This year I bought, new, 2 avion 7 Samick Greg Bennett. I'm really happy cause don't need more guitars. I will miss Greg Bennett (passed away june 20, 2020). Thanks Greg, your guitars are truly greats and bring me hope to make my own music. USA it's a great country. Cheers from Chile!!!
Great video I love Samick they are durable and last forever lol. Mines been threw the ringer and back for over ten years but she still does me just rite.
I just found out my Kramer was made by Samick/In Korea I was very surprised to to find this out but glad at the same time. I'm not crazy about the pickups though but they can be changed easy enough. The neck is all maple and it is so sleek to be honest Its the best neck I have ever had in my hands. The body of the guitar is is again very sleek It kinda reminds me of an Ibanez S series model especially when it come to how thin it the body looks. It is very light and that scores a lot of points to me. It is a outstanding guitar when it come to playability I would recommend this guitar to anyone.
@@ForsytheVideo Thanks man. I notice their was something special about this guitar before I knew who built it. I did replace the bridge It had a Kramer Licensed Floyd Rose but it was kinda shot so I installed a Floyd Rose Special and now Its outstanding in every way. A lot of people say they don't like Floyd Rose Special's but It works just as well as any other decent trem system right now. Some people say Samick aren't good I don't understand that. I know they have ghost built some of the best guitars for many companies.Some compare them to Cort does but if Samick wasn't good at what they do they wouldn't be contacted to do builds at all. I'm in favour of them.
@@Demon-Knight People are brand snobs honestly. They think it has to say 'Fender' 'Gibson' or 'Ibanez' to be any good. Let me tell you something, I have some Jay Tursers that are better than my Fenders. I have some Cort instruments that kick ass, and Samick has never let me down. Some folks don't want to admit that there really are good cheap guitars out there.
Yes this is very true Richard Its like you said It's guitar snobbery to the fullest So many brands don't get a look in. Having a narrow minded attitude Its bullshit. As we talked about before I like yourself will take any affordable guitar and make it more than capable for any situation such as gigs recording or practising. Sometime people that go for the insane high end stuff are more paying for the name on the headstock rather than the instrument itself. That's not a good way to think. All that will do is cost much more.
@@ForsytheVideo I have an Ibanez AES10 and I’ve heard a lot of people knock it because it’s not a Martin or taylor (I also have a taylor). I was recently given a Samick 650 that needed some work. I’m excited about this guitar.
I once saw a Samick in a guitar store, it was strange as hell. B.C. Rich Warlock body, Jackson fretboard (sharkfin inlays with bound fretboard) and a Samick headstock.
I bought a Samick / Greg Bennett Avion 6, LP shape , spalted maple carved top ... for approx. 260 US$. Upgraded with P.A.F style pups, she's awesome ! Very well made, thin and comfy neck, low action without strings rattle ... I think about buying a Cobra, found it new for 360US$ ... Even if I like the Elvira JTR design more.
2:43 No, certainly not 1992. I just bought a Korean Samick Sonata from 2000. So, that must have been in the 2000s for sure. In 1992 Samick was still making Korean Ibanez and Vantage guitars, which were quite a hit, thanks to the distributor Hoshino. They made a lot of stuff for Aria, Epiphone and Washburn too.
@@ForsytheVideo I looked it up in other sources: "Samick took a step further, with the opening of a $30 million, 430,000-square-meter plant in Bogor, Indonesia. The new subsidiary, PT Samick Indonesia, began operation in 1993. The Indonesian subsidiary gradually took over production of the company's entry-level instruments, beginning with acoustic guitars in 1993. By 1995, the facility had gained sufficient expertise to begin production of electric guitars as well, followed by upright pianos in 1996 and grand piano production in 1998." www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/samick-musical-instruments-co-ltd-history/ (Here you can also read that they emerged from bankruptcy in 2002.) The fact that they had 'gained sufficient expertise to begin production of electric guitars as well', does not mean that they ceased their electric guitar production in Korea. They weren't that stupid. When a new factory is just 'ready to begin production of electric guitars', this generally means that they most likely start with bad ones (remember the very first Chinese Squiers, which were an absolute horror in 1999). That Samick Korea kept producing Ibanez electric guitar until the spring of 1995 is a proven fact. (I've seen so many serial numbers of these MIK Ibanez guitars that I'm sure of that). If you look at the sold Samick Sonata guitars on Reverb, you see that all Sonatas carry S99MMxxxx and S00MMxxxx serial numbers (M stands for month) AND 'made in Korea' on the back of the upper neck. My guess is that the bankruptcy between 2001 and 2002 could have been the breaking point. As a new owner I would have insisted on reducing the cost and the Korean plant had the highest wages (and expertise). Samick Korea made some high-end stuff back then: I remember a Samick Les Paul model TOTALLY COVERED WITH ABALONE, which costed ƒ1999.- (±€900.-). That was just before the start of the new Millennium.
