stein Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 Lots of US made instruments including Gibsons and Fenders came with German made Schaller or ABM parts, and some still do. So to say, I have brought a few of them home. The latest one is the base of - no kidding - the Fishman Power Bridge on my SG Supra. Can't forget Schaller, who made both tuners and bridges. It's one thing for a maker to put on foriegn parts as a matter of quality, but another when they are cheaper. Cost IS always an issue, but there is a big difference between choosing a Schaller tuner over a Kluson, or going with a Chinese circuitbaord or a PRC made bridge on a Fender. It is also worth noting that KLUSON tuners are (or at least were) made by GOTOH, and that is an upgrade. If not for that, no way could any guitar maker think about using Klusons. The origonals sucked. Really. There is importing, and then there is importing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveFord Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 Does that mean that stupid G-Force thing can make its way to the Firebirds? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted September 26, 2014 Author Share Posted September 26, 2014 Does that mean that stupid G-Force thing can make its way to the Firebirds? Luckily they wont fit on that headstock shape... so at least one escapes I think it has Grovers on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoundMaster Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 Original post deleted by author. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 Can't forget Schaller, who made both tuners and bridges. It's one thing for a maker to put on foriegn parts as a matter of quality, but another when they are cheaper. Cost IS always an issue, but there is a big difference between choosing a Schaller tuner over a Kluson, or going with a Chinese circuitbaord or a PRC made bridge on a Fender. It is also worth noting that KLUSON tuners are (or at least were) made by GOTOH, and that is an upgrade. If not for that, no way could any guitar maker think about using Klusons. The origonals sucked. Really. There is importing, and then there is importing. Agree completely, in particular with the Klusons. My informations also say they are made by Gotoh. As for the costs, MIM Fenders with slotted vintage style tuners come with cheap knock-offs. The spare parts sold by Fender are Japan made, I guess they are from Gotoh, too, and of much better quality as I found out recently. One of the stock ones had gone bad. They had 6mm pegs, those of the replacements are 1/4" which called for replacing the bushings, too. The imperial size seems period-correct to me, other than the letters saying "JAPAN" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 Mexican Fenders are garbage, both my 09 highway 1 are awesome guitars just needed help like my Les Pauls did. My 2010 American deluxe was great also. The Fender American Standard is a great guitar at $1400 MIM Fenders are not perfect and sadly have "bathtub" routings but they didn't make Nashville Power Telecasters and Floyd Rose Stratocasters in the USA for many years. So I had no other choice. My American Deluxe Telecaster Ash featuring two N3 Noiseless SCs includes a third routing for a mid pickup, I had expected a MIA Fender having just the needed ones. <_< Except for my Japan made Fender, all of them needed rework and will have improper string runs forever. Nobody aligns them better than Japanese workers to my experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 Mexican Fenders are garbage, both my 09 highway 1 are awesome guitars just needed help like my Les Pauls did. My 2010 American deluxe was great also. The Fender American Standard is a great guitar at $1400 I have seen some very good Mexican Fenders. Most being the 50's and 60's reissues. I also have a Mexican Cray, in that violet color. One of, if not THE best one I have ever had. And, I have had a lot, both "Fenders" and from others, and from different countries. Anyone can say theirs is the exception, just saying I been well around the Strat block. Can't say as for the '09 and '10 ones, but I can say that both of those models used some Mexico in them at one point in time. You sure there isn't any Mexican in them? ANYTHING Fender sinse the beginning of "Fender Mexico" can be, and often is of equal quality to the American ones. The indicater of quality as far as the badge goes has more to do with the model than the country they state it is from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 No problems with MIM finishes here but I replaced the Mexican SCs featuring two ceramic magnets each and the Mexican AlNiCo humbucker with Fender Noiseless pickups. My FR Strats now feature Samarium Cobalt Noiseless (SCN) PUs and Schaller FR, N3 Noiseless PUs and Schaller FR, once again SCN PUs and Graph Tech Ghost piezo FR with Acousti-Phonic preamp, and Vintage Noiselesss and once again Graph Tech Ghost piezo FR with Acousti-Phonic. One of my MIM Nashville Power Teles is N3 Noiseless modded, too, and I guess I will put a different set of Fender Noiseless PUs into another one. Their stock PUs are TexMex models. Interestingly, the MIM Fender FR Strats came stock with Schaller locking nuts, my Gibson Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess with a Far Eastern knock-off. <_< Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobF_ Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 I have to say that regardless of where the components come from, my Korean PRS is a VERY well made, great playing piece of axe. I haven't taken anything apart on it yet, so I reserve the right to change my opinion of it later :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted September 