10 Issues With U.S. Made Guitars 

I wanted to make a video talking about some issues viewers have brought up about made in US guitars over the last few years. these are my thoughts, I'm interested to hear yours.

Made In Japan guitars for the win... The Quality Control on any MIJ guitar I've played has always been top notch.

If my guitar doesn't have a top carved out by bullets, paint applied by eagle's feathers, and wood sourced from the mayflower, I won't buy it.

Recently, I bought a 2020 made in China Epiphone LP Studio from an online music store. I wasn't looking for or expecting much from it, I just wanted something to sit on a stand in my home office that I could pick up and hit a few licks on when the desire struck. I was really surprised at the quality of the instrument when I received it! Flawless gloss finish, Grover tuners, plays well and sounds great when I play it through an amp. And it was about 30% of the cost of a 2020 Gibson LP Studio. I'm very happy with it.

From my experience Japanese and Korean made guitars have always been the best

A good guitar is a good guitar, regardless of where it's from. It's how it's built, not where it's built!

This is so true. I’ve collected guitars and specifically gone after US made instruments. Yet my PRS SE feels and looks great and is finished immaculately and requires only small upgrades to put it on par with the US guitars in my collection and I prefer playing the SE’s. I find so much of the music industry Is driven by this “50’s Tone” and USA made snobbery that it’s hard to get away from. That said it’s awesome to be reassured that import guitars are great and OK to be seen playing by guys like yourself, Darrel Braun, Andertons, Intheblues etc that will honestly say “ this guitar sounds and feels great and forget about the headstock label” Well done for saying it.

The best Les Paul I ever played was an Ibanez hahaha

I buy USA guitars for the same reason I try to buy other USA made products, it's my home and I want to support jobs here at home.

I want a USA made PRS custom 24. I think they're beautiful, play & feel great & Paul is passionate about it. His factory (which we've seen in video's) seems to do it right. They're customer service is known to be outstanding. Gibson? Fender? I have no desire for. They are just a company making money. After Jeff Keisel's temper tantrum on Instagram because a customer had issue's; makes me NEVER to want a Kiesel. It doesn't matter where it's made. What matters is 1. Is it made well? 2. Is it made with pride? 3. Never buy it to sell it. Buy it to play & love it.

All I have to say is that I really love this channel. The passion and the knowledge are amazing, ya gotta love Phil

Wow! This video hits it out of the park! Excellent forecast of many things happening today. Thank you.

A good guitar is a good guitar regardless where it’s made. I have an Gibson LP Studio that feels incredible but have played a ton that I didn’t care for, also loved a Cort mgm1 Matt Murphy signature guitar I owned a while back made in Korea, incredible quality

I went to Guitar center last year...they had 2 2019 gibson sg standards....the first 1 tried was complete garbage....the 2nd one I bought and love it. So inconsistent

I love the honesty in your videos. I can tell you really try to be unbiased in your reviews & opinions✊🏻👌🏻

Another great video from Phil. The most interesting RU-vid guitar channel ever. Thank you sir!

I really appreciate guitar companies that keep us southpaws in mind. Am grateful to own a lefty Taylor, kiesel, and Gibson. As compared to 10+ years ago, feel there are more options for lefty players. Better yet, manufactures, like kiesel and fender, even offer online shops where u can customize your dream southpaw guitar :)

When operating a CNC machine that makes guitars you can make a mirror image of the guitar When a certain settings is ON, axis motion will be mirrored (reversed) around the work zero point. Meaning a left hand version should not cost more with today's technology.

Great video, all meat and no filler. Please continue this style of speedy substance. Well done. Thank you

Awesome video, spot on. All about that cheddar mang! I love my Carvin and my PRS, but my US made Tele needed more upgrading, sanding of frets and setting up than my Squier did. It ain't right.

There used to be a WIDE margin of quality between USA made vs import guitars/basses. Not so much anymore.

