am not an american).
@chrisghiardi117
4 ай бұрын
The biggest contributors to inflation are housing, medical and auto costs...what this has to do with USA guitar production is debatable. In the early 70s you could pickup an LP from Chuck Levin's for about 3 bills. By '85 at a now shuttered Philadelphia store custom run LPs with 50s features were $650.
@tonepilot
4 жыл бұрын
Awesome video. One of your best. Good job Phil.
@Michael-xp6jt
4 жыл бұрын
I'm happy with my squier Strat ☮️😎👍
@ricmel8008
4 жыл бұрын
#1 Thing for me with import guitar is pride. Having a guitar that is made in Asia and looks so beautiful, and someone asked me "Wow beautiful guitar, where is that made?" just to say Korea and not USA kinda hurts. But I am trying to get over my pride, and be grateful.
@krogwaugh
4 жыл бұрын
I used to be very proud my Carvins are USA but lately I reflect on that feeling. Humans are all equally capable of creating beautiful things. And lately, many Korean-made instruments rival my Carvins. Nationalism has no place in art forms.
@theccarbiter
4 жыл бұрын
@@krogwaugh Well its debatable that guitar making isnt an art form
@Aeduo
4 жыл бұрын
@@krogwaugh Nationalism has no place in anything.
@liviughitulescu9889
4 жыл бұрын
Hi Phil, to be honest with you, there were shortcuts on many guitars, is not only the case of the so called imports...That wood essence change is basically not a cheaper alternative, there are to many era's and levels of the factory made guitars...I found my 3 best guitars in 3 Korean made ones, but they were inspected very close and i learned a lot of luthiery, i know what i am talking about, i love what Hanser done with the ex Bc Rich and what the custom shop especially from that factory was actually created, perfectly cutted necks with laser guided machines, my 7 string Stealth is having a brand new Original Floyd(i damaged the 1000 and mounted something close) and yeah, there were a few customs and lines production that were over the USA handmade models(denser mahogany and maple used in their production) especially when is about the fret leveling and the neck crafting, the 24th fret body cutway, machines are machines...Indeed, we all love real ebony fretboards,the dalbergia rosewood, or Indonesian mahogany with big leaf...Nice show and all the best!
@amandacoombs8270
4 жыл бұрын
This was awesome Phil. I learned a lot. Thank you!
@allanwhittick2930
4 жыл бұрын
Love watching your videos, you are totally unbiased, if I ever get around to building my own guitars, I'll definitely want you to give an unbiased review and your real thoughts.
@FilmFlam
2 жыл бұрын
I think you just helped me decide to go with Godin. Or that beautiful Fender Am Pro II TELE I've been eyeing.
@GuitarOverdrive
4 жыл бұрын
All valid points. Thanks for making these videos - it’s a great mini series of pros and cons.
@barbmelle3136
4 жыл бұрын
From Leo: People always talk about innovation, but they do not take that opinion to the cash register. LACE pickups are innovative, but only a few buy them. I like them, and can get a good sound out of them. They have also given me very good service. The last innovations that were accepted was the Floyd Rose trem and active pickups. The style of music requiring those as "must haves" is no longer top popularity, so you see less guitars with them.
@guitfiddleblue
4 жыл бұрын
Kudos to Godin for being a good import guitar!
@tbird1138
4 жыл бұрын
My 91 Gibson Les Paul Studio Lite is my only American made guitar right now. I'm the original owner and I'll never get rid of it. It's the best playing and sounding instrument I own and it rivals customs. My second best playing is my 99 ESP M-II deluxe. Made in Japan and it's amazing. They are the only 2 guitars I need. I'm looking to buy another Les Paul, looking for a Norlin Les Paul Custom, but it's hard to justify it when I already own one that's pretty damn good.
@IndigoJo
4 жыл бұрын
It's not just working conditions we think of when talking about human rights in the countries where guitars are made, it's the situation in the country in general. In China right now there's a dictatorship which is getting more repressive and ramping up its persecution of minorities and various industries use concentration camp labour. I would prefer Indonesian or Korean, or for that matter Taiwanese, to anything made in the PRC recently, even though some of those countries have workers' rights and conditions issues. I don't want to fund a police state and concentration camps.
