SMALL BRAND
Craftor Korea, an acoustic guitar brand spanning three generations
If you're a supporter interested in guitars, you've probably heard of 'Craftor Korea' at least once. You can also find Mahogany and Minoat Wadiz! We met with Craftor Korea to share the growth journey of this authentic brand, now available Wadiz, with our supporters.
Craftor Korea, a Korean acoustic guitar brand founded in 1972, celebrated its 50th anniversary last year. Though now globally renowned, it faced numerous challenges in its early days. Starting small, it has built its reputation over three generations. Follow the guitar melodies Craftor Korea plays!
1st Generation: Chairman Park Hyun-kwon "The Seongum instrument is my entire fortune and my entire philosophy."
2nd Generation: President Park In-jae "Even if 99% is good, if 1% isn't perfect, we discard it."
3rd Generation: Park Jun-seok, CEO: "I want to prove the quality and value of Korean-style acoustic guitars."
Page 1. A Miracle Begins in a Basement Room
▲ Park Hyun-kwon, Chairman of Crafter Korea (1st Generation)
Q. Is there a reason you started other brands?
My first job was at a guitar factory. After working there for over a decade, I started thinking, 'If I made guitars myself, they'd probably sell well.' The economic climate was favorable at the time, so that vague idea could become a reality.
Q. Were there any difficulties?
The 1970s saw an acoustic guitar boom, marking a golden age for the guitar industry. Major international brands also entered the Korean market in large numbers. As a startup with limited capital, breaking into new markets was challenging. We began in a single basement room but persevered with patience.
Q. What did you consider most important?
I prioritized materials above all else. While eye-catching design matters, producing a beautiful sound during performance was my top priority. To achieve that, you need to use the best materials. I sourced the finest materials from a plywood factory in southern Busan for production. As a result, word spread that our guitars had better sound quality than famous brands, allowing us to forge our own path.
Q. Is wood really that important?
It's truly crucial! The guitar body is made of solid wood less than 3mm thick, yet it must withstand the tension of strings weighing about 70kg. We meticulously check for that 'sticky feel' by touching the wood and bending it.
The sound varies depending on the wood. Our flagship product, 'God in Earth,' uses Engelmann spruce wood, which excels at producing warm high notes. We also funded a 50th-anniversary guitar(link) Wadiz. This guitar uses carbonized wood. By placing white wood in an oven and lightly charring it, it creates a rich midrange and bass tone.
Q. Does Crafter Korea have its own guiding principles?
We have an ironclad principle: customers who use our instruments must be satisfied and spread the word to others. We've built what we have today through relentless research and effort, day and night. In that sense, Seongum instruments are my entire fortune and my very philosophy.
Page 2. Expanding into overseas markets
▲ Park In-jae, President of Crafter Korea (2nd Generation)
Q. I heard the original brand name wasn't Crafter Korea?
We started under the brand name 'Seong-eum'. It combines the characters for 'achievement' (成) and 'sound' (音), meaning 'well-crafted sound'. The first chairman created the name. However, when we tried exporting overseas, foreigners pronounced it as 'SUN GE UM'. That's why we changed the brand name to Crafter Korea.
The term "crafter" is derived from the English word "craft," meaning "handicraft." By adding the suffix "-er," it signifies someone who creates handicrafts. In practice, these items are handcrafted by artisans with experience ranging from around 10 years to as much as 30 to 40 years.
Q. What prompted you to start exporting?
As the Korean acoustic guitar market declined, we turned our attention to overseas markets. Back in the 70s, carrying an acoustic guitar around would get you noticed, but by the 80s, you had to carry a pager to get attention instead. We realized we needed to find new sales channels.
Q. To how many countries are you currently exporting?
We export to approximately 40 countries. This includes all of Europe, as well as cold and dry Siberia and hot and humid Brazil and Thailand.
Q. Is there a secret to exporting regardless of temperature and humidity?
Durability is paramount, so the secret lies in the lengthy process we undergo for export. From the initial wood import stage to delivering the finished instrument to the customer, it goes through approximately 100 to 200 distinct processes.
There are two methods for wood drying. We naturally dry the wood for a minimum of one year, and up to two to three years. The more seasons the wood experiences, the greater its durability becomes. For thicker wood, we use mechanical drying.
Q. I hear you also have a passion for other design fields?
I often woke up suddenly in the middle of the night to sketch, so I kept a notepad and pencil by my bedside. My mind was always consumed by guitar thoughts. One day, I saw a beautiful pattern on the street. By experimenting with different applications of this pattern, I developed the 'God in Earth' design. I also worked on developing various bracing systems, striving to create unique advantages that set us apart from other companies.
Q. What efforts is the brand making to grow beyond its current state?
It's less about effort and more about obsession. If we don't achieve the quality we envision, we scrap it. If we don't meet our quality standards, even if we have 99 good guitars, just one bad one lowers the brand's standing.
Page 3. Beyond Instruments: Becoming Art
▲ Park Joon-seok, CEO of Crafter Korea
Q. You mentioned creating "artistic works, not just guitars."
A guitar's clean finish is important, but so is its quality sound. That's why crafting a single guitar can take years. We say it's like creating a work of art because a good product must meet not only the aesthetic standards expected of it, but also the essential requirements of an instrument. We truly give our utmost to every single instrument.
Q. That's why the sound is so distinctive, isn't it?
Is there a secret formula unique to Crafter Korea?
Craftor Korea pursues a bright sound with pronounced high frequencies. The sound varies depending on the pattern of the guitar's entire body, and we have 50 years of experience and accumulated data. Our understanding of wood and our experience are fused into our craftsmanship to create guitars that produce the best possible sound.
Q. What has enabled Crafter to continue for 50 years?
I believe it's because our AS system is well-established. Since we make our products by hand, we handle everything thoroughly.
I believe it's because we maintain high quality standards and rigorous inspections, and we never stop striving to improve. We've been making the 'God in Earth' model for 15 years now, but we've never produced the exact same product year after year. While the model name remains the same, we're constantly advancing its internal structure and overall finish.
Q. What challenges would you take on to grow even more?
Customer awareness of acoustic guitars has significantly increased. Therefore, we are making it our priority to quickly catch up with and reflect these trends. We are striving to create models that are more market-friendly than our first and second generation guitars. For example, we are diversifying shapes and applying carbonized wood, among other materials, to meet the specific demands of our customers.
Q. Finally, what would you like to say to those who love Crafters?
The guitar is an instrument that originated in the United States. However, I want to promote and prove the value of Korean-style acoustic guitars, demonstrating that their quality is on par with overseas guitar brands.
Craftor Korea, a small brand that grew into a global one with the conviction to make high-quality guitars. After the guitar market's heyday, they became the only factory mass-producing guitars, making it difficult even to source wood, yet their passion remains fiery. May they continue to be cherished as a guitar brand that creates beautiful sounds.
Check out Crafter Korea's 'Mahogany Guitar' 👉 Click if you're looking for a guitar with a rich, warm sound!
Check out Crafter Korea's 'Mino Guitar' 👉 Looking for a compact-sized guitar? Click here!
Wadiz Quick Link
Start aWadiz Project
Wadiz Funding A to Z Maker Center
Get Answers to YourWadizQuestions
