Luthiery Laboratories

This book should be required reading for everyone. An insider reveals what can - and does - go wrong when companies shift production to China

In this entertaining behind-the-scenes account, Paul Midler tells us all that is wrong with our effort to shift manufacturing to China. Now updated and expanded, Poorly Made in China reveals industry secrets, including the dangerous practice of quality fade—the deliberate and secret habit of Chinese manufacturers to widen profit margins through the reduction of quality inputs. U.S. importers don’t stand a chance, Midler explains, against savvy Chinese suppliers who feel they have little to lose by placing consumer safety at risk for the sake of greater profit. This is a lively and impassioned personal account, a collection of true stories, told by an American who has worked in the country for close to two decades. Poorly Made in China touches on a number of issues that affect us all.​

There is no such thing as quality control in China. They don't care. They ship everything halfway around the world, and if it is defective, you are stuck with it. This goes for everything from clothing to parts to tools.

Here is an example of a part that was damaged at the factory and then shipped anyway:

Note the damaged height screw and corresponding marks in the body. You'd have to be blind not to see this. They just don't care.

Almost everything at Harbor Freight is cheap Chinese imports. I don't even buy sandpaper at Harbor Freight anymore, just one more of many things I won't buy there. Harbor Freight is very much caveat emptor. It's easy to get a lot less than you paid for. Some of their stuff is good, like short bar clamps ( but not long ones. ) Stay away from the power tools.

Update 2023

The Chinese economy is imploding, and imports from China have all but disappeared. Good.

The problem with China is that the whole country is basically slave labor. They can dominate any industry they want by undercutting everyone else's price, and they are perfectly willing to lose money in the process. They drive the competition out of business, and leave you with no choice but to buy their shoddy junk, like T-shirts that fall apart after six months and shoes that fall apart if they get wet, and toxic pet food. And guitars that turn brown. Myself, I'd rather pay a little more for a well-made product.

Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, and many other 'little tigers' are taking up the slack from China's collapse, and produce much better products. And if India can ever get it together ...

I have nothing against the Chinese people. In fact, I feel sorry for them, having to live under such a system. But there is nothing I can do about it, except maybe never buy another Chinese guitar!