@gmichaelhall
4 жыл бұрын
The current US government has children and women locked in cages, disappears protesters using unmarked cars and unbadged "cops", cops shoot poc with no consequences. The description you give of China is not that unlike our own country. The misconduct of governments over reaching and impacting the quality of life is global, but the insatiable greed and entitled to cheap goods crowd is largely a tone set by the US. We can't exactly be outraged over stories of foreign governments conduct when that story comes from our own government and who is at the very core of the problem. Cheap goods and profit over people is as much a race issue as it is a greed issue. I'm not condoning anything about the Chinese government but if we are going to single out other nations behaviour, we probably best be prepared to face up to our own reality, sans the conscious ignorance of facts. As far as trade goes, the South China is as close to world war ready as the world has seen in decades. Historically speaking, the tension in this region of the world can directly be traced back to exploitative western greed addicts who only see Asia as an asset to deplete at any cost, regardless of the price humanity and nature pays. These grinning cocky wealthy guitar builders are not the world's friends or very nice people in practice , they are greed addicts and narcissists who do not give a shit what the fallout is for their gain, that's someone else's problem, and country. With prospects of either a mentally ill sociopath like Trump or a mentally unfit dementia affected Biden as next president, it's no doubt to continue if not get even worse. There has never been a better time in history to be extremely critical of everything and to reassess the kind of people we are as individuals, cuz it's us all feeding the downward spiral that endangers our most vulnerable and least enabled, people, planet. The race to bottom has no winners #shittypeople #greedaddicts #welltoldmyth
@stricknine8623
4 жыл бұрын
I understand but one thing to consider is that if you take Epiphone for example...The Chinese manufacturing facilities are owned and operated by Gibson. When you buy an Epiphone, you aren't "funding" or contributing to the Chinese government. You are buying a guitar from an American company that is running a manufacturing facility in China that employs Chinese employees. Like them or not,...it is a fair example that speaks directly to what your concern is.
@manicmike3952
4 жыл бұрын
Great vid again my dude. Most things can’t last forever because it’s not good business anymore. Sad but true.
@brianm9902
4 жыл бұрын
I purchased a Vintage V6PFCB it has 3 P90'S the specs Alder Locking Tuners Stagger Steel Block the guitar is amazing I love Vintage guitars, I know they are made in Vietnam, electronics South Korea, Trevor Wilkinson who helped designed this guitar was in an interview claimed foreign guitar manufactures source woods pretty much the same place, now on my guitar it states American Alder, and Hard Rock Maple Neck,, but besides being an amazing sounding guitar , it's well built , it has some weight to it, but it's unique I have not seen a Strat Style guitar with 3 P90's and vibrato tremolo system, and I know if they guitar was build even in Mexico it would be well over a $1000 dollars. so in essence it's really not a copy maybe the body but there Vintage made this guitar unique with the hardware they provided, I do love the Vintage brand for value they give you but Phil I am not a Pro guitar player or play in a band but this guitar can be played easily live, going back to what if this guitar was built in England which Vintage brand is based , the manufacturing cost; labour taxes etc would drive this guitar prices straight up. I will eventually get another guitar I love to own a Telecaster Vintage has some amazing Tele Style, but yes Phil I would love to own an American Made Telecaster but I have to justify is it worth spending here in the UK £1200 pounds or I can get an Vintage v52 , I am thinking is are American Made guitars be a boutique type buy ?
@Barbarapape
4 жыл бұрын
Intersting video with some good points made, regarding how the workers are treated that make the "import" guitars, if you can believe the information available, Cort have a bad reputation for not treating their employees very well, and Cort make a lot of guitars for the big brands. As for the quality of the wood and other parts, todays low end guitars are unlikely to last long, cheap wood with a high moisture content, and parts made of "muck metal", mean that these guitars will not last through generations as the guitars made in the 50's and 60's do. We are all guilty of buying cheap imported goods, then throwing them away when they fall apart, where has the "make do and mend" gone? The world of quality consumer goods at fair prices is no more, all we are left with is a policy of pile them high, and sell them cheap.
@johncunningham4820
2 жыл бұрын
That last item . Hence the rise in Roasted Timber construction .
@tomlbass
Ай бұрын
I really like your program.
@PhillipMcKnight
Ай бұрын
Thank you
@hyperacusisPH
4 жыл бұрын
i get the point. however we would never have witnessed great musicians had the cheaper ones not been thought about.