With the internet we have access to so many talented builders and small hungry guitar companies. Some of the USA companies are still stuck in the past, doing the same old same old. The era of classic rock is about done, gas cars are now electric . Some business's haven't adapted. I would say PRS is the #1 USA brand in my opinion. My last 3 instrument purchases are from Poland and Amsterdam Your content is awesome , great subject.

This is perhaps the most instructional video I’ve ever watched in my entire life kudos from Canada

This is very intelligent and long overdue commentary on this topic. I appreciate as well that you named some exceptions such as Kiesel and Rickenbacker

I am a lefty. Imports in lefty are just as rare as U.S. made guitars. I n fact I own more U.S. made left handed guitars than imports.

Not sure if I've commented here before as I've watched several videos, but this one really resonated with me. Love your matter of fact take on US manufacturing and labor issues in general in today's world. As with so many thing it boils down to corporatization, the insistence on rewarding the shareholders/owners at all costs. Innovation can't really happen when everything's constantly being scrutinized to save a few cents. All the best stuff has been invented/made by weird guys/gals with a dream. Today that guy/gal works at Wendy's and probably Uber on the side.

So happy to see a new video!

I love the brilliance, and objectivity in all your guitar reviews,hence i watch all your videos ,keep it up.

The $800-$1200 "high end import" instruments seem to be the absolute sweet spot in the market. High quality (sometimes better than the USA made ones) and the CORRECT pricing. I love the idea of supporting our domestic economy vs foreign, but paying $2000+ for guitars/basses gets a little ridiculous....My G&L L1000 bass is fantastic, for example, but I don't know that it's $1700 fantastic in reality, compared to plenty of $800 instruments I've played.

My favorite guitar is a Mexican Nashville telecaster. Purely amazing. My next favorite guitar is a D’angelico deluxe DC (made in Korea). Very nice. My next favorite is an EBMM artisan Majesty. I already sent it to EBMM in the first year to have it fixed (under warranty thankfully). My 400 dollar fender kicks the butt out of a guitar that is 7.5 times more expensive. Play all the guitars you can touch without bias and just pick what feels right. Price tags are misleading.

Great video and great points as always! Keep it up!

Brilliant analysis, especially points number 2 and 1, excellent ! Thanks.

Loved this vid Phil. Excellent observations and insights. And thanks for the lefty love 💘 🔥🤘😘

I’ve decided that the only way I’m going to get a nice USA made guitar is to build it myself

Hey Phillip!! I love your videos man, keep it up. Your guitar collection is amazing man!!

Well thought out, organized and communicated. Can't find anything you said that wandered from reality.

I just buy inexpensive guitars and set them up the way I like. Any of my guitars that I've put $300 in will match or be better than a $2,000 guitar.

I had my Carvin made in the mid 90's, best thing I ever did guitar wise. All KOA from Hawaii , made in the USA and had it made for $2k. A piece of art.

Great video. I spend a lot of time looking at high end USA made guitars that are waaaaay beyond any price range I’ll ever be in reach of, often more than ten times the price of any guitar I currently own. This makes me feel slightly better about this and reinforces something I already know deep down; it doesn’t matter how much it cost, if it plays well and sounds great, just play it! 👍

You make many valid points. I own 30 guitars, half are imports that I have upgraded the electronics. Aside from cheaper electronics the build difference itself is very close to usa. Keep in mind that imports also use and rely on automation. One big difference between the two is form and fit of the frets. Very easy to level and finish them. Another good video. Thanks

I spent 18 months working in Shanghai back in 2006-2007. While there, I wanted a knock around acoustic to noodle with in my apartment at night. I found a new Johnson, an import brand that can still easily be bought here in the USA. I paid about $60 US for it new, in a music store in Shanghai. I was informed that it was made by Shanghai Instrument Company #1, which is located near the old section of Shanghai. While I was there, that factory had a celebration - they had been in production of stringed instruments for 1000 years. I understood why my lowly Johnson played so well, and was probably worth three times as much in the US. The instrument was exactly who owned Johnson Guitars wanted at the time, a good beginner instrument. I learned that the Chinese will make exactly what you want, point for point, but leave them to their own to manufacture for overseas, they drop into a mediocrity, mainly due to their oppressive government. But it is interesting to note: The Chinese were building stringed instruments for their people and the Emperors when our ancestors were either grubbing for potatoes in Europe somewhere, or hunting with spears and arrows in South America and Africa just to stay alive. When you do something for over 1000 years, you get pretty good at it. Imagine how good they would be if they didn't have the communist/socialist government they live under...

