A Tale of Two Countries: UK Amps and USA Guitars

England…Great Britain…The United Kingdom! America…The United States…the USA!

Our two nations have a closely intertwined relationship in the development of music. For decades, our music has flip-flopped back and forth across the Atlantic, influencing and shaping musicians of multiple generations.

That applies to guitar gear as well.

Now think for a moment…what gear do you associate with the UK? The USA?

The popular perception — and it’s not too far off the mark at all — is that the USA produced the finest guitars and the UK produced the finest amps.

We gave the world guitars and basses from Fender, Gibson, Epiphone, Gretsch, Rickenbacker, Martin, Taylor, PRS, G & L, Guild and all those great shredder guitars.

Our British cousins gave us those tremendous amps by Marshall, Hiwatt, Vox, Orange, Laney, Blackstar and others.

And that’s the way it was.

But that was then.

Now, finding an amp or guitar built in those countries long associated with their names is like searching for the unattainable. At least when it comes to gear that most everyday musicians can afford.

Let’s look at the UK first.

There is one Marshall amp made entirely in the UK that is available for less than $1,000.00 – the Class 5. And, every Marshall that I have seen that sells for more than $1,000.00 appears to be built in the UK. And that is good. Out of my price range but still good. Just in case I ever come into money. But most Marshalls you see in music stores for less that $1,000.00 are made in Asia. The MG series hails from Vietnam. The Haze series is manufactured in India. The MA series are also Asian in origin. So if you want a UK-built Marshall, you have to go with the Class 5 or one of the big boys that start at about $1,100.00.

What about that most attractive of amps….Orange. If you want an Orange amp for under $1,000 that is built in the UK, save your wish list! It ain’t going to happen! Of course, all the Oranges OVER $1,000.00 ARE built in the UK, which again is nice if you have money. But the Oranges that you see in most stores of the Terror or Crush series come to us from the People’s Republic of China.

And then there’s Vox. Yeah, yeah, yeah! The amp of The Beatles. Nothing more British, right? Wrong. I haven’t seen a Vox amp built in Britain for years. Vox has been owned by the Japanese company Korg since 1992 and Vox amps have been built in China since 2005. Yep, all built in Asia.

Laney is the amp beloved by Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath. True British growl, power and volume. A shining jewel in the crown of British amp-making. Right? Mayhaps it is and mayhaps it ain’t. There ARE very nice Laney tube amps made totally in the UK that sell for under $1,000.00 such as the LC50-112 and the LC30-112. They are nice. I want one. But other Laneys are made in Asia and, as a Laney rep told me, “Some are UK and some are Asian and QC’d in the UK.”
OK. I emailed Laney and asked them for a list of which Laney amps are built entirely in the UK. Well, Laney responded, and hats off to Laney for doing so. Here’s what Laney had to say:  “The Laney Nexus & Lionheart range is designed and built in the UK, and so is the VH100R. All other Laney amps are designed in the UK, and built in China. Our product development team make regular visits to the Far East to ensure that the amps are built to the high specification and quality that Laney demands.”

The Laney LC50-112 is a nice made-in-the-UK tube amp priced at around $799.00.

And what about Blackstar? A UK company. Attractive amps. Reasonably priced. I asked them for a list of which of their amps are built in the UK because most I have seen in person or online are made in Asia. Well, Blackstar responded  — and kudos to them for doing so. Their response: “All our products are designed in the UK and manufactured in Korea.”

So there you have it. DO YOUR RESEARCH. I have nothing against the Asian amps. Truly. I will probably own an Asian Marshall and it’s not impossible that I might have an Asian Terror series Orange. My Line 6 Spider IV was made in China and was great. Asian facilities can build nice amps for the money that make it possible and affordable for so many of us to enjoy our music.

I think what I object to the most is that the merchants and companies are so reticent to let people know where the gear we buy actually comes from. Downright secretive in fact. Point of origin is difficult to find on the companies’ websites and catalogs. I have to go to stores in person and turn everything around and look on the back. Online, I have to find images of a particular model that are large enough to read the details and hope I can find an image of a back view. It’s almost my main form of recreation now.

I just hope that these companies and the retail companies that sell their products realize that many people associate a particular brand with a particular country and they aren’t too thrilled to buy something assuming it came from England or the USA and then finding out it came from somewhere else.