@jeffd8597
4 жыл бұрын
A HUGE issue also is that musicians don't get paid what they're worth so the have to buy less expensive instruments. I'm 65 and I gigged full time until I went back to school in my mid 40s and I'm sure musician pay (local guys not the rock stars) hasn't kept up with inflation either. I personally love buying cheaper used instruments and modding them. I love Jazz and I can't see spending $6-10000 for an arch top to make 100 bucks a gig. My epiphone Joe Pass with import P90 rip-offs sounds killer.
@GC-ji3ye
4 жыл бұрын
The longevity issue, I’ve got two early 2000’s epi LPs. Standard+ and classic quilt... both Korean. They are gonna last. Better than the Gibson LPs I’ve owned and passed on to others.
@freddrueck9357
4 жыл бұрын
There's a lot of very good Korean guitar factories, I certainly wouldn't assume something made in Korea was manufactured at a lower-grade of quality than something made in the USA. I also wouldn't assume, necessarily, they match USA standards either, but plenty of Korean guitars are truly excellent.
@pinetopthomas4100
2 жыл бұрын
This is really a great channel. Go Phil!
@stevendearden8030
4 жыл бұрын
Some interesting points...thanks Phil. Definitely food for thought.
@johnulrich5572
4 жыл бұрын
I recently bought a couple of newly made inexpensive import guitars that play well and sound great but I have to adjust the action after changes in temperature and humidity. The wood just isn't stable. My older US made and imports are rock solid. I tell my friends who are looking for an affordable guitar to check out CL or pawnshops for used guitars that are over 10 years old. I've found that at that point the wood is going to do what its going to do. Thanks for your video, Phillip. Very informative.
@scottfrommaryland7658
3 жыл бұрын
I have bought several Korean import LPs and ES335s at All in One guitar in Ca. They set up the guitar and ask you how you want your action before they ship. They have beautiful LPs.
@snok938
4 жыл бұрын
Could you make a video about Worst to best acoustic guitars under 500$ ?
@rockdaddy2168
4 жыл бұрын
Like the comment below I too have taken on buying inexpensive import built guitars to take to gigs. I had a Fender Custom shop 1964 Fender 6 made. Absolutely terrific. Point for point as good as my original 1963, just brand new. (the 63 has about 15% of the finish left on it, obviously was an old workhorse but plays great). Took my shiney new one to a gig at a blues club in Houston, concrete floors, open cieling, plywood bar, and Harley Davidsons parked out front. Decided this wasn't the place for a $4k guitar. Went and bought the Squire 6 for $350 and it performs very well. If it gets scratched, dinged, beer spilled on it, or stolen I might be agrivated but at least I won't cry.
@Tiburcio1950
4 жыл бұрын
You make some good points. I buy older import guitars (at least 20 years old) and upgrade just about everything, with a lot of time on the neck. Imports can be a good buy just need to find the right brand and manufacturing site.
@jackpot848
4 жыл бұрын
Phil, great video. Now I am going to have to settle down for a while and think about what I think about this....
@frankiec2765
4 жыл бұрын
Good afternoon from NY! Excellent commentary Phil, thank you for this vid. :-)
@real_fjcalabrese
4 жыл бұрын
I'm more comfortable with buying Japanese made instruments.I'm seriously looking at a FGN T-style guitar.
@konstantingeorgiev7521
4 жыл бұрын
Same with me. Japanese and Korean guitars are magnificent and still a bit cheaper than American. Even Indonesian guitars are picking up on quality theses days.
@thephotoyak
4 жыл бұрын
I've owned several imports in the past. Sold them all. Only own American or Canadian guitars now.
@BillVerdon
4 жыл бұрын
Well.... never considered longevity of an instrument. Great vid!
@InfamouslyCantankerous
4 жыл бұрын
I really like the world music Korean made guitars there really good especially for the price. Ive seen Indonesian made ones that are great.
@themigustyle
4 жыл бұрын
My problem with import models is that people who can afford to save up on the made in america or the "non import models" don't really save up for the superior instrument because they have a financial incentive that makes them go "well if I can have the same thing but cheaper right away I'll take it!" But if they wound up buying "the real deal" it'd probably make them far happier in the long run, and the guitar would feel more special. Like you said Phil, longevity.
