[brad4d8]

A poster on a jazz guitar forum quotes a Gibson dealer as saying that Gibson's archtop bodies are now made by Samick in China and shipped to the US for assembly so that they can say made in USA. He also said that Gibson now uses only synthetic fingerboards and inlay material in order to avoid any more CITES trouble. It all seems a bit fishy to me, anybody have any definitive info?
Brad

[BigKahune]

.
AFAIK Gibson does use some synthetic fingerboard and inlay material, check the online spec sheets for details on any particular model. Gibson is also using alternative woods for the fingerboards on some models, as well as laminated rosewood fretboards.

The China bodies story may be true for some Epiphone models, but AFAIK not true for Gibson guitars.


.

[charlie brown]

Most likely, a "nasty rumor!" But, NOTHING would surprise me, anymore.

All I can say is, for the money Gibson charges, for their products,
they BETTER NOT BE "Made In China," in any form! If I want that, I can
get a very nice Epiphone. This is NOT a dis, on Chinese quality, or
workmanship. They are (obviously) quite capable, and talented. But,
Gibson has always been "Made In USA," and, for what they charge, they
should be!

CB

[stein]

brad4d8, on 07 April 2012 - 01:54 PM, said:

A poster on a jazz guitar forum quotes a Gibson dealer as saying that Gibson's archtop bodies are now made by Samick in China and shipped to the US for assembly so that they can say made in USA. He also said that Gibson now uses only synthetic fingerboards and inlay material in order to avoid any more CITES trouble. It all seems a bit fishy to me, anybody have any definitive info?
Brad

Not even close to being true.

We could go on and on about all of the different inlay materiels, fretbaord materiels, etc....

But to have a real discussion about it, it has to be based on real knowledge. Who ever this guy is who made these statements does NOT have any.

[vincentw]

China? really? Y'all should go tour the Memphis factory for a little breath of sawdusty air.

[Malchik]

brad4d8, on 07 April 2012 - 01:54 PM, said:

A poster on a jazz guitar forum quotes a Gibson dealer as saying that Gibson's archtop bodies are now made by Samick in China and shipped to the US for assembly so that they can say made in USA. He also said that Gibson now uses only synthetic fingerboards and inlay material in order to avoid any more CITES trouble. It all seems a bit fishy to me, anybody have any definitive info?
Brad

Gibson is shipping over rosewood veneer just so they can laminate it together to make a finger board in America. They could have India ship over completed, one piece rosewood blanks, but they refused and are taking extra steps to finish the fingerboards in their American factories. I highly doubt Gibson would be doing this.

I don't believe a lot of their metal hardware is machined in America, however.

[Nic]

The fingerboards on the Midtown Guitars are a phenolic plastic. It says so in the specifications.

A dealer that sells a line of guitars that competes directly with GIbson told me the same thing about parts built in Asia. I didn't think much of it.

[stein]

Nic, on 10 April 2012 - 02:49 PM, said:

The fingerboards on the Midtown Guitars are a phenolic plastic. It says so in the specifications.

A dealer that sells a line of guitars that competes directly with GIbson told me the same thing about parts built in Asia. I didn't think much of it.

That dealer is lying. Simple as that.

I don't mean exaggerating or embellishing, just straight up lying through his teeth.

[stein]

Nic, on 10 April 2012 - 02:49 PM, said:

The fingerboards on the Midtown Guitars are a phenolic plastic. It says so in the specifications.

It is richlite, that is true, but it isn't 'phenolic plastic'. That is not true.

[ACollector]

Is anyone responding here a Gibson employee? (perhaps VincentW). It would be nice to hear the answer straight from the horse's mouth so to speak. The question is:

Do any of the following archtops have their bodies made, wholly or partially, in China - Wes, L5, LeGrand, Super 400, Citation?


Thanks!

[stein]

ACollector, on 10 April 2012 - 06:39 PM, said:

Is anyone responding here a Gibson employee? (perhaps VincentW). It would be nice to hear the answer straight from the horse's mouth so to speak. The question is:

Do any of the following archtops have their bodies made, wholly or partially, in China - Wes, L5, LeGrand, Super 400, Citation?


Thanks!

I am not an employee, no affiliation.

But that is the thing, I can tell you for sure NO. No Gibson body is partially made in China. I can say that because it is one of those common knowledge things. Gibson is very public about where they are made, and give tours of their factories.

I might not expect the average guy plucked off the street to know. But you can be sure anyone who knows even a little about guitars would. You can be sure, if it is a dealer, they would know as well. They couldn't be a dealer of any brand and not know.

[bobouz]

Nic, on 10 April 2012 - 02:49 PM, said:

The fingerboards on the Midtown Guitars are a phenolic plastic. It says so in the specifications.

Wrong, wrong, wrong. Richlite is made from recycled paper and phenolic resin, and is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council because it comes from renewable wood resources. I'm not saying it's akin to ebony, but it's definitely not plastic.

[ACollector]

stein, on 10 April 2012 - 07:13 PM, said:

I am not an employee, no affiliation.

But that is the thing, I can tell you for sure NO. No Gibson body is partially made in China. I can say that because it is one of those common knowledge things. Gibson is very public about where they are made, and give tours of their factories.

I might not expect the average guy plucked off the street to know. But you can be sure anyone who knows even a little about guitars would. You can be sure, if it is a dealer, they would know as well. They couldn't be a dealer of any brand and not know.

The rumor is supposedly attributed to the owner of Wolfe Guitars, according to the original online poster.

[stein]

ACollector, on 11 April 2012 - 06:42 AM, said:

The rumor is supposedly attributed to the owner of Wolfe Guitars, according to the original online poster.

Doesn't really mean much unless he actually posted it or said it.

The thing is, the statement is a lie to begin with. So it is just as possible whoever is saying it is lying about who said it. It could even be an attempt to make him look bad by someone else.

It really is a STUPID thing to say or post, whoever said it.

[zigzag]

brad4d8, on 07 April 2012 - 01:54 PM, said:

A poster on a jazz guitar forum quotes a Gibson dealer as saying that Gibson's archtop bodies are now made by Samick in China and shipped to the US for assembly so that they can say made in USA. He also said that Gibson now uses only synthetic fingerboards and inlay material in order to avoid any more CITES trouble. It all seems a bit fishy to me, anybody have any definitive info?
Brad

A little misleading, but here is the board and thread, refuted by other forum members.

Jazz Guitar Forum, Gibson Archtop Bodies

[pfox14]

Funny how weird rumors like this get started. Then everyone's reaction is what? no way! can't be! The day they stop making Gibson guitars in the USA will be a very sad day indeed.

[Jayyj]

Ironic that the term for the likely cause of rumours like this is Chinese whispers...

In any case, aren't Samick a Korean manufacturer, not Chinese?

[brad4d8]

Jayyj, on 11 April 2012 - 11:28 AM, said:

Ironic that the term for the likely cause of rumours like this is Chinese whispers...

In any case, aren't Samick a Korean manufacturer, not Chinese?

Korean company with factories (or sub-contrators) in China, AFAIK.
Brad

[charlie brown]

Always rather enjoyed a nice "Chinese body"...their beautiful faces, too.

(Maggie Cheung)

(ZiYi Zhang)




CB

[brundaddy]

LOCK AND LOW!!

(Asian dialect for Rock and Roll)