Korea vs Indonesia (QC etc.)

[MindCrime]

Earlier this month (Dec) I scored a Cort G300 Pro in Black. Made in Indonesia. I looked it over thoroughly and played it.
It already had a routine set-up with the string gauge I use and the guitar is VERY nice. I mean impressive !
For me, it is well worth the dollar amount. I got this locally from a friend so I got a real bargain. Not a mark on it...MINT.
I've also had a Schecter Nick Johnston HSS Strat...made by Cor-Tek Industries. Another very good guitar for the money.

 

[V|J]

Yeah, it’s all about the price point to which they are made.
Eastmans coming out of China are apparently top notch.

 

[State of Epicicity]

My Indonesian Washburn Parallaxe Trevor Rabin is fantastic, just made well. But the bridge was impossible to find parts for, until I researched exhaustively enough to find a company called Guyker who was making the only pieces that fit. So that's a real consideration, to make sure you're cool with whatever hardware is on there and can source parts if you need.

 

[JerEvil]

All I’m saying is I’ve played at least 5 of the Ibby Premium line and all were fu led up even after setup. All Indo made. They looked great but for the money there’s not a chance I’d consider one.

I’ll take an older used Prestige for the same money used.

I had a Schecter Reaper 7 multi-scale that was pretty rad but shipped with a mis-slotted nut. Other than that it was solid. Felt much nicer than the Premier stuff.

I generally don’t buy much production stuff anymore but I did grab that Dunable DE that’ll be here today. Hope it’s solid.

 

[spawnofthesith]

All I’m saying is I’ve played at least 5 of the Ibby Premium line and all were fu led up even after setup. All Indo made. They looked great but for the money there’s not a chance I’d consider one.

I’ll take an older used Prestige for the same money used.

I had a Schecter Reaper 7 multi-scale that was pretty rad but shipped with a mis-slotted nut. Other than that it was solid. Felt much nicer than the Premier stuff.

I generally don’t buy much production stuff anymore but I did grab that Dunable DE that’ll be here today. Hope it’s solid.

My bass player got one of those headless 6 string fanned fret MIJ Ibanez basses and he liked it, but he definitely had to do a loooot of work on it, and then leave it with a tech for a while too to get it playing proper I think they retail for like $1800 new

He said it feels like a toy now since he got his Dingwall (which fwiw, is one of the made in China models that still retails for like $3-4k). That thing is fuckin awesome though

 

[EOengineer]

I had a great 10 year run where a Korean Schecter C7+ was my primary guitar and my god was it a killer instrument. One of my favorite players ever. I’m mostly MIJ or MIA these days if I’m not assembling it myself.

Recently I’ve had my notions challenged by the 40th anniversary Squier teles with the binding though. The necks on those guitars are worth the price of the entire guitars alone. I’ve played half a dozen of them off various racks in different parts of the country and every single one has had an INCREDIBLE neck with surprisingly detailed fretwork, particularly with buried fret edges and rolled edges. Squier much have found some way to automate this part of the process because I can’t see how they are doing that work so consistently for so little money.

 

[paisleywookiee]

Yeah, it’s all about the price point to which they are made.
Eastmans coming out of China are apparently top notch.

Unless it’s a Strandberg. Then it’s a $900-$1000 Cort for $2000-$3000.

 

[DrewJD82]

All I’m saying is I’ve played at least 5 of the Ibby Premium line and all were fu led up even after setup. All Indo made. They looked great but for the money there’s not a chance I’d consider one.

I’ll take an older used Prestige for the same money used.

I had a Schecter Reaper 7 multi-scale that was pretty rad but shipped with a mis-slotted nut. Other than that it was solid. Felt much nicer than the Premier stuff.

I generally don’t buy much production stuff anymore but I did grab that Dunable DE that’ll be here today. Hope it’s solid.

These were a major letdown and started the worst era of Ibanez, IMO.

The first year they came out I played a few really nice ones, the ball-end frets were really well done and I was excited. There were some RG’s with Edge’s and it looked like it was going to be a great line. That was the only time that’s happened for me. I got my hopes up when they reissued white UV, Sam Ash had both the white and black ones, they felt like plastic, those trems were…..nope, dry as hell fingerboards and they just felt terrible.

Every single one I’ve put my hands on since that first day has been some variation of terrible. The $400 JEM Jr has been more consistent when I’ve randomly picked them up in stores.

