ok now, need some serious input

[Eddie_UV777]

I got a friend who think's Korean made guitar's are as good as Japan made guitar's and I for one think he's crazy, Could use some serious outsider input

[Mighty Abacus]

Not all Japan made guitars are PERFECT just as not all Korean made guitars are CRAP...

[ibanezdiehard]

all materials used on korean guitars are of lesser quality like the wood and metal parts

[The Euphor]

I beg to differ... The inspection of the materials might be less good. But I think it's possible to find a MIK guitar with wood just as good as the average MIJ. Is it a straw I'm clinging to? Maybe. I wanna believe!

[ibanezdiehard]

Originally Posted by The Euphor

But I think it's possible to find a MIK guitar with wood just as good as the average MIJ. Is it a straw I'm clinging to? Maybe. I wanna believe!

thats immpossible cause the wood they use in japan would be from one place (eg USA= american basswood)

and the korean wood would be from another place (eg phillopines= basswood)

[The Euphor]

And what would make basswood from USA any better than basswood growing in other places? I'm not saying wood is wood. But I would imagine there are good pieces almost everywhere. Saying that, I have no understanding of why a tree becomes a good guitar... Still, the believe part is there.

[ibanezdiehard]

Originally Posted by The Euphor

And what would make basswood from USA any better than basswood growing in other places? I'm not saying wood is wood. But I would imagine there are good pieces almost everywhere. Saying that, I have no understanding of why a tree becomes a good guitar... Still, the believe part is there.

i'm not a wood coniser. but ask any drummer phillipe birch wood is not very good they use it on cheaper drum kits.

[The Euphor]

Yeah, I know of the Brazilian rosewood that is far more expensive than Indonesian rosewood. I guess the criteria for growth will have an impact on the density, and thus making the wood good or bad for this and that... Many, many difficult words... English ist nicht eine gute Sprache!

[buddroyce]

Here's my 2 cents:

For "production" guitars, Korean made guitars are in general inferior to Japanese made guitars because of the price point(for the COMPANY). The main reason Ibanez or any other company switches production to a different country is because they get a similar quality product for a much cheaper price. Cheaper woods and parts are attributed to how much the company(in our case Ibanez) is willing to pay the factory to use. Outside of the Ibanez LA Custom shop, there is no factory owned by IBANEZ, not in China, Korea and Japan as all the production work is contracted out. From the consumer stand-point, we get the shaft as we pay the same price for an inferior guitar.

Once you get out of the "production" line of guitars things become different. While I was in Korea a few months ago I had the opportunity to check out some of the higher end "Swing" brand of guitars as well as some custom shop offerings from Cort and I must say that the quality is on par with the high end Japanese stuff. I'm talking on par with the Ibanez J-Custom stuff and not the Ibanez Prestige stuff as I'm a spoiled prick and won't touch the Prestige stuff anymore.

So my answer is both Yes and No, or in consulting speak I should say "it depends". This is one of those heavily debated things that's best left as "YES, Korean guitars are worse than Jap guitars" for pure simplicity.

Edit: (If the question is "CAN a MIK guitar be AS GOOD as a MIJ guitar?" The answer is: YES, the keyword is 'can')

[buddroyce]

I think the scope of the this thread is weaving a bit. I believe Edie_UV777 asked if Korean made guitars are as good as Japanese made ones, in which the general(read: exceptions aside) answer would be that MIk guitars are worse.

If the question was "CAN" MIK be as good as MIJ, then that's a whole new ball game.

It would be completely possible for a Korean guitar to be made of American Basswood like the Japanese guitars because both countries import most of their wood. (Note that most Jap guitars don't American basswood either, this includes most RG's out there)

Before we continue debating on whether or not Korean made guitars or as good as japanese made guitars we should really define the scope in which it is debated on. (man, you can seriously tell I've been reading too many academic papers.. oh the things you need to do to get a Ph.D)

[The Euphor]

Goodie, goodie, finally someone from America I understand! Canada saves the day...

I think it's easy to understand, but more difficult to accept - the fact that MIK doesn't have to be bad. I also think you have said what needs to be said. So... Had a nice day?

[Ibanyez]

what about the S prestiges made in Korea? Should they not be the same quality as the japanese guitars?

[ibanezdiehard]

Originally Posted by Ibanyez

what about the S prestiges made in Korea? Should they not be the same quality as the japanese guitars?

i don't know how they justify that. cause as far as i'm aware there aren't separate sections of a korean factory. i assumed all the MIK guitars were made in the same place by the same people

i'm probably wrong about this though?

[Angryibanezguy]

I have one thing to say about all of this, if ibanez thought the woods were inferior from say....Korea or indo, why do they bother producing trems and pickups of lower and higher quality, it takes no more to make an edge pro than to make an edgeIII as the material the edge 3 is made of is not necessisarily cheaper, just weaker since it was never hardened and tempered properly, the reason a prestige costs soo much more is mostly fit and finish, electronics "who cares almost everyone changes them", and the bridges, So no, mik and mii guitars were designed to be inferior to mij guitars, not in materials, but in hardware and fit and finish

[Rotti]

i don't know how they justify that. cause as far as i'm aware there aren't separate sections of a korean factory

Why would it have to be made in a separate factory? I'm sure the factory that makes a korean RG370 can make a high end guitar as well.