Jumpy Guitar Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 Hi guys, we have some members of our forum in italy who assert that Gibson guitars are not entirely made in US anymore....so I decided to open this 3D in order to have an idea about this from the rest of the world Specifically, many doubts are about the origin of woods used in these last years and some assembling process...some say that something can come from far east.....it would be great have some opinions from you. thanks and keep rockin' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laaz Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 As far as the Gibson brand guitars, yes they are made in the USA. The wood comes from various sources around the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAS44 Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 hahahahahaha If its a legitimate Gibson its made in the US of A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bongano Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 I know for sure that the Cort factory produces semifinished items for Gibson Fender and other major brands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoConMan Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 Cort makes semi-finished guitars for Gibson? I'm guessing those guitars are destined to wear the Epiphone name. I would doubt that would happen on any Gibsons, even for the Japanese market. Doesn't make much sense to ship it back into the USA if it's a higher-priced piece. Of course, you folks overseas probably would see any foreign-made stuff before the USA would. Things like the Maestro line maybe...? Hardware may vary, Schaller is a German company. Pots and switches may not always be made in the USA, I'm just guessing about the source. As mentioned, raw wood is bought from around the world - even Madagascar..... Gibson guitars are advertised as made from wood rough-cut in Tennessee, or Montana for the acoustics. All machining, assembly and finish work is done in any of the three plants in Nashville, Memphis or Bozeman. If somebody knows something different, now's the time to post it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackie Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 what is dis ..........an attack.............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauline Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 And why there are two factorys in Quing Dao ? one is called "Gibson QuingDao" the other is "Epiphone QuingDao" Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deepblue Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 American made, World played. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoConMan Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 And why there are two factorys in Quing Dao ? one is called "Gibson QuingDao" the other is "Epiphone QuingDao" I dunno. Never really looked into it. If I see a guitar that says "Made In China" on it' date=' I walk away. I don't care what it costs. Seems Gibson is adamant that Gibson guitars are a product of the USA, though they're doing much to blur the distinctions between Gibson and Epiphone in the eyes of the consumer. I have to guess the market is very different in the USA than the rest of the world, eh? I did a quick web search and located a few items of interest. http://www.epiphone.com/FactoryTour/qdtour.html --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [i']"In 2002, Gibson opened a factory in Qingdao, China, which manufactures Epiphone guitars exclusively. With few exceptions, Epiphones are now built only in the Qingdao factory."[/i] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epiphone_Guitars ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Guitar Info Your guitar was made at the Qingdao Plant (Epiphone), China May 2008 Production Number: 01210 Gibson: Qingdao The Gibson Qingdao Plant was opened in October 2002, Qingdao, China. It is the only plant run by Epiphone in Asia. Both acoustic and electric guitars are made here. The factory is dedicated to making Epiphone and only Epiphone guitars with the aim of producing higher quality guitars." http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250491755449 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Resolved QuestionIs there a difference in quality between epiphone and gibson? I want an Epiphone SG because the Gibsons are pricey. I know Gibson owns Epiphone but is there a big difference in quality and are Epiphones any good? Best Answer - Chosen by Voters Yes there is a huge difference. Gibsons have better electronics, better wood, better hardware, better everything, and are made in the usa. Epiphones have more of a made in some asian country assembly line feel, which is because that is exactly how they are made. However, if you are tight on budget an epiphone will suffice. They are pretty good for what you pay but there is a huge difference between epis and gibsons, hence the price increase of thousands of dollars." http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071202061617AA5RS8w ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Gibson/Epiphone factory in Qingdao Tuesday, September 15th, 2009 at 4:32 pm Let’s visit the factory in China where my new Epiphone Riviera was made: Qingdao Factory Tour. I love the picture of the drying room full of flying Les Pauls: There’s lots more pics, and an interview with the plant managers, Scott Lewis and Lloyd Williams at Gibson Qingdao Factory – All Epiphone… All The Time! http://www.planetz.com/?m=200909 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Baldwin Zhongshan China debuts as Gibson partners with Chinese manufacturer Monday, August 23, 2004 - At a VIP ceremony yesterday in Zhongshan, China, Gibson and Baldwin officially inaugurated a joint venture with Chinese government and manufacturing partners to form