Fine Corporation

[Sigmania]

“FC” serial PRS copy guitar.

Not sure if this is Korean or Chinese?

Identifying guitar

Any help identifying the origin of this guitar greatly appreciated. My knowledge is zero.

….No genuine MIK Tokai models have or had serial numbers
outside of possibly 2006 Fine Corp "FC" or "F" prefix models
if these were in fact produced in Korea and not China….

~ Production dates for KOREAN ALS Love Rocks ~

 

[zbillster]

Here's mine. Feel free to recoil in horror about the tuner and pickup mods. :lol:
The stock pickups sound like they were dipped in mud. The stock tuners didn't.
I bought it off eBay here in the States in 2007.
Quality and feel is similar to a 1st-gen Samick Epiphone Les Paul circa 1993 I used to have, except the Epi needed substantial work by guitar wiz Rene Martinez to be playable.
I'm currently tweaking the truss rod adjustment, so the two bottom truss rod cover screws are removed.
Feel free to chime in about its origins and authorized or not.

 

[Sigmania]

That is cool. But as mdvineng was suggesting, these "FC" serial guitars may actually be made in China.

I am wondering if there are clues on your guitar?

Markings on the pots?

Seems like there is also a difference in how the studs for the tail or the bridge are mounted relative to MIJ models? Note somewhere from member Paladin re that.

 

[zbillster]

That is cool. But as mdvineng was suggesting, these "FC" serial guitars may actually be made in China.

I am wondering if there are clues on your guitar?

Markings on the pots?

(Digging through my box of old crappy pots from several Asian guitars) :-?
If I picked the right set from this guitar, they are dime-sized pots with either A500(omega symbol) or B500(omega symbol) marked on them.
I've got the EMG pots in there now (one thing I like about EMGs ... they come with everything you need: pots, jack, no switch though).

 

[Sigmania]

Yeah. That’s just the value. Anything on the side of the pots?

 

[zbillster]

Yeah. That’s just the value. Anything on the side of the pots?

Nope. Nothing on the back of the pickups either.

 

[mdvineng]

Have a read from post 7 onwards
https://www.mylespaul.com/threads/made-in-korea-guitar-manufacturers-thread.270507/

Interesting

 

[zbillster]

Have a read from post 7 onwards
https://www.mylespaul.com/threads/made-in-korea-guitar-manufacturers-thread.270507/

Interesting

So "FC" = Fine Corp?

I will conclude that my guitar was made "somewhere in Asia but not Japan."
The electronics and pot markings are similar if not identical to my other Korean guitars of the early 1990s to the mid-2000s, which were hit or miss in quality. I had one setup performed on it after my purchase (I wasn't impressed with the tech though) and the action is pretty clean and low.

 

[mdvineng]

FC is Fine Corp, only if it's from Korea but there are now FC ser#'s coming out of China.

 

[Sigmania]

FC06 serial number.

PRS style Tokai.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3941022698...b_vTl8uRJe&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

 

[mdvineng]

FC06 serial number.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/394102269...b_vTl8uRJe&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Typical Korean serial for those guitars that had them for Tokai, not all did.

I'm of the opinion that there was a gentle swap over to Chinese making, rather than a close then re open, as the former really messes up with supply issues and doesn't give you much of a learning curve in the new factory. So let's think that traditional designs went first to China and the non trad stayed put for awhile. ?

 

[Sigmania]

FC06 serial number.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/394102269...b_vTl8uRJe&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Typical Korean serial for those guitars that had them for Tokai, not all did.

Linking this with the other thread with the LC and an "FC 06" serial number thought to be Chinese.

http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=198422#p198422

Preserving a photo of the serial number.

Interesting that it is an '06 number like Reborn Old referred to. At the time, he suggested these may in fact be Chinese.

 

[Sigmania]

LC from the other thread and the PRS clone.

They look like the same font and size to me. I suspect they were made in the same factory?

So the big question in my mind is was that factory in China or Korea?

 

[Sigmania]

There seem to be some distinct periods for these “Korean” guitars.

2003-2004 “Make In Korea” labeled Fakais. Chinese?
2005 (F2005xxx Flying V) “Made In Korea” sticker.
2006 (FC06xxxxx serial numbers). Chinese?

Interesting clusters.

I’m still wondering when Chinese production began for Tokai?

 

[Sigmania]

I just watched a video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsF2dmJiMk4

wherein the guying showing off his 2007 Tokai started talking about the FC06 serial number on his guitar at 2:48.

He was saying that he went on the "Tokai Forum" and found out that the "Fine Corporation" was a Chinese company that took Korean guitar parts back to China and assembled them there in 2006...

