# Acoustic Guitar Mass Production Process **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [December 30, 2022, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acoustic-guitar-mass-production-process/977358 "2022-12-30T20:47:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2022, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acoustic-guitar-mass-production-process/977358/1 "2022-12-30T20:47:51Z")
50 Year Old Korean Musical Instrument Factory I found this video fascinating. I’m actually as much amazed at the factory as the guitar production. Someone really thought this out. I bet it cost a pretty penny tool up this factory 50 years ago. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/0JSnvUaBUTc/maxresdefault.jpg "Acoustic Guitar Mass Production Process. 50 Year Old Korean Musical Instrument Factory") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JSnvUaBUTc) There’s a lot of creative solutions along the way. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2022, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acoustic-guitar-mass-production-process/977358/2 "2022-12-31T00:35:54Z")
As an acoustic guitar player I could sit and watch this video all day long. Thanks for finding it. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2022, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acoustic-guitar-mass-production-process/977358/3 "2022-12-31T14:30:26Z")
I don’t know about anyone else, but as I was watching that I could hear the narrator from “How It’s Made” in my head. @Lucas_Jackson I don’t know much about how guitars are mass produced. Is there anything unique about how that specific factory does it? ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2022, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acoustic-guitar-mass-production-process/977358/4 "2022-12-31T14:39:21Z")
Awesome video. Am a bit surprised they allowed a camera in their facility, though. A lot of manufacturers forbid photography because they don’t want to give competitors free info. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2022, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acoustic-guitar-mass-production-process/977358/5 "2022-12-31T14:43:16Z")
Fascinating video (and I love “How It’s Made”). But I started to get repetitive strain injuries just watching parts of it. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2022, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acoustic-guitar-mass-production-process/977358/6 "2022-12-31T14:57:47Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > Am a bit surprised they allowed a camera in their facility, So am I. Some of those processes probably took decades to perfect. ---
**Author:** ![MindsEye\_Watering](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindseye_watering/32/3619_2.png) [@MindsEye\_Watering](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MindsEye_Watering)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2022, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acoustic-guitar-mass-production-process/977358/7 "2022-12-31T18:41:33Z")
For contrast, [here’s the handcrafting of a very fine custom guitar.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAeXskZHC2o) ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2023, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acoustic-guitar-mass-production-process/977358/8 "2023-01-02T05:39:16Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > I don’t know much about how guitars are mass produced. Is there anything unique about how that specific factory does it? I’m no expert myself, but a lot of the solutions seemed sort of hand-fashioned or trial and error-ish. Plus, as I mentioned, given the large volume of fairly expensive machinery it seems like quite the investment for entry level guitars. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2023, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acoustic-guitar-mass-production-process/977358/9 "2023-01-02T19:03:39Z")
After watching that video I went to his website to see how much his guitars cost. They start around $17K and he has a 48 month waiting list. 😲 Well, I guess if I ever win the lottery… ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2023, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acoustic-guitar-mass-production-process/977358/10 "2023-01-02T19:22:05Z")
Ha! [Wayne Henderson](https://www.the-nature-of-music.com/2020/04/23/at-home-with-the-hendersons/) currently has a 10 year+ waiting list. if you’re in a bit of a hurry, his daughter only has a three year waiting list. ---
**Author:** ![Toxylon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f05b48/32.png) [@Toxylon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxylon)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2023, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acoustic-guitar-mass-production-process/977358/11 "2023-01-02T20:12:06Z")
> [@Lucas\_Jackson](#): > > given the large volume of fairly expensive machinery it seems like quite the investment for entry level guitars. You sell 10 000 entry level guitars for every custom guitar. A small profit on each turns to big money. BTW, I own a Korean Crafter acoustic bass guitar myself. A lovely instrument. ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2023, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acoustic-guitar-mass-production-process/977358/12 "2023-01-02T23:58:09Z")
Is that really “entry level”? That model seems to sell for HKD $12000 = USD $1500. To a non-guitarist that seems a bit high for one’s first guitar. Outside of the two CNC machines (one to cut the fronts and backs into shape and one to shape the necks) most of the process is a lot of well designed templates, jigs, and clamping systems. Still a lot of hand work in these guitars. ---
**Author:** ![Toxylon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f05b48/32.png) [@Toxylon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxylon)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acoustic-guitar-mass-production-process/977358/13 "2023-01-04T09:11:44Z")
My Crafter acoustic bass is definitely entry level as far as pricing for acoustic bass guitars goes (and was nowhere near 1500 USD a good decade back or so). I have never seen or heard of a high-end Crafter instrument. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acoustic-guitar-mass-production-process/977358/14 "2023-01-04T20:04:44Z")
That was a fascinating video and makes me appreciate what it takes to make guitars, even entry level. As an aspiring woodworker, I’m still shocked at how well wood glue works on higher stress areas like those scarf joints. They say it is stronger than the wood it is bonding and if you look at the countless pictures of broken Gibson headstocks, it is almost always the wood and not the glued joint that is broken. Thanks for sharing! ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acoustic-guitar-mass-production-process/977358/15 "2023-01-06T06:42:19Z")
> [@wguy123](#): > > I’m still shocked at how well wood glue works on higher stress areas like those scarf joints. Hehehe, watching them make all of those scarf joints was my favorite part of the video. I have several guitars with them, and I see zero actual drawbacks. > [@wguy123](#): > > They say it is stronger than the wood it is bonding and if you look at the countless pictures of broken Gibson headstocks, it is almost always the wood and not the glued joint that is broken. Yeah, as an owner of a (as far as I can tell, thanks Gibson serial numbers) '67 SG Junior with a neck repair well below the head stock, it’s almost certainly not gonna break at the glue joint near the neck. Heck, I figure I’m good an inch or so past the glue repair at this point. ---
**Author:** ![rsThump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a88e4f/32.png) [@rsThump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsThump)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acoustic-guitar-mass-production-process/977358/16 "2023-01-06T06:58:56Z")
Scarf joints!?! As a former Fender employee, I have to giggle - it’s in the NDA 😉 This vid was fascinating, thanks for sharing. The amount of machining/handwork involved in making musical instruments is always amazing. To me, it looks like the Cort factory, does anyone happen to have more info? TIA ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acoustic-guitar-mass-production-process/977358/17 "2023-01-06T07:01:36Z")
> [@rsThump](#): > > Scarf joints!?! As a former Fender employee, I have to giggle - it’s in the NDA 😉 Heheh, and I’ll note that Fender makes very few angled head stocks.😉 ---
**Author:** ![rsThump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a88e4f/32.png) [@rsThump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsThump)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acoustic-guitar-mass-production-process/977358/18 "2023-01-06T07:03:27Z")
Hehe, true. That said, I started playing because of Slash and his LP. I appreciate you getting it