You can email me and we can talk, Forsytheproductions@yahoo.com. It would be expensive with the shipping back in forth, unless you live close to the Florida panhandle.
I have a Samick LSM80 T/OS, in the headstock it's written "Established 1958", and I don't know anything about it. All my friends who play guitar never seen one like that. Do you have a link of the manufacturer? I really would like to know more about my guitar.
Any Samick with 'Greg Bennet' on it is a quality instrument. Also older Samicks built in Korea are very good instruments as well, I would put them well above Ibanez's Gio line.
I have a Samick strat type guitar and it's really good. Just haven't "bonded" with it though. It's got no issues and it sounds good and plays great but I don't get enthused about it like my ibanez rg550 or s470 or yamaha Rgx420 or even my Starforce. My 1980's squire is awesome but technically no better than the Samick; if anything, it's worse. But I just don't get a boner playing with me Samick.
I gotta say, I never really buy off brand strat type guitars, super strat type guitars sure, but for stuff like that I'll just get an old Squier. I get where you are coming from though, some guitars just have magic, some don't!
I had this metallic blue gtx 33 super strat on wall for like 5 months after I bought it, Because my Ibanez just felt more magical, but I picked it up again and made myself play it for a while and now I feel the magic more than any other guitar I own
This year I bought, new, 2 avion 7 Samick Greg Bennett. I'm really happy cause don't need more guitars. I will miss Greg Bennett (passed away june 20, 2020). Thanks Greg, your guitars are truly greats and bring me hope to make my own music. USA it's a great country. Cheers from Chile!!!
I have a Samick seven string. Looks like a strat in sienna sunburst. Upgraded the pickups and love it.
I have had several and have enjoyed every one. Great guitars for sure!
Back in the 70s Samick was one of the many groups doing lawsuit copies. Notably they did a bunch of Rickenbacker copies.
I didn't know that, thanks for the info!
Great video I love Samick they are durable and last forever lol. Mines been threw the ringer and back for over ten years but she still does me just rite.
They are built well and last a long time. I've worked on some from the 70's that are still kickin'.
I bet plus I think they just made things better back then
I just found out my Kramer was made by Samick/In Korea I was very surprised to to find this out but glad at the same time. I'm not crazy about the pickups though but they can be changed easy enough. The neck is all maple and it is so sleek to be honest Its the best neck I have ever had in my hands. The body of the guitar is is again very sleek It kinda reminds me of an Ibanez S series model especially when it come to how thin it the body looks. It is very light and that scores a lot of points to me. It is a outstanding guitar when it come to playability I would recommend this guitar to anyone.
Samick's Korea factory made A LOT of guitars for other manufacturers. Congrats man, sounds like you got a winner there.
@@ForsytheVideo Thanks man. I notice their was something special about this guitar before I knew who built it. I did replace the bridge It had a Kramer Licensed Floyd Rose but it was kinda shot so I installed a Floyd Rose Special and now Its outstanding in every way. A lot of people say they don't like Floyd Rose Special's but It works just as well as any other decent trem system right now. Some people say Samick aren't good I don't understand that. I know they have ghost built some of the best guitars for many companies.Some compare them to Cort does but if Samick wasn't good at what they do they wouldn't be contacted to do builds at all. I'm in favour of them.
@@Demon-Knight People are brand snobs honestly. They think it has to say 'Fender' 'Gibson' or 'Ibanez' to be any good. Let me tell you something, I have some Jay Tursers that are better than my Fenders. I have some Cort instruments that kick ass, and Samick has never let me down. Some folks don't want to admit that there really are good cheap guitars out there.
Yes this is very true Richard Its like you said It's guitar snobbery to the fullest So many brands don't get a look in. Having a narrow minded attitude Its bullshit. As we talked about before I like yourself will take any affordable guitar and make it more than capable for any situation such as gigs recording or practising. Sometime people that go for the insane high end stuff are more paying for the name on the headstock rather than the instrument itself. That's not a good way to think. All that will do is cost much more.
@@ForsytheVideo I have an Ibanez AES10 and I’ve heard a lot of people knock it because it’s not a Martin or taylor (I also have a taylor). I was recently given a Samick 650 that needed some work. I’m excited about this guitar.
I once saw a Samick in a guitar store, it was strange as hell. B.C. Rich Warlock body, Jackson fretboard (sharkfin inlays with bound fretboard) and a Samick headstock.
oh shit, they still make it. I'msurprised they haven't been sued yet
www.guitarcenter.com/Used/Samick/Warlock-Solid-Body-Electric-Guitar.gc
I was thinking about buying that exact guitar! Haha, I'm on guitar center's used section all the time.
Apparently the quality is really quite good. The finish is awesome, and the price isn't bad at all either.
