NAMM show guitars

Mike Perlowin · From: Los Angeles CA

I also attended the NAMM show, and bought another guitar, a Chinese made PRS copy for which I paid eighty-one dollars. I hardly need another guitar, but for that price I couldn't turn it down.

The guitar is NOT a piece of garbage. It has gold Grover tuning pegs, and a set neck with 24 frets, and it sounds every bit as good as my more expensive guitars. Once it is properly set up (the frets need filing, the intonation needs to be set and it needs better strings) it will be a thoroughly professional instrument, totally suitable for either recording or performing.
Of course, 81 bucks was the NAMM show price. I estimate the guitar would cost between $350 and 400 in a store.

I saw lots of very expensive guitars at the show. Many over $2,000. Some as much as $7,000.

Bit I also saw a lot of guitars from China and Korea in the $3-500 range, and the difference in price between these and the high priced guitars did not reflect the difference in quality. These guitars are not as nice as those costing 10 times as much, but they far closer than you would think.
They don't have prestigious brand names, and in some cases, the hardware and pickups warrant replacing, but the basic guitars themselves are happening.

I remember when cheap guitars from Asia were basically dreck. Not anymore. The manufacturers in those countries have learned how to produce decent quality guitars at very reasonable prices.

I now own 7 of these inexpensive Asian imports, and every one is gig-worthy. These guitars are perfect for the working bar band player who does not want to spend thousands of dollars in order to do a $50 gig, or take a priceless guitar to a place where it can be damaged or stolen.

If I ever return to doing gigs, I will use one of my Asian Cheapies and my vintage Fenders and Gretsches will stay home.

[This message was edited by Mike Perlowin on 25 January 2004 at 02:06 PM.]

chas smith R.I.P. · From: Encino, CA, USA

I want an 8-string Beard.

Jerry Warner · From: Charleston, West Virginia, USA

Mike you might have a good guitar but was it union made or was it made with child labor I don't mean to be to hard but think about it will it take jobs from martin or gibson or some the rest that make them in the good ole USA. Man I don't and I repeat I don't sound out of place on this thing. Just a newbie sounding out his thoughts.

Tom Olson · From: Spokane, WA

Jerry, with all due respect, I don't think a prospective Gibson buyer or Martin buyer will decide instead to purchase an import because of the price. That is, the imports are more likely purchased by those who wouldn't have otherwise purchased a more expensive domestic-made guitar. Just my 2 cents.

Mike Perlowin · From: Los Angeles CA

Jerry, my guess is that is was made by computerized robots, operated by people earning 25 cents an hour and don't know the first thing about building an instrument. The woodworking is flawless, The things that need to be done by hand are totally out of whack. I'm having it tweaked as I write this.

You raise a good point. And it doesn't just apply to guitars, but to all manufactured goods. Many of the products we buy today are made overseas with non-union cheap labor, and as a result American workers are losing their jobs.

But at the same time, with the prices of American made instruments becoming so expensive as to be out of reach for the average working musician, what are we to do?

I'd rather have a Martin or in this case a real PRS. (Indeed, PRS is one of the guitars I lust for) But I can't afford $2 or 3,000 for a guitar. (The specific PRS I want is around $6,000) My options are either to buy an Asian cheapie, or not buy anything. And I'm not alone.

Food for thought.

[This message was edited by Mike Perlowin on 25 January 2004 at 05:42 PM.]

Kevin Hatton · From: Buffalo, N.Y.

I'll also add that there are some mandolins being made over seas that sell for less than $1000.00 that will knock your socks off. I fear that none of us will have ajob in the future. You just can't compete with 25 cent an hour slave labor. On the other hand, American instruments are too expensive.

Steinar Gregertsen · From: Arendal, Norway, R.I.P.

A friend of mine is a teacher at Norway's leading luthier school. He told me that this year they have several Chinese students,- it's a grave mistake to claim that everything coming from China or the Far East is produced by child laborers.

I have myself tested several Chinese made instruments over the last year, and the increase in quality is amazing. There's no way such instruments could have been produced by starving 10-year old children.

Steinar

------------------
www.gregertsen.com

Ken Lang · From: Simi Valley, Ca

I think Tom has it right. In my case I've always wanted a full bodied jazz guitar to play around with. No way am I going to spend 2 grand for a name brand to pluck around the house or for an occasional gig.

