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 even find the Mahogany and Mino modelsat Wadiz! We visited Craftor Korea to share with our supporters the growth story of this authentic brand available Wadiz.
Craftor Korea, a Korean acoustic guitar brand founded in 1972, celebrated its 50th anniversary last year. Although it is now world-renowned, it reportedly faced numerous challenges in its early days. From humble beginnings to building a legacy that has spanned three generations, let’s follow the melodies of Craftor Korea!
1st Generation: Chairman Park Hyun-kwon: “Seong-eum Musical Instruments is my entire fortune and my entire philosophy.”
2nd Generation: President Park In-jae “Even if 99% is good, if 1% is not, we scrap it.”
3rd Generation: CEO Park Jun-seok: “I want to prove the quality and value of Korean-style acoustic guitars.”
Page 1. A Miracle Begins in a Single-Room Basement Apartment
▲ Park Hyun-kwon, First Chairman of Crafter Korea
Q. Is there a reason you started this brand?
My first job was at a guitar factory. After working there for about ten years, I started thinking, “If I made guitars myself, they’d probably sell well.” Since the economy was doing well at the time, that vague idea was able to become a reality.
Q. Did you encounter any difficulties?
The 1970s marked a golden age for the guitar industry, as acoustic guitar music became all the rage. Many major international brands had also entered the Korean market. Since we were just starting out, we didn’t have much capital, and it was difficult to establish sales channels. We began in a single-room basement apartment, but we persevered.
Q. What did you consider most important?
I prioritized the materials above all else. While an eye-catching design is important, my top priority was ensuring the instrument produced a beautiful sound when played. To achieve that, I had to use high-quality materials. I sourced the finest materials from a plywood factory in southern Busan to craft my guitars. As word spread that our guitars sounded better than those from famous brands, we were able to carve out our own niche in the market.
Q. Is wood really that important?
That’s really important! The guitar body is made of solid wood that’s less than 3mm thick, yet it has to withstand the tension of strings weighing about 70kg. I carefully check for that “sticky feel” by touching the wood and bending it.
The sound varies depending on the type of wood. Our flagship product, the “God in Us,” is made from Engelmann spruce, which is great for producing warm high notes. We also ran a crowdfunding campaign Wadizfor our 50th-anniversary guitar(link). This guitar is made from charred wood. Since the white wood was placed in an oven and lightly charred, it has a distinctive midrange and bass tone.
Q. Does Crafter Korea have any guiding principles?
We have a firm belief that customers who use our instruments should be satisfied with them and feel compelled to share their experience with others. We’ve built our success through relentless research and hard work, day and night. In that sense, Seong-eum instruments are my entire fortune and my philosophy.
Page 2. Expanding into Overseas Markets
▲ Park In-jae, Second President of Crafter Korea
Q. I heard the brand wasn't originally called Crafter Korea, right?
We started under the brand name “Seong-eum.” It combines the characters for “achieve” (成) and “sound” (音), meaning “a well-crafted sound.” The name was created by our first chairman. However, when we tried to export overseas, foreigners pronounced it as “Sun-ge-um.” That’s why we decided to change the brand name to Crafter Korea.
The name "Craftor" is derived from the English word "craft," which means "handicraft." By adding the suffix "-er," we’ve created a term that refers to someone who makes handmade crafts. In fact, our products are handcrafted by artisans with experience ranging from around 10 years to as much as 30 or 40 years.
Q. What prompted you to start exporting?
As the Korean acoustic guitar market began to decline, we turned our attention to overseas markets. Back in the 1970s, carrying an acoustic guitar would get you noticed, but by the 1980s, you had to carry a pager instead to attract attention. That’s when we decided we needed to explore new sales channels.
Q. How many countries do you currently export to?
We export to approximately 40 countries. We ship to destinations across Europe, as well as to cold and dry regions like Siberia and hot and humid countries like Brazil and Thailand.
Q. Is there a secret to being able to export regardless of temperature and humidity?
Since we place a high priority on durability, the secret lies in our extensive production process. From the initial import of the wood to the final shipment of the finished instrument to the customer, the process involves approximately 100 to 200 steps.
There are two methods for drying the wood. We allow it to dry naturally for a minimum of one year and up to two or three years. The more seasons the wood experiences, the greater its durability becomes. For thicker pieces of wood, we use mechanical drying.
Q. I heard you also had a special passion for other types of design?
I often found myself waking up in the middle of the night to sketch, so I kept a notepad and pencil by my bedside. My mind was always on the guitar. One day, I saw a beautiful pattern while walking down the street. After experimenting with it in various ways, I developed the “God in Us” design. I also worked on developing a variety of bracing systems, striving to create unique features that set us apart from other companies.
Q. What steps is the brand taking to grow even further?
It’s less about effort and more about an obsession. If we can’t achieve the quality we envision, we scrap it. If we don’t meet our quality standards, even if we have 99 good guitars, that one bad one will drag down the brand’s reputation.
Page 3. Beyond the Instrument: Becoming Art
▲ Park Jun-seok, CEO of Crafter Korea
Q. You once said that you “create artistic works, not just guitars.”
While a clean finish is important for a guitar, so is high-quality sound. That’s why it can take years to craft a single guitar. Since a fine instrument must meet not only the aesthetic standards expected of a quality product but also the technical requirements of a musical instrument, we say we’re creating works of art. We truly give our all to every single instrument we make.
Q. That must be why the sound was so unique.
Does Crafter Korea have a secret formula?
Crafters Korea strives to create a bright, vibrant sound with prominent high frequencies. The sound varies depending on the pattern of the guitar’s soundboard, and we have 50 years of experience and accumulated data to draw upon. We incorporate our deep understanding of wood and our extensive experience into our craftsmanship to create guitars that produce the best possible sound.
Q. What do you think has allowed Crafter to thrive for 50 years?
I think it’s because our after-sales service system is so well-established. Since we make our products ourselves, we take great care to ensure everything is done thoroughly.
I believe it’s because we adhere to high quality standards and rigorous quality control, and because we’re constantly striving to improve. We’ve been making the ‘God in Us’ model for 15 years now, but we’ve never produced the exact same product two years in a row. While the model name may remain the same, we’re always refining the internal structure and overall craftsmanship.
Q. What challenges do you face in your pursuit of further growth?
Customers are becoming much more knowledgeable about acoustic guitars. That’s why we’ve made it our priority to quickly identify and incorporate the latest trends. We’re striving to create models that are even more market-friendly than our first and second generations. For example, we’re diversifying our designs and using a variety of materials, such as carbonized wood, to meet our customers’ needs.
Q. Finally, do you have a message for those who love Crafter?
The guitar originated in the United States. However, I want to show that Korean-made acoustic guitars are just as high-quality as those from international brands and prove their value.
Driven by a commitment to crafting high-quality guitars, Crafter Korea has grown from a small brand into a global one. Since the heyday of the guitar market, it has become the only factory still mass-producing guitars, making it difficult even to source wood—yet their passion remains undiminished. We hope they continue to be loved as a guitar brand that produces beautiful sounds.
Check out Crafter Korea’s “Mahogany Guitar” 👉 Click here if you’re looking for a guitar with a rich, warm tone!
Check out Crafter Korea’s ‘Mino Guitar’ 👉 Click here if you’re looking for a compact guitar!
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