Everybody: guitar manufacturers shouldn't be stuck in the past, they need to make new products Gibson: Ok we'll do that. (creates lp robot series) Everyone: boo nobody likes change. Gibson: ):

Honest and telling it like it is. I appreciate that.

You hit the nail right on the head! Thank you

My Japan Charvel/Jacksons (neck throughs) are my favorite guitars ever. I've had 5 from various years from the 80's and they all play and sound incredible. Amazing quality control. Every one I've seen or played over the years is great. I still can't figure out why a bolt on strat costs more than $1200. I've built better ones from Warmoth for less.

Hey Phillip, While I can see some of your points, I have not found these to be the case in my experience. I started playing professionally in 61 and played all American made guitars through to the 90s. Had all the vintage Strats, Teles, 335s, SGs, Martin's, etc, etc. By the mid 90s I couldn't afford any vintage guitars and built a parts caster which I played for years and wore the frets out. Rather than an expensive refret, I opted for an Epiphone Les Paul, then a PRS SE Singlecut, Squier CV 50s Strat, MIM Tele and Strat. These were all fine for the price but playing 4 hours a night, several nights a week was too hard on the little boogers. Neck adjustment and tuning issues plagued them all. Finally, a couple years ago I traded the last of them and some cash for an American Original 50s Strat and US 56 RI Strat in roasted ash with roasted maple neck. Problems solved. These necks never move and they stay in tune and...they have the feel and tone of my old vintage guitars from my younger days. This is not to say I haven't seen and played some nice imports, notably one particular PRS SE Hollowbody. Still, I'm thinking my next purchase is likely to be a Gibson LP Special. I know this is all anecdotal evidence, but for my money, give me American made!

Hi Phil, I have been watching/listening to your youtube vids for a few years now, all good and very informative. I've been playing now for well over forty years and been in possession of many guitars. Gibson, Fender,PRS Yamaha, etc. 25 years back I purchased a cheap £60 second hand cherry red Vintage SG copy, all I can say was the neck profile fitted me perfectly, better than anything before or since. For me it will never be for sale, the next person may well hate it. Forget big brand names, when you pick up a guitar with the perfect profile for your fretting hand you will know it.

Very powerful video. Thank you for the great content.

Speaking about resale value, I agree with what you said. a MIA Schecter still only commands about a 40-50% resale value, much like their imports. Just because its American it doesn't guarantee great resale value

I always have loved Japan made guitars!! They are really good!

So on point! And thanx for giving us Lefties some love!

Great list. Very insightful. And all very true.

I picked up a fender USA telecaster from 1996, my Korean telecaster which is more like a les Paul than anything goes toe to toe with it and does more.

I've been surprised by the quality of the intermediate level guitars coming out of Indonesia not perfect but vastly improved since the 1980s.

You hit all the key points I agree as an owner of many brands made all over the world. Great content thanks

Thank you so much for making the video!

Exactly!!!!!! I'm a lefty!! And I'm still waiting for my left handed Silversky which probably never will come out😑😑

If they ever stop the prices of old USA models will shoot through the roof and everyone will suddenly want them again

Excellent list, Phil. I wish I thought you were wrong, but I'm seeing what you're seeing.

Well thought out and presented. Always like your insights Phillip. Even over my US guitars, is my import "go to". Plays and sounds better than anything I have ever played, bar none.

I’m 6’6”, a large man, and have long arms. All I want to know is when are they gonna build a “big and tall” model guitar? 😁

My $600 Mexican Strat is one of the best Strats I've ever played it's my main guitar and my Lonestar Strat I got in a pawn shop in 2000 like new for $600

Nice to hear that Kiesel seems to be an exception to many of the problems listed in the video. I am a fan of what they are doing with direct to consumer sales and the customized options available are pretty broad.