@beat_g9368
4 жыл бұрын
Interesting fact: Hartley Peavey made that statement in 2014!
@drkaplin98
4 жыл бұрын
As a working musician, I can't justify spending $3,000 for a new guitar. Heck, I won't pay over $1,100 for any bolt on guitar. I also put together my strats from companies like Warmoth for a lower price than Fender. They are USA made and they have all the custom specs that I like. I'm lucky that I have a master luthier friend who's made guitars for stars before and he is making me a neck through "v" for around $,1000 with a Carvin bought neck(I love those). The most costly thing is I have to send it out to get finished. I also by used to get the guitars I want for a price that's reasonable. Nothing wrong with a well treated used guitar.
@iixxion
Жыл бұрын
12:09 watched a video the other day that compared a $300 HB and a $3500 PRS. the major takeaway is that if you can't afford the PRS, it doesn't matter how much better the PRS is. The entire issue is moot. From a purely musical standpoint, seeing a $200 squire strat on the market is the greatest thing that has ever happened. Because now EVERYBODY can learn to play a guitar without having to deal with fighting their shitty instrument.
@doknox
4 жыл бұрын
I feel like if you know guitars and have the right tools to make the necessary adjustments, cheap import guitars are great. Saves a lot of money and gives you something to do. I have several of the Ibanez gio series guitars and bass. A couple hours of work, and new strings of course, and they arent gios anymore. These mass produced factory guitars just need a little love that a machine just cant give it that's all.😁
@newgunguy4176
4 жыл бұрын
Here's a question. Which import brand is the best throughout every price point? Squier, maybe?
@newgunguy4176
4 жыл бұрын
Maybe, PRS?
@homeboyjon4885
4 жыл бұрын
I think it comes down to whether the feel and relative quality of an instrument inspires you. I’m sure there’s a mojo from a Gibson ES that my Epiphone doesn’t have, but the Epi still inspires me to play. By brother loaned me a Vintage Fender, but although I played it non-stop for a year, lately my imports have been inspiring me more.
@everythingbobbywolfe
4 жыл бұрын
My custom 24 plays and sounds better than my old SE. Any one of my les Pauls play better than my epiphone custom shop black back. All my strats play better than my high end Squier. My custom gretsch play better than the old Korean G version. I own 43 American made guitars and they all play better than my 10 imports (sold off quite a few). The only imports that rival my American instruments are 2 Japanese models (Brian setzer hotrod and Yamaha 1981 SBG 2000). All fine instruments, especially the ones I kept or intend on never selling (epiphone custom shop blackback, bc rich Neil boshart mockingbird and fender baja 60s Telecaster for sure) , but they fall short of the America versions. My explorers, 82 and 2014, flying v's, LPS, es335, firebird, strats and Teles, gretsches, bc riches, just fall short. Kudos to my bc rich Neil boshart mockingbird. It is close to the USA version. Really close. It was $1000 originally, so you had to pay. Thank God I nailed a close out deal, because I wouldnt have paid 600 for a Korean bc rich. Big mistake. Best non-American guitar they've ever contracted. Please try one if you ever see them.
@tdunster2011
4 жыл бұрын
How do you maintain 43 guitars ? I have 9 guitars and find it a lof of work with respect to cleaning, tuning, and changing strings on them. With respect to imports there are small boutique luthiers all over the world that can build guitars as good and better than the lifestyle US brands and often at much more reasonable prices.
@diptarkabhattacharyyaENT
4 жыл бұрын
The fact that you have 43 guitars and not even a single music video of your playing tells me all I need to know. The reason the guitar industry keeps harping on "tonewoods", "vintage", "aged bla bla" is cause they need the US consumer to keep buying guitars to keep the wheel rolling. What has changed in the last 50 years, is simply advancement in technology. Making guitars costs less than 1/20th of what it did 20 years back and is about 20 x more standardized across the board. But the "mojo" and the "American made" myth needs to be hyped up to keep things rolling man, so I get how easy it is to buy into that whole culture. The bottom line is Noone needs 43 guitars, you WANT 43 guitars; and companies WANT people to believe USA made guitars at 1500$ is inherently better in some secret way which is not really true. It is not magic. They ll have better parts, electronics, tuners sure! But you re not just paying for better parts, you re paying for the myth! If you have disposable income and enjoy buying guitars for passion, that's really awesome, and if the myth and the heritage are worth it to you, that s all that matters! Personally, I don't! But then I also am poor as a dirt mouse! :) Excuse me as I go touch myself to pictures of LES Pauls!
