DBL NGD: I got over brand loyalty & import phobia

[Tmoran]

Well for awhile I was a carvin only guy. I tried with a couple jacksons to get over it but it didnt work then. But now I think I can say im officially over brand loyalty and I want to start collecting guitars solely on what fits my musical needs rather than who makes what. This led me to two new guitars. The first is my beater guitar. A guitar I can keep on the stand and grab at any moment of inspiration. The second is my perfect 7 string. I needed a 7 with a small neck because I have girl like digits. This is the smallest neck of any seven ive found. It plays like a 6 no lie.

Another phobia of mine that I got over was my hate for imported guitars. If it wasnt a carvin it atleast had to be US made. Ive now come to realize that the ONLY thing I was doing was limiting myself. Not anymore.









And what I have dubbed "The Beast"

[CowboyFromHell]

I learned long ago that just as with cars, you can get good or bad in any brand. Kudos to you for opening your eyes to a whole new world of possibilities. I have a fakie LP that plays beyond what most people here would believe. I'm happy with it for it's playability, not what factory it came from and I apply that train of thought when making any purchase.

[Force]

There's a whole world out there as you've discovered, good choice.

I know nothing about Schecter but ESP/LTD are my next choice after J/C, incredible guitars in quality, looks & playability.

[lepard]

I suspect both of those guitars were made by World Guitars in Korea. What I learned a number of years ago was to learn who the actual factories are that are making these guitars for all the manufacturers. World Guitars in Korea does amazing work, UnSung in Korea puts out some good stuff. Most of the Cort facilities(Korea, Indonesia) put out inferior work.

Tmoran, could you post pics of the backs of the headstocks of those 2 guitars? I tell you who actually made them.

[xenophobe]

That's a nice ESP. Should be a Standard Series made at the Kiso factory in Japan.

[lepard]

That's a nice ESP. Should be a Select Series made at the Kiso factory in Japan.

Oh crap, you're right. That one will be Japanese. For some dumb reason I thought it said LTD on the headstock.

[xenophobe]

Oh crap, you're right. That one will be Japanese. For some dumb reason I thought it said ESP on the headstock.

The only guitars marked ESP that aren't made in Japan are a few artist sig guitars, if I remember correctly... they're really LTD's but for some reason get the ESP logo.

[Tmoran]

I suspect both of those guitars were made by World Guitars in Korea. What I learned a number of years ago was to learn who the actual factories are that are making these guitars for all the manufacturers. World Guitars in Korea does amazing work, UnSung in Korea puts out some good stuff. Most of the Cort facilities(Korea, Indonesia) put out inferior work.

Tmoran, could you post pics of the backs of the headstocks of those 2 guitars? I tell you who actually made them.

I dont have pics of the backs of the headstocks. But yeah as stated all ready the ESP is a japanese guitar. The schecter says "crafted in south Korea" in gold lettering with a double line gold box around it.

[RacerX]

I suspect both of those guitars were made by World Guitars in Korea. What I learned a number of years ago was to learn who the actual factories are that are making these guitars for all the manufacturers. World Guitars in Korea does amazing work, UnSung in Korea puts out some good stuff. Most of the Cort facilities(Korea, Indonesia) put out inferior work.

I tell you who actually made them.

Cool, man, who makes the BC Rich Schuldiner Stealth?

[xenophobe]

That's the one thing about ESP, if it has the ESP logo on it, it's either an older Made in USA or MIJ... unless it's a Signature Series LTD... some of them get ESP logos for marketing reasons.

ESP Doesn't want their brand name diluted, so if it's not MIJ it's probably got a LTD or Grassroots logo. I'm pretty sure Navigator and Edwards are both MIJ guitars though I think they also sells some MIK guitars under those brands. I think it's the Korean LTD factory that also contracts a lot of other brand's guitars as well... I dunno, I don't know much about ESP.

Cool, man, who makes the BC Rich Schuldiner Stealth?

The thing that bothers me about that guitar is some have 24th fret markers and some don't.

[lepard]

I dont have pics of the backs of the headstocks. But yeah as stated all ready the ESP is a japanese guitar. The schecter says "crafted in south Korea" in gold lettering with a double line gold box around it.

Yep, that's World Guitars Korea. The serial number should start with an E or W.

[lepard]

Cool, man, who makes the BC Rich Schuldiner Stealth?

World Guitars Korea 2009



World Guitars Korea 2008

[Tmoran]

That's the one thing about ESP, if it has the ESP logo on it, it's either an older Made in USA or MIJ... unless it's a Signature Series LTD... some of them get ESP logos for marketing reasons.

Now ive wondered about this. Ive seen a few endorsees who have ESP labeled guitars that look identical to their lower cost LTD models. What I could never figure out was if they were throwing ESP logos on those guitars so that people would think they were playing the higher end guitar or if they actually had esp make them custom versions of their guitars to play. I would think ESP would pump out a few customs rather than run the risk of one of the endorsees eventually selling one of their guitars and have it cause a PITA.

I'm pretty sure Navigator and Edwards are both MIJ guitars

Actually it was recently discovered that The Edwards guitars are made in china. Not even korea. But that isnt the end of the story. ESP doesnt outsource their Edwards guitars. They recently built a factory in china for the purpose of having total control over quality. The guitars are pretty much completely made in china then after paint the body cores are shipped to japan for electronics, stringing and final set up and quality check. ESP has stated this is why the Edwards guitars lack the "made in japan" on the back of the headstock. They technically dont qualify as such. But they own the factory and control quality and the factory employs many japanese trained workers. And from what ive seen and heard of edwards you would never know they were chinese as the quality is superlative compared to other chinese offerings.

[xenophobe]

Now ive wondered about this. Ive seen a few endorsees who have ESP labeled guitars that look identical to their lower cost LTD models. What I could never figure out was if they were throwing ESP logos on those guitars so that people would think they were playing the higher end guitar or if they actually had esp make them custom versions of their guitars to play. I would think ESP would pump out a few customs rather than run the risk of one of the endorsees eventually selling one of their guitars and have it cause a PITA.

That depends on a lot of circumstances. Just as with Ibanez, ESP has several levels of endorsement... but if a guitarist has a Signature Series model, their personal guitars would be identical custom shop builds. Even though they may look identical, even share the same markings, the serial number would be the dead giveaway. Some endorsees only get free LTD's.

Actually it was recently discovered that The Edwards guitars are made in china. Not even korea. But that isnt the end of the story. ESP doesnt outsource their Edwards guitars. They recently built a factory in china for the purpose of having total control over quality. The guitars are pretty much completely made in china then after paint the body cores are shipped to japan for electronics, stringing and final set up and quality check. ESP has stated this is why the Edwards guitars lack the "made in japan" on the back of the headstock. They technically dont qualify as such. But they own the factory and control quality and the factory employs many japanese trained workers. And from what ive seen and heard of edwards you would never know they were chinese as the quality is superlative compared to other chinese offerings.

Interesting to know.

[1994]

Interesting thread. 15 years ago the guitar media in the UK thought that (generally speaking) USA guitars were the highest quality, followed by Japan and then Korea a distant third. Today, USA and Japan are seen as equal with Korea a close second. Quality has improved across the board