—————————-

Even though I am primarily focusing on the USA in the guitar category in this missive, let me just say here that the USA amp companies are truly a mixed bag. Carvin is USA all the way. Peavey, once only constructed in Meridian, Mississippi, has cheap Asian models and expensive USA models. I haven’t researched Mesa and/or Jet City yet but I am hoping they are still USA builds. All the Blackhearts I have seen were Asian in origin. And then there is Fender. A true multinational. Amps made in the USA, Korea, China, Indonesia and Mexico.  The Fender amps over $1,000.00 that I have seen were made in the USA at Fender’s Corona, California,  facility. Fender does offer two nice made-in-the-USA amps for under $1,000.00 though — the Fender 65 Deluxe Reverb for $999.00 and the Fender Princeton Reverb for $899.00. Other than those two, the Fender amps ranging from $700.00 to $999.00 are generally made in Mexico (which I am beginning to consider more of a USA build due to the proximity of Fender’s Corona and Ensenada facilities and their shared resources). All other Fender amps hail from Asia. And let’s not forget Ampeg. I have turned Ampegs around and seen Asian origins. But I give Ampeg credit for trying to obscure the point of origin the most in their literature…“Made on Planet Earth.” Wow. That’s helpful. I was afraid Ampegs were being produced offworld by those reptile folks from “V.”

—————————-

And now, we are back in the USA. Home of the great guitars. And just as complicated as the amp situation in the UK. So, let’s get the easy ones out of the way first.

All hail Gibson! All hail Gibson the All-American. From their budget Melody Makers to their top-of-the line Les Pauls, Gibsons are made right here in the USA in Nashville, Tennessee, although a few are occasionally made in Memphis. Had a nice chat with the Gibson folks in Nashville on the phone. Very informative.  So even though I am a lifelong Fenderphile, I give Gibson kudos for being actually made in the USA where people assume they are. GOOD JOB GIBSON! Now, just cut the price of your hardshell cases in half and we are good to go!

Even Gibson's budget model Melody Maker is still produced in the USA.

Carvin. Oh Carvin. Your high quality guitars emerge from your California home to grace the hands of guitarists around the world. All made in sunny California. Carvin, you have my salute as well. You rock.

Let’s give a rousing cheer for Collings. Built in Austin, Texas, Collings acoustics and electrics are superb, beautiful, high quality, sonic works of art.  From the Lone Star State to the rest of the world. I am proud that you Collings folks are fellow Texans. And, you are only two hours away from me. I sense a road trip coming….

Taylor, as far as I know, produces most of their guitars in the USA at their factory in El Cajon, California, although a second plant has been opened 40 miles away in Tecate, Mexico,  where the entry-level guitars of the Taylor line (the Baby, Big Baby, and 100 series) are made along with  Taylor guitar cases.

That 60s icon Rickenbacker is still made entirely in California, as far as I know. Again, I am waiting to hear back from the Rick folks but the last I heard their electrics were all produced at Rickenbacker’s HQ in Santa Ana, California. and their acoustics in San Francisco.

So what about Gretsch? What about G & L? What about PRS, Epiphone, Fender, Dean, Jackson, Charvel…yada yada yada. I will tell you. And yes, I am saving Fender for last. But first, let’s look at Fender’s child…G & L.

Originally made in Fullerton, California, G & L stands for George & Leo, as in George Fullerton and Leo Fender. Yes, THAT Leo Fender. American-made G & L  guitars were treasured by their owners and viewed by many as where Fender would have gone had Leo Fender not sold Fender to CBS in 1965. Again, though, that was then. I haven’t seen an American-built G & L in the last three years in stores around here. All the ones I saw were built in Asia. There may be American-made G & Ls out there right now, but I don’t know where they are.

What of Gretsch, that favorite of George Harrison, Chet Atkins and Brian Setzer? Well, that depends. The expensive Gretschs are mostly made in Japan and worth every penny. I would love a Gretsch White Falcon by the way….just sayin’. But the affordable Gretschs you see at Guitar Center and online are…you guessed it…made in Korea and China.

What about Paul Reed Smith? All made in Baltimore, Maryland, Right? Some are. Again, the expensive ones. The PRSs that look great, that you see everywhere,  that I can afford, are made in Asia, usually in Indonesia.