@halofour01
4 жыл бұрын
Yeah!! A bragging rich guy!! Super relatable. Is your Bently better than my 2008 Mazda too?
@everythingbobbywolfe
4 жыл бұрын
@@halofour01 actually I own a Toyota. Nonsense spending cash where is unnecessary 💵💵💵 Bruh, I'm a professional musician and actor. This is how I make my living. Not rich. It's possible that we can own that many guitars and not be rich or bragging. Maybe just proud of the collection and also proud that they are made in the USA and play/sound better than imports. Phil owns tons of instruments, I don't believe he's rich. KZitem and guitars/basses is how he makes money. Period
@everythingbobbywolfe
4 жыл бұрын
@@diptarkabhattacharyyaENT my friend, you are correct on many levels. I do WANT the guitars I own. Yes, the guitar companies need people to buy into tone wood myths etc. I can assure you, although I do well, I don't have disposable income for the guitars 😂 I have a side business of building, repairing, buying and selling. I use all profits from that to fund musical instrument purchases. It's a passion, hobby, desire and quite frankly I wanted to own every guitar that I couldn't afford when I was a kid, once I could. Hey, we only live once
@edweirdosreelreactions
4 жыл бұрын
Have you tried the Leo Jaymz guitars? I ordered a single cut from Amazon and I love the guitar. Their guitars are under $300. Great for the price point.
@Love4boost
4 жыл бұрын
I started playing in 02 and without any real progression just having the money and loving the guitar. I bought a Parker Fly Deluxe in 05. I just sold it this past winter in the middle of when I fully committed to learning. I’m playing better than I ever have but with 3 imports. I’m happy because I know that while I can afford an American guitar. I don’t consider myself worthy of having one. I’d rather earn it. I want my playing skill to get to a point I can buy an American guitar and play it like it should be played and not do it a disjustice like I did with my Parker for 15 years.
@vorpalblades
4 жыл бұрын
Well, get a Kiesel or prepare to be underwhelmed. Otherwise you're paying for a name.
@jonathanhandsmusic
4 жыл бұрын
Thought provoking video. I notice that my 1968 Yamaha acoustic has actually aged well and gotten better over the years. But my 2007 Squire Affinity Strat is just not as well made as my Korean Ibanez semi hollow body guitar, which was built in 1999. And my new epiphone Les paul seems really well made, but I'm wondering if it will be better or worse in a couple years. Lots of stuff to think about.
@flekkzo
4 жыл бұрын
About the fairly thing. It’s something that is both a matter of perspective and something you have to check for every brand no matter where in the world they are manufactured. For instance if a Northern European looks at US labor conditions they will call them out as poor. In the end the best we can do is vote with our money and contact the specific company when we get reliable information and let them know that that is why we will not purchase their product. For example I don’t want a guitar built by someone without adequate protection. Wood dust is incredibly dangerous.
@jburdsinfuse
4 жыл бұрын
I have a Squier Jazzmaster that is every bit as good as the American...but...I put Lollars in it, everything else is stock. By the time I bought the pickups and gig bag, I was in for about $800, same price as an American made with none of the resale value. If you buy/sell/trade, American and Japanese are the way to go. If I was just a hobbyist, I would buy a Harley Benton or two and call it a day, but I play A LOT, so I’m a bit more picky.
@fatfro1
4 жыл бұрын
Great video. I'm not sure what you mean when you question if import guitars will last. The only thing I think of are the electronics going bad.
@njcranes
4 жыл бұрын
How about the same line of videos on Amps? Best under 10w, best under 20w, etc
@niclastname
4 жыл бұрын
I like the intro with clips of the show!
@samueltractorton2088
4 жыл бұрын
I want a versatile shred guitar, middle of the road price, preferably w/out a floating trem, what would you (everyone) recommend ? Most bang for the buck!
@kevmet84
4 жыл бұрын
Would you say that 'recreation over innovation' is part of why Gibson, its internal biz problems in that era aside, so readily abandoned that G-Tuning technology? That was a good idea and had they truly pursued it w/o quick profits in the the scope, Gibson could've have a serious tech advantage over its competitors. They just needed to work with it, tweak and improve it over the years.