Baldwin Zhongshan China. Gibson will have majority ownership of the manufacturing facility with partners Yue Hua Music Limited and the Zhongshan city government. The new venture will produce pianos for the domestic Chinese market as well as for international market and is part of the Gibson’s long-term growth strategy in China. Gibson’s first manufacturing plant in China is located in Qingdao and currently produces a variety of acoustic and electric models for Gibson’s prestigious Epiphone brand. Gibson’s Henry Juszkiewizc, right, seals the deal for Baldwin Zhongshan China with a three-way handshake with Feng Jian Zhong, left, president of Yue Hua Enterprises Hong Kong Co. and Gao Yong Hu, general manger of Zhongshan Yue Hua. Gibson plans to strengthen investment in manufacturing, product technology and market development in China. “China is an important market for Gibson, and Zhongshan Yue Hua is a very valuable investment in helping us further build our business in an accelerating Chinese music market,” said Henry Juszkiewicz, chairman and CEO of Gibson and Baldwin. “We want to reinforce our position as a localized partner, working closely with Chinese companies in the musical instrument industry. The business potential is tremendous, and our commitment to success for both ourselves and our Chinese customers has never been greater,” Juszkiewicz added. “Our efforts in China will continue to emphasize new product and technology development and facility expansion for greater market growth.” “Cooperation with a music instrument giant like Gibson Guitar gives us the confidence that we will have the right resources and right business strategies to grow the domestic music industry together,” said Gao Yonghu, general manager of Zhongshan Yue Hua. We look forward to a long and fruitful relationship with the company.” http://www.gibson.com/absolutenm/templates/default.aspx?a=42&template=print-article.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
massipage Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 And why there are two factorys in Quing Dao ? one is called "Gibson QuingDao" the other is "Epiphone QuingDao" Peter i don 't thinks is true....but if is so.....is before in USA like at italy ther are much people "rosiconi" whit a nice arms....very nice arms....this people want buy a gibson guitar, whit total confort and best sound but he want no pay the right price.....before satisfied this people them make a factory in another state.....and if is a lies this people much "rosiconi" whit a nice arms begin at the same song ....excuse me for bad english.................only a gibson is god enought Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauline Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 Jim Rosenberg told it ! Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackie Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 ........only a gibson is god enought I agree..........all bow before the guitar we worship............ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pohatu771 Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 I'm not saying that Gibson are made elsewhere, but an Epiphone employee did post this earlier this week. The curious information is in the beginning. Hi Alan' date=' Thanks for the post. Regarding your questions... Epiphone currently operates two factories in China. We opened Gibson Qingdao in 2003 and in 2008 we opened the Epiphone Qingdao factory. These factories produce a large percentage of our guitars with a focus on the mid-to-high end models. Although these are large factories, they still cannot meet the worldwide sales demand for our guitars. (Not a bad problem to have thanks to our loyal fans!) Given this, we dual-source at a number of our partner factories including PT Samick located in Indonesia. Regardless of where a model is made they all must follow the same specifications and quality control standards. We have a team of about 50 QC inspectors that uphold those specs and standards and we track the data very, very closely. Based upon that data, we have a <0.4% return rate on all guitars. This includes, of course, our guitars made in Indonesia. We are not the only guitar brand being produced in Indonesia. I have personally worked with Samick for almost 20 years and I believe they are an excellent and reliable maker. That said, while we strive for 0% returns and 100% customer satisfaction, unfortunately we cannot guarantee that every single guitar meets the expectations of all customers. For that, we apologize. But, what we can guarantee is that if you do have a problem or are unsatisfied with a new Epiphone instrument, you can always contact us and we will do everything possible to make it right. Regarding the discontinuation of the Elitist line... we discontinued them because we were not selling enough. This led to manufacturing inefficiencies and rising production and freight costs. Just to clarify, because the Casino proved to be our best and most consistent selling model, we do continue to make the Elitist Casinos. Regarding your question about "back-door" Epi's... If you are talking about Epiphones being sold out the back-door by an existing authorized Epiphone factory then I would say that this practice does not occur. Certainly our own 2 factories are not doing this and of our other manufacturing partners, I trust them 100%. They also recognize that if this practice did occur, they would lose our support immediately. If however you are talking about counterfeit Epiphone guitars then yes. They certainly do exist and every day, we take aggressive action to stop it. We have a Gibson fraud prevention [u']department [/u]that tracks down leads, writes cease and desist letters, contacts government authorities, lobbys for stricter law enforcement, etc. As you know, this is not a problem isolated to Epiphone. All guitar brands are