And guess what? No new MIJ Ibanez this year! Fugijen doesn’t have the accommodations for new models while also filling back orders they still haven’t caught up on since the pandemic.

 

[Eagle]

Unless it’s a Strandberg. Then it’s a $900-$1000 Cort for $2000-$3000.

Except it isn’t because it has Jescar stainless frets, Suhr pickups, CTS pots, CRL mega switch , premium wood selection, carbon reinforced roasted neck. The MIJ ones are 5k and the Custom made ones were about 8k .

 

[paisleywookiee]

Except it isn’t because it has Jescar stainless frets, Suhr pickups, CTS pots, CRL mega switch , premium wood selection, carbon reinforced roasted neck. The MIJ ones are 5k and the Custom made ones were about 8k .

Still feels really cheap.
Neck was not roasted either.

 

[gdhi11]

Things said previously in this thread are relevant, but some are misconstrued. I generally agree that the price point sets the quality control and standards for imported guitars. There are some great Indonesian (cort) guitars coming out. BUT at least as far as strandberg is concerned, I'm a member of the FB group, and I've seen a lot of notable issues with them, stripped nut hardware, bad neck pockets, Occasionally cracked fingerboards and sketchy fretwork. This is also a major problem with Solar guitars.

You don't hear about these problems with the equally modern Aristides guitars that are basically the same price...

 

[Achilles]

Unless it’s a Strandberg. Then it’s a $900-$1000 Cort for $2000-$3000.

Man, usually I'm in tune with your opinions of gear but you could not be more off-base here. Like WAYYYYYYYYYY off base.

We're all entitled to our opinions though.........

 

[paisleywookiee]

Man, usually I'm in tune with your opinions of gear but you could not be more off-base here. Like WAYYYYYYYYYY off base.

We're all entitled to our opinions though.........

Fair enough. See above though. I’m not the only one to feel that way.

Played a couple Friday. Didn’t change my mind.

 

[Achilles]

Fair enough. See above though. I’m not the only one to feel that way.

I can't help but look at these things with an engineering slant and just based on quality of individual materials, the pretty intense construction of the neck, fit and finish, etc. they are not cheap instruments pretending to be quality in any way.

The aesthetic and specs are strongly polarizing so I factor a bit of that in with negative reviews that aren't based on specifics.

 

[paisleywookiee]

I can't help but look at these things with an engineering slant and just based on quality of individual materials, the pretty intense construction of the neck, fit and finish, etc. they are not cheap instruments pretending to be quality in any way.

The aesthetic and specs are strongly polarizing so I factor a bit of that in with negative reviews that aren't based on specifics.

How about sharp frets with bad levels and gaps in neck pockets? I’m just saying, hats off to whoever likes them. That’s cool. I just think they’re grossly overpriced.

 

[Achilles]

How about sharp frets with bad levels and gaps in neck pockets?

I've played about a dozen of them the past few years - friends with the US rep who's right up in LA - and that isn't my experience at all so my opinions are based on that, the growth of the brand in the market, and the number of modern players who have chosen one of their guitars to record and tour with.

But then again, opinions are like butts and all that.

 

[paisleywookiee]

I've played and/or owned about a dozen of them - friends with the US rep who's right up in LA - and that isn't my experience at all so my opinions are based on that, the growth of the brand in the market, and the number of modern players who have chosen one of their guitars to record and tour with.

But then again, opinions are like butts and all that.

I’ve played several, and have had several through the shop. I guess I’m terribly unlucky at finding a good example.

 

[Achilles]

I’ve played several, and have had several through the shop. I guess I’m terribly unlucky at finding a good example.

100%!

Otherwise the rest of the planet of players that REALLY dig them for their playability, fit, finish, etc., are delusional.

 

[paisleywookiee]

100%!

Otherwise the rest of the planet of players that REALLY dig them for their playability, fit, finish, etc., are delusional.

Oh I hate their playability. But I can’t imagine you’d be surprised to hear that someone doesn’t gel with the EndureNeck.

 

[Achilles]

But I can’t imagine you’d be surprised to hear that someone doesn’t gel with the EndureNeck.

I absolutely get not digging the looks, finish options, WEIRD neck, etc. Like I said, it kinda stacks the deck with some people before they even try one.

Gotta admit, being able to adjust a truss rod IN REAL TIME is a very cool thing. Ever looked really close at how they lam the necks. The crisscrossing of grains between the different slabs ain't new but combining that with the linear neck carve makes for rock solid stability and is pretty brilliant innovation.