Where did that guitar come from?
September 18, 2008
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Many of us over a few decades old may remember a time where products from Japan were considered junk. Cheap, poorly made and poorly working items foisted upon the US market, often as alternatives to American goods. Those of us also remember when the Japanese started making some really great, affordable alternatives to US goods. Cars like Toyota and Honda come to mind. In the guitar world it was brands like Ibanez, Aria and ESP that made products rivaling American giants like Fender, Gibson and Martin. A lot of this happened at a time when those US companies were slipping in quality as well.
Fast forward to today. We have so many products that come from other lands that it really has become a non issue. Our cars, TV sets and DVD players, toasters, clothing, you name it. Of course, there still can be some stigma attached to foreign made products but the question is ‘why?’ In some cases, it is rightfully earned for example, some of the bottom of the line guitars that have poor neck pitch, blotchy finish work, cheese grater action. But why is this? Is it because another country can’t make a good guitar or because the factory is given a low dollar figure and that’s the best the factory can squeeze into the instrument? Certainly, we’ve seen enough top quality guitars coming from countries like China that we know that they are capable. As I like to point out, China built a wall that spans over 4,000 miles and can be seen from space without the aid of bulldozers and cranes – they can build guitars.
So, the real issue is the people commissioning the building of the guitar that affect the quality. If they approach their workers saying we must stay under this price, then, as with all things, the quality will reflect that. If, as in the case of companies like Eastman, they are told to build the best they can, the results are outstanding.
Bob C. from Campbell’s Music