@glenkepic3208
4 жыл бұрын
I love cheap stuff,,,couple a sq's, a few IBZ and such. Fave for years, DeltaTone hss Strato in a trippy CSB with a TS guard with black plastic parts.. $75.00 new (they were closing them out). It thankfully hasn't needed a thing. oh, it's about 8 years old now.
@harryh212
4 жыл бұрын
what does it mean for it to last? i.e. what parts of it would diminish? Are we talking about headstock, neck and body or electronics/components? Because the electronics/components can be easily replaced or upgraded.
@jerrybriardy
Жыл бұрын
"Last forever" Well, none of us will be around to find out, but I can say this about import guitars. My uncle has a Gretsch Tennesean, a big jazz box he bought new in 1967 and I have a Chinese made Ibanez AF75, also a big jazz box, I bought new in 2003. The Gretsch is probably worth $3000. I got the Ibanez for $300, 20 years ago. The Ibanez is superior to the Gretsch in every possible way, better tuners, plays better, real f-holes instead of painted on f-holes, sounds better... 20 years may not be forever, and neither is 56 years, but it does illustrate the improved manufacturing techniques.
@johncrafton8319
4 жыл бұрын
The last two American-made Gibsons I purchased were straight garbage. QC was horrible, and workmanship non-existent. The last two imports I bought (a Michael Kelly and an Orangewood) were of sound quality and workmanship. The Michael Kelly (a CC60 Burl Burst) is in fact the best guitar I've ever owned, even compared to a number of US or Mexican-built instruments. Yes, your points are valid. Even so, why do I care if a guitar MIGHT last longer if it's garbage to begin with? While my own personal experiences don't mirror everyone else's, they do make a difference when it comes time to finding my next instrument.
@PaulCapps
4 жыл бұрын
My biggest problem is when the company tries to fool the consumer ,U.S. made or import.Harley Peace tried his best to make guitars in the US and it is a shame what happened to him.He also labeled his product correctly or a least everything that I have seen.Something a few of the big brands have not done again as I have seen.
@PaulCapps
4 жыл бұрын
Hartly
@jfrankcarr
4 жыл бұрын
It's funny to me how people on guitar forums who post complaints about workers rights in Asian guitar factories do it from their iPhone.
@ricardomartinezxx
4 жыл бұрын
@ I think you totally missed his point, it's assembled like you just said, in China using labor practices the same as the guitar factories, the people (he is calling out) is bitching about
@bigsnacks913
4 жыл бұрын
#5 definitely makes me think of Strandberg. Yeah probably a little overpriced but at least he did something different and proprietary. And as an owner of two of them I can say that while the biggest flaw is the "headstock" unit that holds the strings at that end, the proprietary aluminum hardware really holds up and takes a lot of weight off of the guitar. And the tuning ability is on par with Floyd Rose. I'd love to try all of the Kiesel, Ormsby, Mayones, etc headless models just to see how the Hipshot and other headless bridge units feel.
@BloodBoughtMinistries
4 жыл бұрын
Almost every guitar sold here in South Africa is import and expensive. We pay pretty much double + for everything. Simple things like guitar stings are expensive.
@radman1136
4 жыл бұрын
New T-shirt logo is cool, but how about a LP shape in gold on a black shirt?
@johnmendez9849
4 жыл бұрын
All these brands such as squire epiphone and others are made by one factory which is Samick, they also sell their own brand , most of it is marketing.
@michaelsteffeck6114
4 жыл бұрын
My 2 cents: Point 5: it seems like Squier is doing more innovation than Fender these days. At least in the area of interesting guitars. Also, when Gibson innovated with the robo tuners, everyone hated it. That was possibly more an issue with execution though. Point 2: this is actually a good thing. The quality of life for poor people around the world is going up. Japan used to be the place to go for dirt cheap guitars, then S. Korea, now China and Indonesia. Nobody thinks of Japan and S. Korea as poor countries anymore
@vorpalblades
4 жыл бұрын
Gibson ruined Tronical, the German company that invented it. Stiffed them for 90 million and pushed it to market barely past the prototype stage.