Mike P. turned me on to an import for a great price that fills the bill perfectly. If a fat lady at a gig falls into it, no great loss. In the meantime, I have a very nice guitar at a very nice price.

Tom Olson · From: Spokane, WA

As I've said before, China (and other countries) do not have: Environmental Protection Agency, Occupational Health and Safety Administration, Worker's Compensation law, Social Security Administration, Equal Employment Opportunity regulations, Product Liability law, Unemployment taxes, and various special interest groups that manage to get various laws passed which are costly and wasteful. All these things can add significantly to the price of manufactured goods as many US manufacturers have found.

[This message was edited by Tom Olson on 25 January 2004 at 07:45 PM.]

Andy Greatrix · From: Edmonton Alberta

In China, it takes 8 american dollars to make 1 yuan.(chinese dollar)
Food is a lot cheaper(and fresher) and rent is also cheaper.
25 cents is 25x8 = 2 yuan an hour. 8 hours =16 yuan a day x2 (wife)=32 yuan a day._The grandparents babysit and the family pools their money. I was there for 2 years in mainland China teaching english.
It's not perfect over there but they are improving by leaps and bounds.
Also, over there are haves and have nots, just like North America.

[This message was edited by Andy Greatrix on 25 January 2004 at 09:35 PM.]

[This message was edited by Andy Greatrix on 25 January 2004 at 09:37 PM.]

Gary Walker · From: Morro Bay, CA

Mike, this year we lost our contact for the show but in times past, I always looked for the D'Angelico guitars. My dream guitar ever since Chet played one in the early 50s and one of the most beautiful axes on the planet, especially for jazz.

Jim Smith · From: Midlothian, TX, USA

Andy, are you sure your conversion calculations are right?

It looks like they make 2 yuan/hour or $16/hour, which is certainly not the starvation wages mentioned earlier.

JERRY THURMOND · From: sullivan mo u.s.a.

I am 100% a union man will always be one , but Gibson an Martin both sell guitars that or made overseas, you would be hard pressed to find any major guitar Co that does not make some guitars in another country besides the U.S.A. It is a way of life, not much can be done about it. Jerry

Jerry Hayes · From: Virginia Beach, Va.

I have an Ibanez Artcore hollow body guitar with a vibrato tailpiece. It's the same one that was featured in Guitar Player magazine and got a great review. I paid $369.00 with a hardshell case. This guitar is one tough axe and has a great sound and workmanship. It's also made in China. On Saturday I was at the local Guitar Center branch and they had some Squire Strats made in Indonesia on sale for $69.95. They'd bought a bunch for Xmas and had some left over from what I gathered. I took it home and straightened out the neck, lowered the strings at the bridge, and filed the nut slots and took it out to the gig that night. I sounded great and was actually pretty quiet. The frets were passable and it was a light guitar. Of course it didn't sound as good as my regular strat but it has Seymore Duncan 1/4 pounders in it. All in all if someone is looking for a strat for a tune or two at a gig or something to set up for slide, etc. this is one helluva bargain axe. I'm going to get another one tonight to do slide stuff on myself....Have a good 'un..JH

------------------
Livin' in the Past and the Future with a 12 string Mooney Universal tuning.

Ben Slaughter · From: Madera, California

Preach it brother Olson!!!! I might add that other countries don't have the same amount of attorneys per capita that we are so fortunate to have here in the US.

I have a Cort (Korea), Matt Guitar Murphy Special (Blues Brothers), that is a phenomenal guitar!! Plays and sounds just like a Les Paul and the finish is an incredible magenta over bird's eye maple. Think I paid $500 a couple of years ago.

------------------
Ben
Zum D10, NV400, POD, G&L Guitars, etc, etc.

Dyke Corson · From: Fairmount, IL USA

G&L, Heritage and Peavey still make some very reasonably priced guitars right here in the USA. Godin makes GREAT stuff in Canada and the US - very affordable. Seagull (by Godin) Larrivee (some made in California) and Garrison all make good instruments at a good price in Canada. I also have some nice Guilds built in California at a nice $$$. These are brands I try to stock in my store to offer a decent priced North American made instrument alternative...so there are still SOME out there....

All times are GMT - 8 Hours	Jump to: