Samick

Samick is the name of a Korea-based musical instrument manufacturer, one of the largest in the world.

The name refers to the entire Samick Music Corporation, which owns several manufacturers of pianos, guitars, and other instruments. The company started as 'Samick Pianos' in 1958, manufacturing pianos sold under the Samick name.

In 1992, Samick built its P.T. Samick factory in Cilesungi, near Bogor, Indonesia. This factory produces the majority of instruments that Samick makes.

In factories in various Asian countries, Samick manufactures a large share of all electric guitars on today's market, mostly for other brands.

Samick Musical Instruments have always made a wide range of guitars, from starter models to professional instruments. The Samick Artist series, for example, are known as high-quality guitars; they were made under the Samick name from the mid-1980s till the late-'90s. Since 1999 the electric guitars made by Samick no longer carry the Samick name; they are now called Greg Bennett Guitars. Some other brands Samick builds guitars for are Epiphone, Gibson, Washburn, and Hohner. Recently have signed their first signature to Michael Graham of East Coast Ambitions with a signature Samick F100

Samick also has a wide range of pianos. Its acoustic piano brands include Samick, Pramberger, Wm. Knabe & Co., Sohmer & Co., Kohler & Campbell, and Gebrüder Schulze; and it has digital piano brands of Kohler and Symphonia. It attempted to acquire Young Chang, but the merger was not approved by the government. Samick also sells Pianos to the German C. Bechstein Pianofortefabrik who is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. Major shareholders are Karl Schulze and Samick (19,5%) of South Korea. [http://www.bechstein.de/upload/investorrelations/reports/GB_2006.pdf] In addition, Bechstein and Samick have a joint venture factory in Shanghai, China.

External links

* [http://samick.co.kr/eng/ Samick Musical Instruments Company Homepage]

* [http://www.samickguitar.com/ Samick Guitars US]

* [http://www.smcmusic.com/ SMC music]