@avielkharrat5788
4 жыл бұрын
I'm totally OK with the fact that a cheap guitar will last for a "short time". It's a trade-off. Bottom line is: when you need to get that instrument into your hands and don't want to or can't pay full price, then here it is. Now, with that said, i'm always trying to get the best for the buck and if i can add a little more to get even better, i'm blessed !
@wadeguidry6675
4 жыл бұрын
It goes back to designed obsolescence and when you're dealing with natural products such as wood I believe it's a sin to build things this way. If we respect nature we will build quality items that last a long time with minimal impact on their source and the environment. If not we are only screwing ourselves.
@endofradio3507
4 жыл бұрын
Disagree. Wood is carbon neutral and in infinite supply (obviously not talking about rare old growth woods like ebony), way better than plastics, metals or composites.
@aperson3963
4 жыл бұрын
I really enjoy metal and composite based guitars. I wish there were more of them and that they were more affordable.
@SlaughteredDecay
4 жыл бұрын
@@aperson3963 well, but manufacturing metals and composites aren't exactly good for the environment. And considering how long it takes for those materials to degraded in nature I don't think plastics or metals are a good opinion either.
@seventhtrumpet2012
4 жыл бұрын
Gibson custom shop stuff is in a class of it's own and comes with the price point. That being said, my MIJ Tokal Rock Love and my Epiphone Elitist (also MIJ) are better than most Standard Gibson's I've played.
@fritsvanzanten3573
4 жыл бұрын
The main thing to me seems: what percentage of home made guitars have QC-issues vs. what percentage of import guitars have QC-issues? This matters most in online purchases, for there's no shop to correct those issues. When the home guitars don't outclass the imports, why buy from home (apart from ideology)? I think this is where home guitars fail. When I see video about the new Fenders (is MIM import?), arriving completely not set up in any way I think they miss the point.
@CB-wi3vc
6 ай бұрын
This info makes me feel like I can't trust any maker or factory anywhere. So, where to buy a guitar? From which company? Which versions or series?....
@rocknrollmouseuk
4 жыл бұрын
Ha-ha couldn't help but smile at this title, I'm in the UK, >90% of guitars are imports - China, USA, Japan, Mexico, Korean, Indonesia,... all import guitars! Properly made guitars will last for generations?!?!? Really Phil? I've an early 70's Gibson, nice instrument, but very delicate now, in contrast my brother has an old Yamaha semi from about the same vintage, which feels about 10 years old. Talking to luthiers who work on vintage instruments, old guitars seem to get 'set in their ways', older woods don't move and respond in the same way freshly cut wood does (maybe it's something to do with years of stress and forces of being in an instrument?). As an engineer I know *all* materials age; your guitar may last four generations, but how it plays... I fear four generations of variables are going to have a big effect here - your opinion or experience may differ, I expect you have played more vintage instruments than I have!
@user-po7iv4ni3o
4 жыл бұрын
That grey single humbucker guitar with 4 knobs??
@94SexyStang
4 жыл бұрын
Look how badly Gibson and Peavey treated their employees a few years back
@MaestroJericho
4 жыл бұрын
Wasn't that why people got upset at Peavey since he was upset he can't treat his workers like they deserve?
@MoonshineDelight
4 жыл бұрын
They didn't have kids working hot glue and breathing lead paint 7 days a week either.
@SlaughteredDecay
4 жыл бұрын
@@MoonshineDelight not an excuse, in the slightest, or do you think "some" mistreatment is fine?
@gavinaston5716
4 жыл бұрын
@@SlaughteredDecay No mistreatment is "fine" but being mean to adults getting paid pretty good isn't the same as poisoning children. Or should the punishment for shop lifting be the same as child rape?
@MoonshineDelight
4 жыл бұрын
@@SlaughteredDecay I dunno, how many Squiers and Epiphones are in your collection?
@kirkhullinger1934
4 жыл бұрын
Hey phillip anyway you can do a video on the made in Japan aerodyne strat and I bass. Love to see that video thanks!
@dennisobergfell6919
4 жыл бұрын
Amen on human rights & guitar manufacturers; it absolutely factors in my guitar buying decisions. China’s actions in Hong Kong and internally have me looking to US made, South Korea & Japan.
4 жыл бұрын
Glad you mentioned human cruelty! Definitely, something we need to be aware of! Cheers!
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