#10: I would venture that the import left handed guitars made at high volumes would be able to dedicate a machine or several machines to just making left handed guitars because of the high volume, comparatively. They may even have staff that only assemble, set up, and inspect left handed guitars. I could see them having a CNC setup specifically for making left handed necks. Another for various left handed bodies. The CNC could hand several programs for different body shapes, and generally the actually cutting tools would be the same as the right handed guitars, but the fixturing would be different. Which can take a toll on QC and cutting time in terms of positioning. Repositioning a fixture to within 0.0005" in 3-axis', likely up to 5-axis can eat up cutting time. Just thought I would elaborate for anyone that cared to read it. Thanks for the great video Phil!

My 2019 Gibson SG Modern was so poorly done that I had to send it back to Gibson for repairs. One pickup just didn't work and it had very sharp fret ends. Gibson sent it back to me in slightly better shape but I still have high frets and I'll probably have to have a fret leveling which is something I shouldn't have to do on a USA Made Guitar. A C&C machine doesn't know what country it is in so what I'm actually paying for is fit and finish and in that regard Gibson failed.

I currently have 34 guitars and 'Made in the USA' guitars take up the top 5 spots. They're made by EBMM, PRS and Suhr. I have some imports that I really love but if I had to downsize to only 5 guitars my collection would end up being exclusively made in the USA.

Great video, Phillip. I've been waiting on a video that touched on this. Who better to do it, too?

Lefty here, thank you so much for pointing out our struggle!!

Amongst this talk of US manufacturing and wages, jobs leaving the US, don't forget: While the standard of living, benefits, and wages stagnate for ordinary workers, the ownership and executives of these companies (corporate parents, as well) are recording record high profits, productivity numbers, salaries, and bonuses. The rich get richer, the poor get poorer. All while the poor work harder to stay poor, and further enrich the wealthy. This is purely a policy failure within the US government, now an oligarchy* as a matter of fact. As a function of greed, there are few owners who will sacrifice the lion's share of the profits in order to fight for a shrinking share in an ever-shrinking mid-high-end market. There are plenty of boutique high-end builders out there servicing the whims of the super-wealthy. What's missing are builders like PRS or Suhr. PRS making assembly-line US guitars for around $2-3K, and Suhr slimming down the line model, and pushing $4-5K (keeping in mind that most everyone has a custom shop for when Richie Rich wants another $8-14K custom guitar, even Fender and Gibson). As go the union jobs, so goes the standard of living. Where the unions won, the rich packed up and went overseas with the jobs. The legislators let them, because they were/are bought-and-paid-for. The US has been an oligarchy* since the early 1970s, and in an oligarchy the rich make the rules. Democracy is a sham; an illusion. You get to "choose" between two preordained choices funded by the super-wealthy. (See: Sheldon Adelson, George Soros, Koch Bros., and many more) THEY are the rulers, and a living wage for you isn't of any concern to them. It's an impediment to whether their great-great-great-great-grandchildren will have to work, or whether their 7th vacation home can also have a yacht along with the other six. * www.bbc.com/news/blogs-echochambers-27074746

There's a lot of snobism and circlejerking that needs to die in the guitar world in order to save it from being constantly conditioned to obey marketing stunts by every-single-big-brand out there. Here in Mexico it's even worse than there in the USA, at least there I have seen people saying "just get a mexican strat, there's no reason to expose an expensive instrument out there when the imported version from down below the border plays and sounds just as good" [sic] but here people really look down on beginners who can afford an Ibanez Gio at the most and it really gets on my nerves.

Really like this analysis!

I remember 30 years ago, the first thing you had to do with a Gibson, Fender, or Martin, is get a fret level and set up because the action was a 1/4” from the factory and the frets were horrid. When I picked up my first brand new Ibanez ($500, MIJ) it was set up perfect from the factory, out of the box. It’s no wonder the stores didn’t let you play the instruments.