being copied. Likewise, this is not a problem isolated to guitars. Most all products from watches to shoes to software have to deal with this issue. Given this, the best advice I can give you is to buy your instruments from an authorized retailer. And as the old saying goes, if the deal looks too good to be true, it probably is. I hope I've answered your questions. Thanks again for your continued support. Epiphone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoConMan Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 "Epiphone currently operates two factories in China. We opened Gibson Qingdao in 2003 and in 2008 we opened the Epiphone Qingdao factory. These factories produce a large percentage of our guitars with a focus on the mid-to-high end models." A focus on the mid-to-high end models? So, let's think about that for a minute.... [blink] What would the definition of each be? Okay, I'll go first with my scientific wild-*** guess; Low end is the stuff with bolt on necks, and maybe the Maestro line. Mid would be pretty much everything else. High end? Epiphone? I'm guessing this would be the most expensive semi-hollows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 Well, THAT'S interesting, Neo..as some on the Epiphone Forum have seen Epiphone Les Paul Customs, from INDONESIA!! These were spotted, in various "Big Box" (GC, etc.) stores. The report, so far, is pretty bad! Apparently, there are Epiphone LP Customs made at Qindao, too...and they are said to be of Much Higher Quality, than the latest "Indonesian" versions. I've tried to get someone from Gibson/Epiphone, to comment and/or enlighten us, but...so far, anyway...nothing. So, IF Qingdao is the only Epiphone Asian facility, making Epiphones, as stated...then I suppose Henry's just ignoring "South East Asia," or Indonesia, entirely? He may be "technically" correct, but it doesn't feel all that forthcoming. CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 My '99 Epiphone Emperor was made in Korea, at the Peerless plant I think. Every time I pick that thing up I just can't believe the level of craftsmanship and QC that went into it. Frightening. I've had old L-7s from the 30s and 40s that wouldn't stand up to it, action wise, tone wise, nothing.... ...except imaginary vibe, mojo, and snob appeal. Trust me, I wrestle with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoConMan Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 I've always viewed the quality hierarchy as something along these lines; Gibson USA - the real deal, warts and all. Gibson Japan - arguably as good in most cases. Korea - some decent stuff from there, the problems on most I've played or worked on were electronic. China - keep it. Indonesia - aspires to the quality usually associated with China. What's next, Somalia? Just the opinion of some guy on the internet - worth what you paid for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 After Buying Spree, China Owns Stakes in Top U.S. Firms (The New York Times 2010-02-08) SHANGHAI - Flush with cash despite the global economic downturn, China's sovereign wealth fund quietly snapped up more than $9 billion worth of shares last year in some of the biggest American corporations, including Morgan Stanley, Bank of America and Citigroup. Although most of the stakes were small, China Investment Corp., the government's $300 billion investment fund, now owns stock in some of the best-known American brands, including Apple, Coca-Cola, Johnson & Johnson, Motorola and Visa. The detailed list, which contained holdings totaling $9.6 billion as of Dec. 31, was disclosed Friday... Wonder Who else they OWN?! ;>b CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoConMan Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 They've gotten spooked by our stupid government spending spree, so they're unloading Treasuries. Japan has now re-emerged as the top holder of American debt, despite their wobbly economy. China's got the cash to play the private corporation game - that's where the money is. And it seems they think it's less risky than US Treasury Bonds, can't say I blame them either.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 "Stupid" spending spree...is an understatement! It's truly "Criminal!" I can't believe these clowns are still in office! Hell, I can't believe they ever GOT in office, in the first place...well, on second thought, I DO know how they did. Hope everyone's enjoying the "Change?!!" Saw an interesting film, recently, revolving around the "world banking" industry, called "The International!" It's "fiction" (barely), but felt all to possible/probable. IMHO...It's going to get really "interesting," in the very near future. CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bongano Posted March 6, 2010 Share Posted March 6, 2010 Let's guess where are Qingdao instruments shipped to... Maybe HERE ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumpy Guitar Posted March 6, 2010 Author Share Posted March 6, 2010 Let's guess where are Qingdao instruments shipped to... Maybe HERE ? mmmm......some official statement from Gibson would be appreciated... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauline Posted March 6, 2010 Share Posted March 6, 2010 mmmm......some official statement from Gibson would be appreciated... What do you think is the delivery address from Epiphone? CONSIGNEEGIBSON GUITAR CORPORATION. EPIPHONE DIVISION 645 MASSMAN DRIVE NASHVILLE TN 3 Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bongano Posted March 6, 2010 Share Posted March 6, 2010 No mirror climbing on this thread, please. And some solidarity for Cort Workers ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bongano Posted March 6, 2010 Share Posted March 6, 2010 Other funny EVIDENCE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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