Epiphone, once based in Kalamazoo, Michigan, makes no pretense of being an American guitar manufacturer — although their corporate headquarters is here in the USA since they are the sibling of Gibson. But Epis — including their “Masterbilt” acoustics — are turned out in that new high-tech production facility Gibson built in Qingdao, China. Epiphone also produces its “Elitist Series” in Japan.  But you know what? That’s OK. There are three Epis I would like (two Casinos and a Tony Iommi SG) to own. And I like the fact that Epiphone doesn’t try to fool people into thinking they are made in the USA. I actually respect their honesty and almost everyone I know who has one seems to like them. I know that Nancy Wilson of Heart brags on hers a lot.

And then there’s Martin. My name. A great name in guitars. Emperor of the acoustic world. All made in the USA…gotta be….right? Ahem… Well, mostly. It is has been told to me by various music store employees that not all Martins are made in the USA anymore. Most are — but its DXM series  guitars are produced in Martin’s plant in Navojoa, Mexico.  Egad! What is the world coming to? Mexican Martins….? Hmmmm that sounds like a good name for a band….I may steal that…The Mexican Martins….

What about all the great USA shredder guitars? You know, Charvel, Dean, Jackson, Ibanez, B.C. Rich, etc.. Well…I actually don’t know. I am not a shredder.  I do know that when I have looked on the back of shredder headstocks I have seen Asian Deans, DMZs, ESPs, etc. so I suspect the trend holds true for the shredders too. Shredder research is something maybe you all could work on and share with us.

And finally, I will conclude this little diatribe with a few words about Fender. As I state often, I am a lifelong Fenderphile. I love Fenders. And you have to remember, during my formative years, ALL Fenders were built in the USA. So there was no debate. But what about now? Well, there are two Fender series made in the USA that cost below $1,000 — the Highway One series and the American Special series. Most of the Fenders that cost more than $1,000 are definitely made in the USA in Fender’s flagship facility in Corona, California — a sacred, holy place.

OK, that’s cool, but what about all those gorgeous Fenders you see in the stores and online that we can all afford that look and sound great? Where do they come from?

In some ways, the answer to that question may require you to redefine the southern border of the United States a bit.

Most of those Fender series you see such as Blacktops, Standards, FSRs, Lone Stars, Roadhouses, Deluxes, Thinline Reissues, Classic Players and several artist models are produced at Fender’s state-of-the-art facility in Ensenada, Baja, Mexico.

Mexico? That’s pretty damn clear – it’s a foreign country. How can you say it needs to be redefined a bit?

Again, apologies but it’s a little more complicated than that. Fender’s Ensenada facility is a two-hour drive from Fender’s facility in Corona. That’s closer than the distance between Houston and Austin which is a short trip indeed. The two facilities share personnel, share personnel work days, parts, resources, benefits, and are as intermingled as you can be. Some workers have done split shifts at both facilities in the same day.

So…from MY point of view… I DO consider Fender guitars made in Mexico to be USA-made, by my standards. They ARE Fenders, REAL Fenders. See my recent post on six affordable very good Fenders for under $1,000.00 that are basically USA-Mexico hybrids that are superb.

I must also mention at this point that I am speaking of Fender ELECTRIC guitars. I have seen quite a few Fender acoustic guitars made in China. Also, there are a few Fender electrics made in Indonesia such as the Jim Adkins Telecasters and the Spalted Maple Telecaster. I consider China-based Squier to be a separate company — albeit a Fender subsidiary.

Now if you disagree, that’s OK. Fender USA vs. Fender Mexico is the most debated topic in the Fender Forums. It’s the only subject Fender folks like to argue about more than Fender vs. Gibson or Stratocaster vs. Telecaster.

OK. Need to wrap this one up. My fingers are sore.

1. Just because you associate a brand name of a guitar or amp with a country doesn’t mean that it is actually still made in that country.
2. You will pay for the name of the country of origin.
3. Companies do NOT like people to know where their product is made. You must make them tell you or search it out yourself.
4. There is nothing really wrong with the Asian guitars and amps. What’s wrong it how it is covered up by the manufacturers and sellers.
5. Do your homework BEFORE you buy.
6. It does NOT matter what I think about your amp or guitar. It doesn’t matter what your friends think or what guitar salespeople think. What matters is what YOU think and how YOU like it. That’s what matters.