Interesting stuff! Some thoughts on selected points. #9: I think this is intended to build brand loyalty that (hopefully) results in long-term sales. The kid with the affordable MIM Strat develops a taste for Strats, and starts aspiring to own the more premium version. Heck, it worked on me :) #6: Let's flip it: do we apply a different value to import guitars that use American-made parts? Like, maybe an Ibanez that comes stock with DiMarzio pickups or a Schecter with Seymour Duncans? I don't know if we do...I had never thought of that scenario until now. #3: This is definitely something of an influence in my buying decisions. I want to support U.S. guitar builders as much as I can. I will never turn my nose up at an import guitar that I dig just because it's an import (and I own a few imports) and I won't buy a guitar I don't like just because it's made in the U.S. But I count U.S. origin as a plus because I think our guitar-building industry has a very cool legacy behind it.

Ya gotta love this guy. Keep up the great work.

You started a guitar list with a left handed guitar comment! I adore you!

Regarding your #1 issue, the manufacturing going overseas- that’s partly the reason we’re experiencing the economic situation with the pandemic. A lot of the manufacturing of products were outsourced due to cost and environmental regulations and we’re seeing the effects of not taking care of ourselves first- regardless of profit margins. The presumption of continued manufacturing outsourcing is not necessarily going to be the go-to way if import duties and international trade is adversely affected in the world by this pandemic. Each country will have to rely on its own people and be economically self-sufficient before relying on a neighbor (ie. extorting for financial gain).

I will say Gibson and Fender need to improve their products. Stainless frets should be available on Gibson and Fender. Even with all the lawsuit crap with Gibson if they make a Les Paul with Stainless Frets and fix the damn string angle with a new headstock design I’ll be the first in line to buy one.

great video loved it.

Just bought another import guitar today. I cant say enough about the Eastman brand. I’ve had a SB59 for about a year now and brought home a SB55 single cut today. The quality for the money is astounding. Individually I’m $1200 and $1100 into them respectively and I couldn’t be happier with the purchases.

American companies seem to want top dollar for their product built by underpaid people. I have worked in manufacturing for 30 years and i have seen it. So Moral is usually low and the product suffers. I have gone to a couple of Music manufacturers and you see the ones who are loyal and happy( The office types ) and the ones who are just a body going through the motions and low moral ( the guy on the production floor ). The way she goes i guess. The left hand guitar makes no sense with CNC equipment should be exactly the same as a right hand build. Set up from one to another isnt hard.

As a left handed guitarist, I always cry when I walk into a guitar store. 200 right handers, and 2 crummy lefties. :(

Love love love that you started with the point about Lefty guitars!!! I completely agree that US manufacturers could easily offer several lefty options at a premium or limited but regular lefty runs at a premium and lefty guitarists will buy them

Insightful and brilliant! Here we are nearing the end of 2022 and I'm looking at Indonesian made PRS SE & Sire, China made Epiphones & Eastman (amongst others) that are on a par with, if not superior to US made equivalents that cost 3 or 4 times the price because of the 'Made in USA' tag (despite even a lot these using imported parts . . . makes you wonder. Thanks for your ongoing efforts to keep us all up to date! Re: the labour cost thing. I have lived in HK for 40 years and travel extensively in Asia and I can report that wages and cost of living vary from country to country but in China, Vietnam (where Apple are moving iPhone manufacture as we speak) & Indonesia 'a buck goes a long way'. Musicians, guitar technicians, studio owners and others I know in these countries may charge less for their services than in the US or UK but their standard of living, in many cases, and ability to purchase a home, educate their kids etc. is, arguably, higher than some of the 'developed' western nations. You can't just compare apples with oranges - it's more complex than 'US factories pay better so US guitars play better'. :)

One can't just compare wages and benefits. There are a lot of costs associated with manufacturing in the USA that imports don't have to deal with. Pollution laws, workplace laws and other similar "hidden" costs are baked into the cost of building in the USA. I worked for a manufacturer in the USA (not guitars) and those hidden costs impacted the price the goods had to be sold for a lot.

