Another Example of why I have no interest in Import Jackson Guitars - WMI Korea

[lepard]

The best bang-for-the-buck in a WMI neck-thru, OFR, EMG guitar is definitely the DBZ/Diamond guitars. They sell for ridiculously cheap prices in the used market. Check this one out, this is one of my main players:

[1neeto]

They are not bad but the WMI stuff is truly great... Better than a lot of domestic builds.

Do they make LTD guitars too? Because my friend's neck-through LTD is really sweet and he got it for cheap. Looks and plays like a $2000 guitar. Neck through, carved quilted top, EMG pickups, the works man.

[Nightbat]

Do they make LTD guitars too? Because my friend's neck-through LTD is really sweet and he got it for cheap. Looks and plays like a $2000 guitar. Neck through, carved quilted top, EMG pickups, the works man.

Some of the LTDs are WMI made, though I believe not all

[Anders]

Actually, they did and I've been looking for one for the past 2 years. They are really hard to find. I don't think they made very many.



This video clued me into them:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjeM6pxImhQ

But that's the "Ironbird Pro", right? I believe that was made in China. I remember reading that some people weren't really happy with them. The one with the spalted maple veneer looks great, and I'd get one if it wasn't for the inlays.

[Nightbat]

Hm, well, just checked the 2016 lineup for BC Rich, anyone wanting a pointy Warlock will have to settle for bolt-ons which are probably MiC/MiI

[lepard]

But that's the "Ironbird Pro", right? I believe that was made in China. I remember reading that some people weren't really happy with them. The one with the spalted maple veneer looks great, and I'd get one if it wasn't for the inlays.

I thought it was Korean ??? All the other neck-thru, OFR(not "Special"), EMG BC Rich's are made by WMI. Those things are so hard to find............. it's even harder to find a picture of the back of the headstock so you can see where it's made.

edit.........

Well son of a bitch ! I found a picture of the back of the headstock on some Russian website. This is one of the spalted maple top BC Rich Ironbird Pros. Sure enough........ China. I'll keep looking for a picture on the black ones.



edit #2.................

Found a pic of the solid black ones on some Japanese website. Dammit !!!!! Made in China

[lepard]

Do they make LTD guitars too? Because my friend's neck-through LTD is really sweet and he got it for cheap. Looks and plays like a $2000 guitar. Neck through, carved quilted top, EMG pickups, the works man.

All the neck-thru LTD's and Schecters used to be WMI. They have "W" or "E" serial numbers. Now they have all been moved to China or Indonesia. There is an LTD "Elite" series that is still built by WMI, those are nice.

[lepard]

Technically, anything MiK starting with a "W" serial

Be careful with "U" stamped guitars, Unsung Korea isn't comparable to WMI quality

The only manufacturers I know using UnSung are Dean, some of the top end Korean Epiphones and Agile(if they are still being made in Korea, don't know ???) UnSung builds some pretty darn nice guitars. They are just a little behind WMI but they have fretwork down to USA Jackson and WMI quality now. I have some amazing UnSung neck-thru and set-neck Deans.

In my researching of WMI and UnSung, I found they are literally just down the street from each other in the same city in S. Korea. I always wondered if they had some kind of relationship together......... ???

[lepard]

A tour through World Musical Instruments South Korea:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZhAzVo6mX8

Holy shit ! 3:00 into the video....... WMI Deans ??? That's a new one to me. Dean moved from WMI to UnSung in the mid-2000's. Are they moving back ???

WOW ! Dean WMI Stealths at 3:09 to 3:11.

Sure enough, on eBay:

[xenophobe]

The second video of that Chapman tour is great too... showing a lot of the process WMI goes through. They're far more handmade than I thought.

[xenophobe]

A bonus video showing some of the hand work they do... all the fancy body binding is done by hand...

I'm even more impressed with WMI now.

[Anders]

I thought it was Korean ??? All the other neck-thru, OFR(not "Special"), EMG BC Rich's are made by WMI. Those things are so hard to find............. it's even harder to find a picture of the back of the headstock so you can see where it's made.

edit.........

Well son of a bitch ! I found a picture of the back of the headstock on some Russian website. This is one of the spalted maple top BC Rich Ironbird Pros. Sure enough........ China. I'll keep looking for a picture on the black ones.



edit #2.................

Found a pic of the solid black ones on some Japanese website. Dammit !!!!! Made in China

Yeah, it's too bad that the one guitar I/we want the most has to be Chinese... It'll be interesting to see how the new Praxis built BC's are. They're Chinese as well, but at least it seems like BC Rich are somewhat on the right track again.

[Anders]

LOL

I agree. Jackson imports are crap compared to WMI.

This is the one I'm really interested in:



And of course, this is the one I already own:

Mike, that Stealth looks insanely sweet! I remember you saying that the craftsmanship is top notch!

[PowerTube]

I went around to some pawn shops today and found a pretty nice Schecter. It was neck-through (or appeared to be, it might have been "set-through"), EMG's, brushed stainless hardware, and really nice satin black finish. The only reason I didn't pursue it is because it had a rosewood fingerboard. Even though it had a Floyd Rose Special instead of an OFR, I still would have picked it up for the price if not for the rosewood.

The serial number started with a capital "W." Am I correct in assuming it was WMI-made?

EDIT: I forgot this part. On the back of the headstock it says "Crafted in South Korea."

So is it WMI?

[metalhobo]

All the neck-thru LTD's and Schecters used to be WMI. They have "W" or "E" serial numbers. Now they have all been moved to China or Indonesia. There is an LTD "Elite" series that is still built by WMI, those are nice.

The LTD Elites were made in Japan. They are now rebranded as "ESP E-II" and are supposed to be the replacement for the old "ESP Standard" US brand. Talk about brand confusion.

All 600+ series LTD models (i.e. the upper end Signature series and the Deluxe series) are still made at WMI. It used to be that the 400+ also were, but they've been made in China for many years now.

I've got the RL-600 sig model (no I don't like COB) which is a WMI guitar. It's very nice, but no, it's not as nice as my USA Charvel or Carvin or my Japanese ESP.