MIJ or MIK?

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kickinit

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Is there a difference in quality between the MIJ and MIK versions of the tokai sg? If so which one is better?
 
I had both, I still have the MIJ and sold the MIK.

The two versions are excellent but i do prefer the MIJ. The Korean models are better than I first thought, very nice guitars and they kill epiphones. I guess the quality control is a tad better.

Pick the MIJ for resale value...
 
The difference between any "high value" article and "low value" article, no matter what that article is, is down to a few factors:

Materials - The high value article usually utilises better quality materials.
Labour - The quality of workmanship and the recognition of their craft/labour market, the cost of living etc, etc.

MIK - Lower quality materials + lower labour rates = lower value product (in comparison)
MIJ - Higher quality materials + higher labour rates = high value product (again, in comparison)
MIA - Higher quality materials + higher labour rates = higher value product.

"Economies of scale".
 
Is a CNC machine in Korea better than a CNC machine in Japan?

How do you know that the guy working in the Korean factory produces lower quality than the guy in the US factory? Maybe the Korean builder has been in the factory for 15 years and is highly skilled, while the guy in Memphis just fell off the turnip truck, is unskilled, an alcoholic, and cross-eyed and his brother-in-law "Jeb" got him a job down at the Gibs*n factory.

The only way to tell which is a better guitar is to play them both and let your eyes, hands, and ears decide for you. I don't care what kind of rig you have, the biggest part of your sound or your tone comes from your hands. That's why amazing players like Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimi Hendrix, etc. had such amazing tone...because they were amazing players. They could make $250 worth of gear sound like a million bucks.

By the way..."Economies of Scale" refers to the ability to produce product at a lower cost because they are produced in larger volumes and certain cost advantages such as buying in bulk can be achieved. The term has nothing to do with qualilty. Likewise, value and cost are not necessarily the same thing. Cost is merely dollars and cents. Value can mean different things to different people. For instance, I would value a $600 guitar that looks great, plays well, and sounds great more than a $3,000 guitar that has a collectible value because of its age, but plays like a piece of crap.

Just my 2 cents.
 
redking has a point, but still the "better quality wood, glue, hardware, pickups etc.." statement stands. Though the build quality and setup depends on the guys building them, and that leads to that some MIJ might be worse than some MIK and the other way around.

But generally speaking the MIJ are better because of higher quality materials used.
 
Did anyone write something about the woods?

MIJ - Mahogany

MIK - Nato

Also the MIK SG?s got a different shaping! (less!) The MIJ SG?s are defineteley hand shaped! Had the chance to select out of three SG?s! Each of them had a different shaping! The plastics of MIK Models look way cheap, and the colors of plastics are really bad! Also the colors of the guitars are not very nice! example: MIK Gold Tops looks almost green, while MIJ Gold Tops look "like a Gold Top"! ...................................

If you have the chance, just check out MIK and MIJ and make your own decision!

good on ya, "ACY"
 
eresseraca said:
redking has a point, but still the "better quality wood, glue, hardware, pickups etc.." statement stands. Though the build quality and setup depends on the guys building them, and that leads to that some MIJ might be worse than some MIK and the other way around.

But generally speaking the MIJ are better because of higher quality materials used.

I believe it was londonbarry who summed it up as follows:

MIK is built down to a price, MIJ is built up to a standard.

I agree with this, but I also believe that Korea is becoming the new Japan and once the market opens its mind a bit Korea will be allowed to flex its muscles as a serious guitar maker. The high-end Corts and my MIK fender tele are simply awesome, especially for the price.
 
red king said:
Is a CNC machine in Korea better than a CNC machine in Japan?

.

Are the wages better in Japan then in Korea

Are the woods they use in Japan better then they use in Korea


Can the quality control guy in Korea get a new pair of glass's so he can see all the machine heads that are fitted wrong :wink: ( Perhaps they can have a MIJ one hanging on the wall and build to them specs )
 
True enough....the tuner installer at the Korean factory does have a bit of an issue lining them up. And true...if you put crappy pickups in a guitar, it will sound like crap.

That being said....If you like the playability of your guitar and you like the sound that comes out of your amp, do you care whether the body is made of Nato or Mahogany? Do you care whether it is a full maple cap or thin laminate? Hell, Jack White makes plywood and arborite sound good!

Check out Steveb334's Youtube videos to see how good a stock MIK sounds in the hands of a guy who can actually play.

My whole point is....if an MIK is what fits in your budget, go ahead and try one out and if you like it...buy it. If you have enough of a budget for an MIJ go for it. But don't feel like you blew it by buying a guitar you like at a price you can afford just because "some guy" on the internet says that your guitar sucks. "He" hasn't played your guitar and doesn't know what it sounds like.