Keisel/Carvin, I could have gone with an overpriced Strat, instead, I got a Carvin, getting a far better guitar for a lot lower price.Case closed. ( guitar inside!)

Phil, you are spot one on EVERY point!!

Great episode Phil. Tellin' it like it is!

0:57 is absolute truth. Finding a left hand guitar is like that 'Needle in a Haystack' saying. And then companies want to charge more for what I believe is not that hard of a process.

Interesting, and I agree with most of it. I’d say, though, that you are talking mostly about the big makers and not the boutique guys. Anything that’s mostly handmade is not going to have many of these issues. As far as the Fenders and the Gibsons of the world go, almost everything is about money. When they make something in the US, they are definitely trying to grab a premium for country of origin and then cutting as many corners as they can because of higher labor and sourcing costs (compared to Asia). The main problem with those guys is they’re way too big. They turned into behemoths when everybody wanted to be Jimmy Page and now they are selling into a very different market. Kids make music on their computers, imports ARE competitors and the used guitar market is much bigger than it ever was thanks to Reverb and eBay.

Totally agree with your comments about most of these things, especially (surprise, surprise as I am a lefty) the lack of choices for left handed players. I am in the fortunate position of having a really nice collection of left handed guitars but I have purchased a lot of them because I knew that if I didn’t purchase THAT particular guitar I would probably never get the chance to get one again. I have never gone into a store and been able to choose the best guitar of a particular model or have a choice of colours. It’s always been a case of if I didn’t purchase the guitar they had in stock then I would miss out. My wife bought me a Crimson Guitars model for our 25th Wedding Anniversary a few years ago and at the time that she ordered it they were offering a 5% discount on left handed guitars over the price of right handed ones - Brilliant idea!!! By the way, it is a fantastic hand-built in UK instrument that I would put up against any of my Premium Make USA brand guitars. Manufacturers please realise before it is too late that people will only pay for the “Made in USA” sticker for so long before they realise that they can get equally good or even better instruments at a much lower price. As you say the USA car manufacturing industry has and is suffering as a result of cheaper import models. The UK car industry has gone completely other than satellite factories of Japanese manufacturers. Great, thought provoking video Phil.

Thanks for the spotlight on the Left-Handed situation! It's not easy being a lefty player.

Hey Phil could you do a fender vs g & l vs music man video? Would love your opinion.

I’ve had upwards of 75 ish guits over the years. They’ve come and gone. They’ve been from all over and from all the big brands. What’s left here now.....1988 LP Studio. 1995 J-30 Montana. 2018 Wildwood Spec ‘64 Tele. 2013 (ish) PRS Stripped ‘58 Single Cut with a Tremonti in the back position. Odd mix, but those are the ones that made the cut. Turns out they are all US made. However, I’ve had many others from all those brands and...well, they’ve moved on to another owner. 🤔😏. In this case it seems to say US is all good, and that the big brands also put out garbage. Both in the same breath. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Keep Listin', lovin it!

Really interesting video. Would be great to see some more of your thoughts on guitars manufacturing - either in the US or elsewhere 👍

I don't mind paying a premium if made in Japan. For the most part, they are pretty meticulous when it comes to quality control and materials.

The left handed point is so spot on! I’d love some American made guitars but the variety is so lacking it’s pitiful. Thank god for Schecter ESP/LTD and Ibanez

a great topic! as a small custom builder its hard to swallow. hand made, all american parts and as most fight for price and recognition. your vid on boutique builders was great. if you need quality, american made guitars there are a ton of us out here. find the one that best suits your needs. one of a kind custom items may be worth the investment. most cheaper than the big boys! Thanks for the vids and wisdom!

You have the nail on the head on this subject

You hit the nail on the head in terms of quality failing to meet expectation. I thought the American Original 60s Strat was for me until I encountered uneven string distribution (thanks to an improperly cut nut) on 2 of them; only to discover online that other people in other countries have observed the same issue. Truly disappointing. So I decided to up my budget and buy a custom shop Strat.