27, 2014 Share Posted September 27, 2014 Maybe you didnt get what I meant... I meant the only Mexican I buy and am proud of is Taco Bell. Well technically, Taco Bell is American. Made in USA, by Americans. I have a Mexican roomy. He makes food here all the time. I wonder if we call it genuine Mexican food? What if I make a steak in Mexico? Fry up some Chicken? That my freind is as good anagology as you are likely to get regarding American/Mexican Fenders. Unless you want to talk about painting cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted September 27, 2014 Share Posted September 27, 2014 You got to admit its funny though ;) Seriously if you like your Mexican Strats and they gave them a green card or you did with a set of fine American Fender or Duncan or Dimarzio etc whatever brand you smoke, your happy and rockin man more power to ya. I aint an inbreeder Marican shouting redneck seriously. If its made where its made and it rocks like he mentioned those PRS KIAs man I gotta give kudos they are really nice for the dough. I have worked on them and I did think they were made really well. The Mexican Standard Strat is junk I think, but I also think the Epiphone Les Paul Standard since it moved to Indonesia is junk too... The Korean Epiphone was not bad and the Japan Elite was pretty nice. I got no problem buying an import as long as its used lol. YOU are a kick in the ash, sir! And yes, that was damned funny, it was my green-card sporting bud here who saw the sign and laughed and said "that's American". Hey, I want to buy American too. I'm the kind of guy that goes to Ace or Home Depot and ask "Where do you keep the American made stuff?" I like to go to Sears and educate the kids that Craftsman used to be, by definition, NEVER made anywhere but the USA. I ASK, man. And I send it back sometimes if it isn't made where it's supposed to be. I got over the "American" Strat in the late 80's when the only good ones were from Japan or had to be made by someone other than the Fender company. At some point, if a guy is going to be a vintage or quality fanatic, you have to respect that same fanaticism is shared by others in other countries as well. And some of them build guitars. Currently, they don't build Gibson. I like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoundMaster Posted September 27, 2014 Share Posted September 27, 2014 Original post deleted by author. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoundMaster Posted September 27, 2014 Share Posted September 27, 2014 Original post deleted by author. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobF_ Posted September 27, 2014 Share Posted September 27, 2014 "Senator, I did NOT have sex with that tuner." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoundMaster Posted September 27, 2014 Share Posted September 27, 2014 Original post deleted by author. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoundMaster Posted September 27, 2014 Share Posted September 27, 2014 Original post deleted by author. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobF_ Posted September 27, 2014 Share Posted September 27, 2014 LOL - No, just a random thought that went between my ears when I read about the different names involved in clandestine tuning machine manufacture and branding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoundMaster Posted September 27, 2014 Share Posted September 27, 2014 Original post deleted by author. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted September 27, 2014 Share Posted September 27, 2014 Guys, I'm pretty sure both TonePros/Kluson and plain-Jane Klusons are made by WD Music at the moment. I think I read that when I was researching tuners recently. Gibson was wrapped up in there too, in some way, but don't recall Gotoh mixing in that bunch. Can anyone verify this one way or another? This is cool, it's great when we have differing recollections 'ya know? Hopefully a definitive answer will confirm. The Göldo catalog says Gotoh: http://www.goeldo.de/tuners/kluson-vintage/1542/kluson-single-line-tulip These are also told to be Gotohs. They are of same make like those sold by Fender: http://www.goeldo.de/tuners/kluson-vintage/1545/kluson-vintage-deluxe?c=127 Interestingly, for these sealed tuners Kluson is named as manufacturer: http://www.goeldo.de/tuners/kluson-roundbacks/1556/kluson-round-backs WD Music obviously distributes them among many others: http://www.wdmusic.com/tuning_machines.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoundMaster Posted September 27, 2014 Share Posted September 27, 2014 Original post deleted by author. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoundMaster Posted September 27, 2014 Share Posted September 27, 2014 Original post deleted by author. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoundMaster Posted September 27, 2014 Share Posted September 27, 2014 Original post deleted by author. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoundMaster Posted September 27, 2014 Share Posted September 27, 2014 Original post deleted by author. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoundMaster Posted September 27, 2014 Share Posted September 27, 2014 Original post deleted by author. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanHenry Posted September 27, 2014 Share Posted September 27, 2014 This thread is great, it started of as Gibson's 2015 models, it's gone through the new prices, hoe the British are responsible for those prices, Volkswagen's and the dangers associated with them, German and U.S manufacture, Fender's, tuners, bridges, pickup's and Volume pots, where next, I can't wait! Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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