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Conference napalm::guitar

Title:GUITARnotes - Where Every Note has Emotion
Notice:Discussion of the finer stringed instruments
Moderator:KDX200::COOPER
Created:Thu Aug 14 1986
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:3280
Total number of notes:61432

2502.0. "Samik (Samic?) Guitars" by SSDEVO::LAMBERT (Gonna boogie my scruples away) Wed Apr 15 1992 18:45

Has anyone ever heard of the "Samik" brand of guitars?  I was in a music store
at lunch and they claimed that Samik has been around for years making the low
end models for companies like Fender, Washburn, Epiphone, etc, but have just
recently started marketing them under their own name.  I'd never heard of them
before at all.

I played a 5 string PJ style bass which was pretty nice, and cheap enough
($399 new, no case).  Similar 4 strings were about $320, and the next lowest
series by them were $269 for a 4 string.  The 5-er I played was real nice,
with active electronics (and a bypass), 24 frets, rosewood board, and a nice
slim neck.  Had fairly chinzy gold hardware on it though.

So, has anyone ever heard of this brand before?  Comments?  (Mods, if you want
to move this to another note, feel free.)

-- Sam
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
2502.1SamickRICKS::ROSTThe Creator has a master planWed Apr 15 1992 19:025
    It's Samick.  No idea where the guitars are actually made, but that
    name has been on imported pianos for years.
    
    						Brian
    
2502.2Samick = Korea, no?RICKS::CALCAGNIGive dog a solo!Wed Apr 15 1992 19:061
    
2502.3GOES11::G_HOUSENow I'm down in itWed Apr 15 1992 19:089
    I played with a guy for awhile that had a Samick 4-string bass.  Looked
    like a cheap instrument, cosmetically, but it sounded good and played
    pretty well.  A basic, no-nonsense P-bass style instrument (with a
    pointy headstock).
    
    That was about three years ago, so I know they've been around at least
    that long.
    
    Greg
2502.4Notes collisionGOES11::G_HOUSENow I'm down in itWed Apr 15 1992 19:103
    I believe Rick's right, made in Korea.
    
    gh
2502.5KDX200::COOPERStep UP to the RACK !Wed Apr 15 1992 19:149
They're pretty - FWIW.

I saw a black one with gold hardware at ProSound once - it looked
nice...

Also, Guido used to own a Sammick mxr that Alan Starr bought - I though
it was a nice board with a ton of features for the $$.

jc
2502.6DNEAST::BOTTOM_DAVIDgrep??Thu Apr 16 1992 12:0719
I've tried Samic acoustics, electrics and a bass. They're a good value for
the cost, which is low.

Samik's power amps and mixers are very very nice, Al is loading his rack with
samiks for tweo reasons: 1. they're cheap 2. they're powerful.

The samik's we've used have out powered higher rated amps made by:

audiologic
peavy
crown
QSC
BGW
audio centron

Not only loud but clean and very noise free. If they made a 50W per channel amp
I'd by one for my studio.

dbii
2502.7PHAROS::SAKELARISThu Apr 16 1992 12:087
    Yo Sammyman,
    
    Hampshire Music had a few. Top quality guitars for the money in my
    opinion. No snob appeal however. But since you play a Hohner fretless
    I guess snob appeal isn't important to you.
    
    "sakman"
2502.8ELWOOD::CARLINBalanceThu Apr 16 1992 17:058
I played a Samick acoustic last weekend up in Chelmsford, where I was 
looking at that Crate amp. I was impressed - for $149, it sounded great! 
No, really. It was just hanging out there on the floor in a stand, so I 
picked it up to kill time while my son was looking at the amps and music, 
etc. I couldn;t believe how nice it sounded for such a small price -- 
thought I was back in the '70s. 

leo
2502.9ELWOOD::CARLINBalanceThu Apr 16 1992 17:084
p.s. it played real easy, the neck was true, the harmonics were, also. And 
the label did say made in Korea. 

what a buy!
2502.10You can always count on ::GUITARZYMRGY::samGonna boogie my scruples awayThu Apr 16 1992 18:4216
   Thanks for the feedback, folks.

   From my admittedly limited exposure to the line, I tend to agree with the
   previous notes that say these guitars are a good value for the money.  In
   case anyone in CXO is interested, ProSound is having a "International
   Guitar Month" sale during April, and are featuring Samicks.  $270 for a
   good quality, brand new bass can't be beat.  ($399 for a 5 stringer is no
   slouch, either.)

   Despite that, I happened upon an even better deal and bypassed the Samick
   for something "a little nicer". 

   -- Sam

   P.S.  Yo, Sakman - that Hohner is still impressing people with it's sound
   and playability!  Nice axe - thanks!
2502.11Yeah! Made in KoreaOTOOA::ELLACOTTpancake maverickMon Apr 20 1992 17:2416
    	I got myself a Samick 5 string bass about 8 months ago. Heres a few
    comments:
    		1. The tuners suck! They look like Gotoh ones but they 
    		aren't. I replaced mine with Gotohs. Now the B string tunes
    		and stays there
    
                2. The bridge in a bit flimsy. I modified mine so that the
    		strings mount through the body, tele style. (requires
    		drilling...sqeemish beware)
                                           	
    		3. Finally I changed the pickups. I remove the preamp and
    		put in an EMG P5J set with a pan control instead of the
    		selector switch.
    
    	Now this thing really rips!
    FJE
2502.12Sure it's not a Hondo ?RAVEN1::JERRYWHITEHey you're pretty good - NOT !Mon Apr 20 1992 17:394
    Sounds like you basically re-did the whole guitar !   Doesn't say much
    for it's "stock" equipment.
    
    Jerry
2502.13But everyone changes pickups and tuners!GOES11::G_HOUSENow I'm down in itMon Apr 20 1992 18:136
    Yeah, but all he replaced/modified were hardware things, the natural
    place all manufacturers cheat to save money.  Sounds like the wood was
    good, the neck and the fretwork.  I'd say those were the most important
    things.
    
    Greg
2502.14sleepers with cheap hardwareGLDOA::REITERTue Apr 21 1992 11:0115
    I bought a used Japanese (Elektra) Les Paul clone in January 1991, my
    first electric, for $85.  It was so much fun I bought 3 more electrics
    since then.  :7)  I basically made a wall-hanger out of it.
    
    Last night I was walking past it and said what the heck..... I tuned it
    and started playing it again.  It is extremely playable, low action,
    .009 strings, and quite a decent sound --- beater or no beater.
    
    I am seriously considering replacing the tuners, 4 pots, and switch
    just to bring it up to snuff because it's a fundamentally good musical
    instrument, it just has cheapo/beatup hardware.
    
    So I am in agreement with Greg... the wood and the neck are what
    counts.
    \Gary
2502.15Still a Good Buy !!!OTOOA::ELLACOTTpancake maverickTue Apr 21 1992 13:3311
    re .12
    	For under $400.00 Canadian WITH taxes...WHAT DO you expect in a
    five string. The basic instrument (wood, frets etc) was good value for
    the money, But now the only way to better it IMHO would be to go to the
    Yamaha 5 in the series the John Pattituci is playing. They want $1899
    for one of those before %15 worth of tax.....(although it is a neck thru
    with piezos under each bridge sadle....drool, drool, drool)
    
    
    	FJE