The Secret Korean Factory Behind WAY More Famous Brands Than You Think

The Secret Korean Factory Behind WAY More Famous Brands Than You Think There's a guitar factory in Incheon, South Korea that has never put its own name on a headstock, and one major financial database even lists it as a refrigeration company. Yet World Musical Instrument Company has quietly built guitars for Schecter's Diamond Series, ESP LTD's Deluxe line, PRS SE, Chapman, Brian May Guitars, Strandberg, Dean, BC Rich and many more. In this video we follow the clues that give it away: the W at the start of the serial number, US customs records showing shipments to Schecter and ESP in the same week, and the one brand that admitted it in writing. Then we look at what you're really paying for when two "rival" guitars come off the same floor, and why setup and spec matter more than the logo. We also cover why Samick and Cort left Korea, why PRS, Strandberg and even some LTDs moved to Indonesia, and why the 2026 tariff gap between Korea and Indonesia isn't what's driving it. If you've ever owned a Korean-made guitar, there's a good chance it came from this building. #guitar #guitargear #electricguitar #madeinkorea #schecter #espguitars #ltdguitars #prsse #chapmanguitars #guitarfactory #guitarhistory #koreanguitars