Company News

Crafter at NAMM 2016

The NAMM 2016 Show was in full swing this year with over 6000 companies presenting their products at the Anaheim Convention Centre in California. Crafter Guitars were there with representatives from South Korea, the USA and UK to present new guitars models for 2016.

Crafter made an early impact at this year’s show by placing a new solid Koa (KGLXE-9000) guitar in a presentation case at the show’s entrance. A fine guitar with Rosewood and Abalone detailing plus the new LR Baggs Anthem preamp and pickup system. A fine guitar made to turn heads and introduce Crafter to visitors. This guitar was complimented by a stunning solid German Spruce and Rosewood KGLXE-7000 on the stand.

Following Crafter’s recent success with their mahogany series guitars the company has designed a new traditional styled TM80-BR model, which was demonstrated by Keri Kelli (of John Waite / Alice Cooper Band) on the Crafter stand. This new mahogany model features a redesigned slotted headstock with a softer curved top. This new style of headstock is now being introduced across all traditional styled guitars in Crafter’s guitar portfolio for 2016.

A welcome visitor the stand also included Lloyd Baggs (AKA L.R. Baggs). Lloyd joined Crafter’s CEO, Injae Park, on the Crafter stand to discuss ideas for some new pickup systems. Crafter have had a long relationship with Lloyd and his preamp/pickup technology in their guitars.

Lloyd and Injae are the innovation and brains behind many of Crafter’s unique electronics including the new Anthem preamp and pickup. There are not many Crafter electro-acoustics that do not have Lloyd’s name on them! Keep your eyes out for the new CRT-LV (LCD Tuner) which will be coming to Crafter guitars later on this year.

Crafter have also shown a greater interest in the Chinese manufacturing market for guitar models that are […]

March 15th, 2016|Company News|
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Crafter Guitar Workshop Tour

In November 2013, the UK and USA distributors of Crafter guitars were invited to South Korea to visit Crafter’s extensive guitar workshops. The tour covered two days of watching every detail that goes into creating a Crafter guitar and the expertise of the craftsmen and women who produce them. Crafter’s CEO, Injae Park, showed us the time and effort that goes into each guitar and the constant quality control that is observed during each stage of production.

The guitar workshops follow a comprehensive workflow with separate rooms specialising in each stage of production. There are dry rooms for acclimatising the woods, humidity controlled rooms for production and sealed off areas specifically for spraying and finishing the guitars. Even though there are many machines for the cutting, sanding and shaping of the guitars, much of the production craftwork is still done by hand and with great attention to detail.

With complex production methods and expertise, the staff are seen as a great asset to the company and Injae has not moved his workshops much further away from where HyunKwon started the company in Seoul. This is helped the company hold onto loyal and skilled staff who often stay with the company for at least 15 years or more.

As we walked through the workshop rooms we were welcomed and greeted by every member of staff who were happy to demonstrate their skills in guitar building. We documented the tour with a view to share this with Crafter players across the world.

February 13th, 2014|Company News|
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New Crafter Factory Grand Opening

Crafter has opened a brand new, custom designed factory. The Mayor of YangJu City and guests from around the world cut the ribbon at the Grand Opening Ceremony near Seoul on May 14th 2009

The move, which is the result of five 5 years of planning and construction, is the seventh location for the company and was made in spite of the fact that Crafter only moved to a new 7,000 square metre purpose built factory as recently as the year 2000.

Shortly after the 2000 move, the Korean Government expressed an interest in using Crafter’s land for a housing development and entered into negotiations which enabled the company to purchase new land just five kilometres from the factory.

Crafter President, InJae Park, said, “Under normal circumstances, a company would expect to stay in a new factory for at least 20 years so that the cost could be written off over a long period. The deal that Crafter did with the government, combined with the realistic cost of the land, gave us the unique opportunity to be able to build a new and even more modern factory in the same area, so that we could retain all of our loyal and highly trained staff.”

The opening of the new factory was a very special occasion at Crafter and the management was pleased to share this with many friends and business partners from around the world. Visitors were greeted by a line of Korean ladies dressed in their colourful national dress and even more colour was added by massed bouquets of orchids.

The ceremony took place outside the new Crafter factory building and opened with a short service to bless the facility. This was followed by speeches from the […]

May 15th, 2009|Company News|
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