I bought a Samick / Greg Bennett Avion 6, LP shape , spalted maple carved top ... for approx. 260 US$. Upgraded with P.A.F style pups, she's awesome ! Very well made, thin and comfy neck, low action without strings rattle ... I think about buying a Cobra, found it new for 360US$ ... Even if I like the Elvira JTR design more.
The Elvira is a cool looking beast!
2:43 No, certainly not 1992. I just bought a Korean Samick Sonata from 2000. So, that must have been in the 2000s for sure. In 1992 Samick was still making Korean Ibanez and Vantage guitars, which were quite a hit, thanks to the distributor Hoshino.
They made a lot of stuff for Aria, Epiphone and Washburn too.
This is on their Wikipedia page: "In 1992, Samick built its P.T. Samick factory in Cileungsi, near Bogor, Indonesia." Maybe it's wrong, I dunno.
@@ForsytheVideo I looked it up in other sources: "Samick took a step further, with the opening of a $30 million, 430,000-square-meter plant in Bogor, Indonesia. The new subsidiary, PT Samick Indonesia, began operation in 1993.
The Indonesian subsidiary gradually took over production of the company's entry-level instruments, beginning with acoustic guitars in 1993. By 1995, the facility had gained sufficient expertise to begin production of electric guitars as well, followed by upright pianos in 1996 and grand piano production in 1998."
www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/samick-musical-instruments-co-ltd-history/
(Here you can also read that they emerged from bankruptcy in 2002.)
The fact that they had 'gained sufficient expertise to begin production of electric guitars as well', does not mean that they ceased their electric guitar production in Korea. They weren't that stupid. When a new factory is just 'ready to begin production of electric guitars', this generally means that they most likely start with bad ones (remember the very first Chinese Squiers, which were an absolute horror in 1999).
That Samick Korea kept producing Ibanez electric guitar until the spring of 1995 is a proven fact. (I've seen so many serial numbers of these MIK Ibanez guitars that I'm sure of that). If you look at the sold Samick Sonata guitars on Reverb, you see that all Sonatas carry S99MMxxxx and S00MMxxxx serial numbers (M stands for month) AND 'made in Korea' on the back of the upper neck. My guess is that the bankruptcy between 2001 and 2002 could have been the breaking point.
As a new owner I would have insisted on reducing the cost and the Korean plant had the highest wages (and expertise).
Samick Korea made some high-end stuff back then: I remember a Samick Les Paul model TOTALLY COVERED WITH ABALONE, which costed ƒ1999.- (±€900.-). That was just before the start of the new Millennium.
I have the Cobra but in bass
4:00 Looks like Paul Stanley's Silvertone.
i have a 92-93 era strat clone samick , upgraded the wires and switches, everything else is original. plays better than my other guitars :)
Could I get you to do some work on my parts caster , needs a complete wire up and set up
You can email me and we can talk, Forsytheproductions@yahoo.com. It would be expensive with the shipping back in forth, unless you live close to the Florida panhandle.
The camera looks good but it seems like its exposure keeps rapidly changing
Yeah, that upset me, I'm still learning how to use it. I'll figure it out!
Hey man, do you have an ETA for the guitar strap? cant wait to get it!! Thanks again!
You have fantastic timing I JUST shot you an email, haha. It's on the way!
I have a Samick LSM80 T/OS, in the headstock it's written "Established 1958", and I don't know anything about it.
All my friends who play guitar never seen one like that.
Do you have a link of the manufacturer?
I really would like to know more about my guitar.
Is this also similar with other brands ? Ibanez cheap guitars between 200 and 399 dollars... are they good quality range ??
Any Samick with 'Greg Bennet' on it is a quality instrument. Also older Samicks built in Korea are very good instruments as well, I would put them well above Ibanez's Gio line.
Who was on the phone? I like the premise of this show. But seriously who was it?
a freight forwarder, haha.
any experiences with Harley Benton?
Not yet but I have heard surprisingly good things.
I have a Samick strat type guitar and it's really good. Just haven't "bonded" with it though. It's got no issues and it sounds good and plays great but I don't get enthused about it like my ibanez rg550 or s470 or yamaha Rgx420 or even my Starforce. My 1980's squire is awesome but technically no better than the Samick; if anything, it's worse. But I just don't get a boner playing with me Samick.
I gotta say, I never really buy off brand strat type guitars, super strat type guitars sure, but for stuff like that I'll just get an old Squier. I get where you are coming from though, some guitars just have magic, some don't!
I had this metallic blue gtx 33 super strat on wall for like 5 months after I bought it, Because my Ibanez just felt more magical, but I picked it up again and made myself play it for a while and now I feel the magic more than any other guitar I own
Gregg Bennett died last year
awwww, that sucks
@@ForsytheVideo ya, he was a master Luthier.