Samick® Guitars has been crafting high-quality instruments for over 60 years. Our passion is to create affordable, professional-grade guitars that both beginners and accomplished musicians love to play.
Our History
It all started in 1958 when Hyo Ick Lee founded Samick Musical Instruments in Seoul, South Korea. As the country recovered from the Korean War, Lee saw an opportunity to bring music and hope to the people by producing pianos and guitars domestically.
Within a few short years, Samick expanded into exporting their instruments around the world. This global reach brought more growth and innovation to the company.
Over the decades, Samick has cemented itself as one of the largest producers of string instruments globally. Our factories build over 1 million pianos, guitars, and strings each year.
Today, Samick has operations on 4 continents and our instruments are sold in over 100 countries. We’re proud to bring quality, hand-crafted guitars to musicians everywhere.
Our Guitars
Samick offers one of the most diverse guitar lineups of any manufacturer. Our catalog includes:
- Acoustic guitars – steel & nylon string, electric acoustic, classical, parlor, dreadnought, jumbo
- Electric guitars – solid body, semi-hollow, hollow body, signature models
- Bass guitars – 4, 5, & 6 string models
- Ukuleles
- Guitar value packages – electric, acoustic, or bass guitars bundled with amps, bags, tuners, and accessories
With this range of instruments, Samick has a guitar for every player’s needs and budget.
Premium Materials
All Samick instruments start with premium materials from trusted suppliers around the world.
Our all-solid wood acoustic guitars use tonewoods like sitka spruce, mahogany, rosewood, maple, and more. We carefully select and age these woods to produce outstanding sound.
Our electric guitars and basses feature tonewoods like alder, ash, mahogany, and maple for the bodies and bolt-on maple necks. We use high-quality hardware from brands like Grover tuners and Graph Tech nuts.
Our premium materials are crafted into instruments designed for optimal playability and tonality.
Skilled Craftsmanship
Samick has perfected the art of building stringed instruments over the last 60+ years. Our luthiers, woodworkers, finishers, and other specialists take pride in their work.
Each guitar goes through many stages of hand craftsmanship including:
- Cutting and carving the wood parts
- Sanding and finishing the woods
- Assembling the pieces with expert precision
- Stringing, electronics installation, and final setup
We blend modern technology like CNC machines with hand craftsmanship to produce very consistent, high-quality instruments.
This skilled labor is what transforms our premium materials into exceptional Samick guitars.
Rigorous Quality Control
With large-scale guitar production, quality control is essential for consistency. Samick has developed rigorous protocols to verify every instrument meets our strict standards.
Our QC experts inspect each guitar multiple times during production for:
- Correct materials
- Proper neck relief and action height
- Electronics/pickup function
- Fretwork
- Hardware quality
- Finish flaws
- Structural integrity
Guitars only ship after passing inspection. This QC process allows us to guarantee the playability and reliability of every Samick guitar.
Our Principles
Certain principles have driven Samick from the very beginning. They influence our guitar making and business practices today.
Innovation
Samick has pioneered many advances in guitar and piano manufacturing. For example, we developed a mass production method for grand pianos in 1982. This innovation reduced costs and made grand pianos more accessible worldwide.
We bring this same spirit of innovation to our guitar lines. Our R&D teams are constantly experimenting with new tonewoods, neck shapes, bracing patterns, and other design elements. This allows our instruments to progress and improve over time.
Value
Samick aims to provide professional quality instruments at very attractive price points. Even our most affordable guitars are built to high standards rarely seen at their low costs.
Advanced manufacturing techniques and vertical integration help us control costs. We pass these savings directly to the musicians who play our guitars.
Sustainability
As one of the largest producers of wood instruments, Samick takes sustainability seriously. Our timber is ethically sourced following best practices for the environment and forest preservation.
Many of our acoustic models also incorporate sustainable Bubinga wood from West Africa. Using this tonewood prevents deforestation of traditional woods like Rosewood.
We diligently monitor our supply chain and production practices to reduce waste and minimize environmental impact.
Our Brands
Samick sells its guitars under several brand names that each have a distinct identity and focus.
Samick
The Samick brand covers most of our midrange acoustic and electric guitar models. Samick guitars offer professional features and quality at very reasonable prices.
This brand is available worldwide through music retailers and ecommerce partners.
Greg Bennett
Greg Bennett guitars launched in 2005 and specialize in high-end acoustic and electric models.
These guitars are crafted by Samick’s top luthiers using exotic tonewoods and premium hardware. Each instrument bears the signature of master guitar designer and luthier Greg Bennett.
Silvertone
Silvertone guitars have been played by budding musicians since the 1950s. Samick revived this historic brand in 2001 to produce quality starter instruments.
Silvertone guitars, basses, and ukuleles are aimed at new players and sold exclusively through Sam Ash Music stores.
Excelsior
The Excelsior brand focuses exclusively on accordions and other folk instruments. These are mainly produced for the European market where accordions are integral to many music styles.
Our Artists
Iconic musicians have played Samick guitars since the 1960s. Seeing artists like Eric Clapton and John Lennon play our instruments shows the quality and tone achieved by Samick.
Some notable Samick artists include:
- Eric Clapton
- George Harrison
- John Lennon
- Keith Richards
- Robby Krieger of The Doors
- Legendary studio musician Reggie Young
- YouTube guitar sensation Sophie Burrell
We also have signature models designed with top guitarists:
- The Samick Greg Bennett Malibu MB-6 is customized to Grammy-winner Greg Bennett’s specs.
- The Samick Greg Bennett Avion AV7 is developed with jazz virtuoso Andreas Oberg.
Having these artists select Samick to craft their ideal guitar is a testament to our reputation. We’re committed to building guitars that pros love.
The Samick Family
While Samick is best known for its guitars, our company has many other divisions as well. This diversification allows us to invest in continuous improvement across all our instrument lines.
Pianos
Samick is one of the “big three” piano manufacturers along with Yamaha and Young Chang. We craft upright and grand pianos under brands like Samick, Knabe, Kohler & Campbell, and more.
Our advanced production technologies like vacuum pressing of soundboards has improved piano quality and consistency.
Orchestral Strings
Samick makes bowed strings for instruments like violin, viola, cello, and double bass. Our strings are played by students, amateurs, and professionals across the globe.
We are one of the few string makers to produce our own Rosin bonding agent. This allows tighter quality control and consistency.
Musical Distribution
Samick Music Corporation (SMC) distributes instruments, print music, and accessories to resellers. This distribution network allows Samick and other brands to reach domestic and international markets efficiently.
Education
In addition to instruments, Samick provides musical education. Our failures include:
- The Mike Marshall Music School in California which teaches mandolin and guitar.
- The Music Institute in Michigan offering lessons across all instruments.
- The Eleanor Daley Conservatory of Music in Canada focused on piano instruction.
We believe learning music should be accessible to students of all ages and skill levels.
Looking Forward
As Samick enters its 7th decade, the future looks bright. We continue innovating and improving every guitar line through new designs, materials, and manufacturing techniques.
Our vision is to keep music and artistic expression accessible by building high-quality instruments at reasonable prices. Samick guitars will be strummed, plucked, and heard around the world for years to come.
So whether you’re a beginner or pro, unplugged or electronic, fingers or pick – find your sound with Samick.