By the way...wages paid in 2 different countries can't be compared apples for apples because those workers live and work in completely different economic climates and are paid in different currencies. For example, if I make $100,000 CDN dollars per year as a lawyer in Canada, and you make $100,000 US dollars per year as a lawyer in the US. When you convert the salaries, you make more than me, however, that doesn't mean that you are a better lawyer than me.
 
When comparing MIJ with MIK it's always assumed that it's "like for like" comparison, when it's not.

I've said it before - the MIKs are lower in the range - by definition that means they won't have the highest quality parts or woods. It's easier to look at the whole range rather than view as two product lines. (comparision is MIM Fender vs US Fender)

I for one no longer subscribe to the "it's from Korea it must be bad ideology" - ESP make some great guitars there, the Fender lite Ash series are also korean - and that's before you even factor in people like Cort and some of the astounding good entry level guitars for Indie and the like.
 
ACY said:
Also the colors of the guitars are not very nice!

mikql2.jpg


I wish I'd never read this post. Makes me feel like a second class citizen on the forum. :cry: Whats wrong with the MIK colors? This is not a gold top but it sounds like they all suck. If this is a bad color and finish the MIJ must look like Michaelangelo sprayed them. This is a great guitar. Playability and color wise,IMO. It just comes down to what you can afford. This was my price range. I'm real happy with it. But you are right ACY, compare them both if you can and buy what you like and can afford. I'm in the states so the option to compare isn't available. For me, neither was crackin' the bank account to the tune of $1000+.
 
Whats wrong with the MIK colors?

From what I've seen the MIK colours are the same as the MIJ, but I think there's a slightly restricted choice on certain models (slightly less options, but all the favourites are there).

I don't think that anyone with an MIK should feel second class !! The only people who care about what a guitar is made of and where it's from a other guitarists - audiences don't care, they're more concerned about what you do with it !!


When I started out playing no one wanted MIJ guitars, because they were not as high specced or well made as American ones.................I have to say it, the whole MIJ/MIK debate is kind of sounding the same...........
 
Hey Garagerat

Your guitar looks awesome. Honestly, if there was no picture of the headstock, it could pass for a Gibson. I picked up one at a local music store last week and noodled around on it and it plays beautifully as well. I'm thinking of buying one (or 2!!) for myself. You have alot of guitar for the money, that's for sure.

Bruceboomstick...I agree with you - this debate is getting old. I honestly don't understand why owners of one type of import copy would diss the owners of another import copy. Let's face it, if we were all millionaires, we'd all buy Gibsons. But we all have other priorities in life that are more important - and rightly so, so we choose a quality guitar that fits our respective budgets. Nothing wrong with that. So let's all have a big group hug!!!!
 
Hey Garagerat!
The only thing that counts, is that "you" like the guitar, and it does not matter what other fools (like me) say about MIK Guitars!

Your Guitar does look very nice, and as it works perfect so there is no problem!

I do not want to say that MIK is worse than MIJ in general, but:

If I get asked about my experiences, I write down what I think.

You?re no second class player of this forum! For what reasons? Do you think that I?m an .....hole who makes a difference with other guitar players depending on the instrument they play? - Did we ever been drinking a beer together? No! But I would like to!

"I do not care what other people say bout my instruments!" I know what I got, and that?s enough for me!

So "rock" your Tokais, where ever they?re made!

good on ya, "ACY"
 
Hey Red King!
You wrote:

"Let's face it, if we were all millionaires, we'd all buy Gibsons."

Just in the moment I?m changing pickups from my Gibsons into my Tokais! When this is done Im going to sell my Gibsons! I?m not a millionaire, but even if I would be, I would?nt by me Gibsons anymore!

But there been enough discussions bout that theme!

But still I wish I would be a millionaire! :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink:

good on ya, "ACY"
 
mik mij mia
heres my 2pence worth
i recently got a mik tok j200 accoustic, its the only one i have been able to play, sounds fantastic, action is superb , itried every accoustic in the shop. gibbos. lowden(avalon) simon patrick, but the tokai was the only one i felt comfortable with, cost ?279. my son in law has a martin tom petty signature, cost i think was over 2 grand and i just cant play it above the 3rd fret. tone is second to none but playability sucks. just goes to show that sometimes high cost isnt always the best
 
Save your money and buy a used Gibson SG. It's not that much more. And when you sell it you will make a buck instead of losing your ***. I had a MIK sg from Canada, what a P>O>S> that thing was. All sharp edges and weak pups. I bought it new and when I sold it I got back a little more than 1/2 of what I paid. Then I bought an SG80 From Ishibashi. Not a bad guitar but by the time you pay for the shipping, the case and a pup change you could almost buy a new Gibson . I lost my *** when I sold that one too. If you can find a used Tokai , go for it.
 

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