Sorry for the veer all but I remember growing up as a kid, the words "Made In Japan" were synonymous with junk and low quality. Don't know if it was ever actually true but if so, those folks turned things around pretty well I do believe.
American Components, Russian Components, ALL MADE IN TAIWAN! LOL.
TX
Guilds
Hoboken-1960 X175, 1961 SF-II
Westerly-1971 F612, 2000 SF-V, 1984 S284
Nashville C.S. SFIV-3 P90 w/Trem, 2000 JF65-CE
Corona-2003 Fleming F47-Brz RW, 2003 D55 50th Brz #10 of 50, 2003 SF-III-90
Conn-2011 GSR D50 Coco, 2011 F212XL STD, 2013 R30S, 2013 Orph Jumbo, 2014 Orph Burst 000-12 Fret 12 String S.H. RW, 2012 F50-DTAR, 2012 F50R Burst, 2012 F50R DTAR, 2013 F512 Burst, 2014 F512-DTAR, 2014 D55-RS, 2014 GSR X500D
Amps
70 T-bird 2x12
93 Sequoia
Sorry for the veer all but I remember growing up as a kid, the words "Made In Japan" were synonymous with junk and low quality. Don't know if it was ever actually true but if so, those folks turned things around pretty well I do believe.
'18 D 40T Cust. X 2
'64 D 50 Braz. RW
'98 D 60
'81 D 70
'94 DV 72
'94 DV 73
'13 DD6 MCE
'10 F 40 GSR Coco.
'12 F 47 GSR KC
'08 F 50R
'74 D 55-12
'65 F 312
'07 F 412
'95 JF 100 NT CRV
'97 Deco #3
'99 Finesse
'13 Orph. Jumbo
45th/50th/60th Anniv.
'94 CR01
'01 Peregrine
'64 S 50
'60 T 100 C
'74 M-75 CS
'55-X 50
'65 X 50
'00 X 170
'57 X 175
'70's M 75 CS
'68 St 301
'69 St 402
'98 SF 2
'65 SF 3
'81 SF 4
'67 SF 5
'67 SF 12
Blues 90X2
'60 X 150
I remember seeing that sign as far back as the 70s.
It was in the beginning, because all they could make for export was cheap toys.
Note that was a venerable old US Marx Bros. product, "MIJ".
Yeah it started with the cameras, then the stereo gear, then they finally struck a home run with the cars.
Well, after a couple of false starts, anyways.
Last edited by adorshki; 07-10-2019 at 06:45 PM.
Al
"Time May Change the Technique of Music But Never Its Mission " - Rachmaninoff
My 1st Guild: '96 Westerly D25NT "Hally" (10-31-96 stamped on heelblock)
#2: '01 Westerly F65ce "Blondie"
#3: '03 Corona D40e Richie Havens "Richie"
All bought new!
Jawohl - und dazu bin ich auch besonders vorsichtig damit - welche lässige Sachen man hätte - aber nicht sagen kann.
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann - darüber muss man schweigen. . .
Because German and English are almost equal languages from Finnish point on view - I leave the translation task to reader - who can naturally opt Google Translator.
First good guitar - GUILD Duane Eddy 400 - I was 3rd owner - still regret letting it go 25 years ago - used to have Artist Award and Starfire - no regrets here.
Present guitars - all bought new - F50R 1975 - F512 1977 - F212CSB 1979 - OM-240CE 2018 - Schecter Startocaster
Bought secondhand - B30SB fretless - RED Songbird - White Songbird - S-60D - D-125 - Gibson 3/4-size acoustic 1957 - Carmelo Gonzales nylon string - old Levin Lute
I disagree with "all they could make" - because the same situation exists today with some stuff from China, Korea etc - BUT it is NOT because China, Korea etc could not produce better quality. It is because OUR greedy businesmen order stuff at lowest possible cost to sell it to us at max profit.
First good guitar - GUILD Duane Eddy 400 - I was 3rd owner - still regret letting it go 25 years ago - used to have Artist Award and Starfire - no regrets here.
Present guitars - all bought new - F50R 1975 - F512 1977 - F212CSB 1979 - OM-240CE 2018 - Schecter Startocaster
Bought secondhand - B30SB fretless - RED Songbird - White Songbird - S-60D - D-125 - Gibson 3/4-size acoustic 1957 - Carmelo Gonzales nylon string - old Levin Lute
That's why I qualified the statement with "for export".
In 1963 Japan (like Germany) was a special case because the US had perceived a potential threat of return of the aggressive nationalist expansion politics that led 'em into WWII.
The US maintained pretty strong presence but also helped rebuild their industrial production/economies when they wisely realized the benefits of healthy economies in those countries.
But by the late '50's the subsidies were coming to an end.
Their steel industry was weak and the US didn't allow 'em to have an industry capable of heavy weapons production, so other than ship-building they had no heavy industry and in '63 this kind of manufacturing was the only way they could begin building markets in the US.
They WANTED this business.
From "the usual source":
"The United States' occupation of Japan (1945–52) resulted in the rebuilding of the nation and the creation of a democratic nation. US assistance totaled about US$1.9 billion during the occupation, or about 15% of the nation's imports and 4% of GNP in that period. About 59% of this aid was in the form of food, 15% in industrial materials, and 12% in transportation equipment. US grant assistance, however, tapered off quickly in the mid-1950s. US military procurement from Japan peaked at a level equivalent to 7% of Japan's GNP in 1953 and fell below 1% after 1960. A variety of United States-sponsored measures during the occupation, such as land reform, contributed to the economy's later performance by increasing competition. In particular, the post-war purge of industrial leaders allowed new talent to rise in the management of the nation's rebuilt industries. Finally, the economy benefited from foreign trade because it was able to expand exports rapidly enough to pay for imports of equipment and technology without falling into debt, as had a number of developing nations in the 1980s.[12]
A 2018 study, using the synthetic control method whereby Japan is compared to "synthetic Japan" (a combination of which are similar to Japan but without the US alliance), found that the US alliance allowed Japan's GDP to"grow much faster" from 1958-68".[13]
And that's precisely the period in which the "Made in Japan" myth lived and died.
EDIT:
Note I have no argument with this proposition:
But the circumstances enabling it today with China and Korea are different than the circumstances that existed between the US and Japan back then, that's all.
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Last edited by adorshki; 07-10-2019 at 09:54 PM.
Al
"Time May Change the Technique of Music But Never Its Mission " - Rachmaninoff
My 1st Guild: '96 Westerly D25NT "Hally" (10-31-96 stamped on heelblock)
#2: '01 Westerly F65ce "Blondie"
#3: '03 Corona D40e Richie Havens "Richie"
All bought new!
Then W. Edwards Deming brought his manufacturing philosophy to Japan after being rejected in the U.S. The rest is history.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=14&cad=rja& uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiWmt_qqqvjAhUPac0KHYxnB78QFjANeg QIABAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fdeming.org%2Fdeming%2Fdem ing-the-man&usg=AOvVaw1v2GM1Oiq8qSfMQJJEBmoD
TODAY is the TOMORROW you spent all day YESTERDAY acting like there was no.
'76 D-25M
'99 DV-52ABHG (gave to my son)
'98 DeArmond Starfire Special
Takamine Acoustic Flying "A"
Crate CA-125D Acoustic Amp
Fishman Loudbox Mini Acoustic Amp