Does anyone have any more information about this? Is this true?

Tokai FC serial numbers all seem to be 2006 & 2007.

http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=26750

 

[Sigmania]

Two years after the above guitar was "Made In Japan"

https://www.ebay.com/itm/394102269...b_vTl8uRJe&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

 

[Sigmania]

Potential timeline with FC serial numbers:

http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=26761

 

[Sigmania]

TF posts from 2011:

Hi again,

Thanks for the truly insightful answer Jockai. Most illuminating...

Rebar- I've ruled out one of the factories I thought it was- if you have bought a Tokai 3 or so years ago, it will most likely have been manufactured in the YueSen Musical Instrument Company Factory. I have an EX-55 from their factory and it is a very solid guitar- nice construction, but they lied about the body wood- said it was Korina, and when I spoke to the factory, they said it was most likely basswood or mahogany. Ah well- still sounds alright!

Close,

Fine Corporation made the guitars, firstly in Korea, then in their Chinese factory. Guitars with FC serial number prefixes, and a particular font are Fine Corp guitars.

Constant supply was always a problem with them, I waited 12 months for an order while production was being phased out in Korea and being transferred to China. Never received the guitars!

Tokai UK organised production with the Yue Sen factory around 3 years ago, because of the slow production and higher prices of Fine Corp. Tokai Gakki Japan also have their Chinese guitars made there.

Because of the production numbers for the UK models, Yue Sen overproduce. These guitars, with the dimple headstock, are sold into the Chinese domestic market and to any overseas buyers that want to take them.

Ok- that was illuminating stratmoto- thank you.

I had talked to a representative of Tokai UK though and he did say categorically that they no longer use the Yue Sen Plant and that they have them manufactured elsewhere... I don't know XD

Actually, a little bit of a brain fart there.

You may very well find that they are made by Saein Musical Instrument Co. They also have their own brand, which I suppose is the same pronounciation as Saein, called Shine guitars.

Not Yue Sen, sorry about that chief!

http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=18105

 

[Sigmania]

TF posts from 2011:

Hello there,

I'm a new member here, but I have got a Tokai, so I don't feel I'm trespassing

I need to ask you good folks a question about the factory that produces Tokai guitars in China.

Firstly, does any one know its name, and whereabouts it is, and secondly, if so, has anyone visited it.

Thank you.

Hi again,

... I've ruled out one of the factories I thought it was- if you have bought a Tokai 3 or so years ago, it will most likely have been manufactured in the YueSen Musical Instrument Company Factory. I have an EX-55 from their factory and it is a very solid guitar- nice construction, but they lied about the body wood- said it was Korina, and when I spoke to the factory, they said it was most likely basswood or mahogany. Ah well- still sounds alright!

Close,

Fine Corporation made the guitars, firstly in Korea, then in their Chinese factory. Guitars with FC serial number prefixes, and a particular font are Fine Corp guitars.

Constant supply was always a problem with them, I waited 12 months for an order while production was being phased out in Korea and being transferred to China. Never received the guitars!

Tokai UK organised production with the Yue Sen factory around 3 years ago, because of the slow production and higher prices of Fine Corp. Tokai Gakki Japan also have their Chinese guitars made there.

Because of the production numbers for the UK models, Yue Sen overproduce. These guitars, with the dimple headstock, are sold into the Chinese domestic market and to any overseas buyers that want to take them.

Ok- that was illuminating stratmoto- thank you.

I had talked to a representative of Tokai UK though and he did say categorically that they no longer use the Yue Sen Plant and that they have them manufactured elsewhere... I don't know XD

Actually, a little bit of a brain fart there.

You may very well find that they are made by Saein Musical Instrument Co. They also have their own brand, which I suppose is the same pronounciation as Saein, called Shine guitars.

Not Yue Sen, sorry about that chief!

http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=18105

 

[Sigmania]

Here’s what I’ve found so far:

2005

"05" six digit white paint serial numbers over the finish.
http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=26746

2006

"06" six digit impressed (Korean?)
http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=26749

"06" six digit gold paint
http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=26738&start=15

"FC06" (Chinese? Korean?)
http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=26750

"F06" (Korean?)
http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=26747



2007

"FC07" serial number
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsF2dmJiMk4


2008

"08" six digit serial (Korean?)
http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=26749

"CH08" serial number (Chinese)
http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=26738

"C08" serial number (China)
http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=26738&start=15



2009

"90" seven digit
http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=26738

"09" eight digit
http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=26738&start=15

"C09" serial (Chinese)
http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=26738



2010 - Present

CN serial (Chinese)
http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=26738