krazyderek Posted August 26, 2003 Report Share Posted August 26, 2003 Ok, many of u may know about the japan made squires back in the 80's and how they were made exceptionaly well for what fender intended to be a low/medium end model. Well today in the local music store i spotted a new jackson with flamed sunburst top, not a bad looking guitar, and jacksons aren't very common around here so i decided to give it a try. To my AMAZMENT! i liked it, it played exceptionaly well and resonated like a freaking accoustic!! action was higher then most people would like it but i didn't mind it at all. Later one of the sales guys there i know comes over and says, ya, that's a pretty good guitar, it's one of the japan models. and it was 699$ (CAN) so that's about 499$ US It just kinda set off a light bulb in my head. SOOOOO MY QUESTION Do you guys think japan produces fairly good guitars for they're prices? so far i think so, like that jackson was REALLY nice and i don't even like jacksons... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovekraft Posted August 26, 2003 Report Share Posted August 26, 2003 The "made in Japan" label really doesn't mean much - after all, Gibson didn't sue all those manufacturers back in the day because they were making lousy copies, they sued 'em because they were becoming serious competition. The Japanese Fender Custom Shop re-issues are (IMHO) the best Fenders I've played in years. The high-end Ibanez stuff is excellent, probably as good as any US production guitar in its price range. The only place that we have the edge is in pickups, and that ain't always so either, since some of them also use EMG, Duncan, Dimarzio, etc., just like us. The bottom line is, if it plays nice and sounds good, and you like it, unless your main concern is resale value, buy it, and play it. If your peers make fun of you for not having a PRS, cut 'em loose - they're not worth the trouble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reaper Posted August 26, 2003 Report Share Posted August 26, 2003 I would guess it's heavilyi dependent on what factory it came out of. A lot of the Ibanez prestige models were made alongside the RG570s, thus the RG570s were produced with top quality machinery and equipment. Jackson may have a similar setup, or they may be operating absolute crap over there, it's hard to tell. It's hard to see them sharing a factory with Ibanez... As for Fender, I really couldn't tell ya. All I can say is that I've heard some really good stuff about those Japanese Squiers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the third eye Posted August 26, 2003 Report Share Posted August 26, 2003 well fender own jackson now.... so they may even have moved into the fender factory.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted August 26, 2003 Report Share Posted August 26, 2003 I know that happened out in California poor people, some good folks lost their jobs over that one quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GEdwardJones Posted August 26, 2003 Report Share Posted August 26, 2003 Fender has traditionally used the Fujiken-Gakki plant, which is Ibanez's plant, for its Japanese models. Like brian said Fender's acquisition of Jackson put a lot of good luthiers on the street It also will affect the quality of Jackson's lower-end guitars (for good or ill I can't say) because I'm pretty positive those will move production as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
syxxstring Posted August 26, 2003 Report Share Posted August 26, 2003 one of my favorite gutiars is the bottom of the line Yamaha Pacifica Tele. Paid $150 for it from elderly instruments. The fretwork and neckpocket are better than on my custom shop strat[mid 90's pink holoflake](i think this maybe partly elderlys doing). This pickups were good but not great put a used Rio Grande Mua Grande and it rocks. In short my $165 investment is one of my main guitars. The Esp basses from overseas are great too. I think where it's made has a lot less to do with it then who it's made by. Also the shop that sells it has a huge factor in my book. In my visits to elderly you didnt find any of the crap setup problems etc... you do at your "MUSIC SUPERSTORE". I have 2 of em here and rarely find a guitar thats playable on the shelf either outta tune broken strings or set up for archery. Or all of the above. So you pay a few bucks more from the shops that bother to quality check and set up and instrument i have too say its worth it. I know when i finally get to buy my high end acoustic ill fly or drive to one of thoose stores, probably elderly due to my experiences with them. btw Are any fenders made in the US anymore. I heard they only do assembly here due to thoose whacky california enviormental laws.(reasons fender should relocate a few hundred miles north to las vegas) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingoftheHunted Posted August 27, 2003 Report Share Posted August 27, 2003 Japanese guitars are WAY better than other low-end guitars. I was looking round for a guitar last year (didn't have mcuh money and wanted to get the best I could afford) and mailed the ESP dealer in the UK about which were made in Japan and which were made in Korea, and were Japanese guitars better. The dealer was not impressed . His reply said that Korean guitars were as good as Japanese guitars and that it did not matter where they were made. His manner made me suspicious - why have a paddy if its true??? I don't believe him In any case, the best guitars are made either or . So just save up that money!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarfrenzy Posted September 2, 2003 Report Share Posted September 2, 2003 It's very sad to say, but back when Fender used the Japan plant to make lower end guitars.. they got too good and was making the American Strat look bad.. I even have firsthand experience at this, simply because my cousin was looking to buy an American Strat at the time, and the Made in Japan strat played tons better, but was 300 dollars cheaper.. so basically he bought the Jap Strat for the way it plays.. and let me tell you.. he got a good deal.. it's one of the best strats I've ever played before.. low action, no buzz... So basically, Fender saw that it was gonna take away from the higher costing American models and discontinued them... instead of just stepping up to the plate and trying to make better guitars themselves... That being said.. If you find an older made in japan fender.. you better buy it.. they play really good... my 2 cents though Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GEdwardJones Posted September 2, 2003 Report Share Posted September 2, 2003 The dealer was not impressed . His reply said that Korean guitars were as good as Japanese guitars and that it did not matter where they were made. His manner made me suspicious - why have a paddy if its true??? I don't believe him In any case, the best guitars are made either or . So just save up that money!!! That being said, I was ust watching the new Slayer DVD (War at the Warfield) and...Tom played an LTD (not ESP) signature bass for the whole thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted September 2, 2003 Report Share Posted September 2, 2003 it's not that hard to slap an ltd sticker on an esp,and it sure does fool alot of people.i heard they did that in a photo op with jeff hannemann(put an esp sticker on one of his jacksons) endorsement contracts are hell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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