Are the Maison guitars being sold here really MIJ?

[Drew Asuncion]

Not to bash anyone's sale items or anything like that, but I'd just like to know if Maisons are really MIJ. I did a Google search, and the only notable sites that came back were:

- a US-based maker of acoustic guitars and basses (www.maisonguitars.com), and;
- a Korean guitar manufacturing company named Yoojin Industrial Co. Ltd. (www.yoojin.com, they claim to be OEM for some unnamed big brands).

And that's about it. The only places where people say it's MIJ seem to be in the Philippines, at least according to the web search. Again, I'm not bashing anyone or the brand itself. In fact, several sites say these guitars sound and play quite decently (with pickup replacements, etc.). I'm asking because I'm thinking about getting a Les Paul, and these seem to be a good option. But if it's supposedly MIJ when it's actually not, it would make me think that the customer/buyer would not be getting what he/she is expecting. Bad trip naman.

Any info would be really appreciated. Thanks!

[bugoy]

ang alam ko rin korea lang ang maison, yung iba siguro kaya sinasabing MIJ kasi sa pier nila nakukuha tapos resell dito expect nila since galing pier eh MIJ na 

[BAMF]

Ang alam ko nga din yung Legend ay Korea, pero nabibili sa Japan surplus kaya akala MIJ na din.

Sa ganang alam ko lang naman, I'm open to correction.

Baka naman bought and scrapped in Japan lang, not made in Japan

[Drew Asuncion]

Good points! Buti pala nagtanong ako - just because galing siya sa Japan surplus doesn't mean it's really MIJ. Pareho din kaya ang case ng Photogenic brand?

[CharlieBlues]

When guitars are advertised as "imported from Japan" it does not mean that they were made in Japan. They may be made in Korea, Indonesia or China.
So, when the guitar seller writes something like "I got it from my sister who lives in Japan" or "I got it from a Japanese guitar surplus", ask for more details and do a bit of research before checking the guitar. Also, the higher end Chinese and Korean guitars are probably better than your average MIJ Yamaha/Takamine. For example China's Blueridge for acoustic steel string guitars and Aram guitars in Seoul for classical guitars (their H grade is amazing!).

[boybangs]

Rock in peace.

[raybrig]

deym seriously I got shivers... nagulat ako kala ko nag create ng new thread si Drew...  we'll miss you bro