For a number of years, the Samick corporation was the "phantom builder" of instruments for a number of other trademarks. In fact, when the Samick trademark was finally introduced to the U.S. guitar market, a number of consumers thought that the company was brand new! However, Samick has been producing both upright and grand pianos, as well as stringed instruments for more than forty years.
The Samick Piano Co. was established in Korea in 1958 by Hyo Ick Lee. By January of 1960 they had started to produce upright pianos, and within four years became the first Korean piano exporter. One year later in 1965, the company began manufacturing guitars, and by the early 1970s expanded to produce grand pianos and harmonicas as well. In 1973 the company incorporated as the Samick Musical Instruments Mfg. Co., Ltd. to reflect the diversity it encompassed. Samick continued to expand into guitar production. They opened a branch office in Los Angeles in 1978, a brand new guitar factory in 1979, and a branch office in West Germany one month before 1981.
Throughout the 1980s, Samick continued to grow, prosper, and win awards for quality products and company productivity. The Samick Products Co. was established in 1986 as an affiliate producer of other products, and the company was listed on the Korean Stock Exchange in September of 1988. With their size of production facilities (the company claims to be cranking out over a million guitars a year, according to a recent brochure), Samick could be referred to as modern day producer of House Brand guitars as well as their own brand. In the past couple of years Samick acquired Valley Arts, a guitar company known for its one-of-a-kind instruments and custom guitars. This merger stabilized Valley Arts as the custom shop wing of Samick, as well as supplying Samick with quality American designed guitars.
Samick continues to expand their line of guitar models through the use of innovative designs, partnerships with high exposure endorsees (like Blues Saraceno and Ray Benson), and new projects such as the Robert Johnson Commemorative and the D'Leco Charlie Christian Commemorative guitars. Currently, it is guesstimated that Samick produces fifty percent of the world's guitars (samick Company History courtesy Rick Clapper; Model Specifications courtesy Dee Hoyt).
In 1998, Samick decided to overhaul their entire line. They brought in Greg Bennett, who has been in the guitar industry for over twenty years, to create a sense of continuity throughout the entire line of guitars. In 2001, they stopped their previous line of guitars. In 2002, the Samick company was purchased by Jong-Sup Kim, and they introduced an entirely new line of guitars with Greg Bennett on every headstock, which is smaller as well. By combining Samick and Bennett, there is over seventy years of experience in guitars. The new line of guitars are called "Greg Bennett Design by Samick." In 2006, the Samick headquarters in the U.S. moved from City of Industry, CA to Gallatin, TN.
In addition to their acoustic and electric guitars and basses, Samick offers a wide range of other stringed instruments such as autoharps, banjos, mandolins, and violins. For more information, contact Samick directly or visit their website.
Instruments currently produced in Indonesia and Korea. Distributed by Samick Music Corporation in Gallatin, TN (previously located in Southern California). Samick has been producing guitars since 1965 and has been importing guitars into the U.S. since 1981.

SAMICK Acoustic Guitars Models

SAMICK SW-260 CE N (GALLOWAY) Image

SAMICK SW-260 CE N (GALLOWAY)

- single rounded cutaway dreadnought style, maple top, round soundhole, tortoise pickguard, bound body, multi-stripe purfling/rosette, maple back/sides/neck, 14/20-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with pearl diamond/dot inlay, rosewood bridg...

SAMICK LW-027 G Image

SAMICK LW-027 G

- similar to the LW-025 G, except features ovankol back/sides, available in Natural gloss finish, disc. 2001.

SAMICK EAG-93 Image

SAMICK EAG-93

- thin line depth dreadnought body with single rounded cutaway, solid spruce top, oval soundhole, bound body, abalone purfling/rosette, rosewood back/sides, mahogany neck, 24-fret bound extended ebony fingerboard with pearl eagle inlay, ros...

SAMICK SW-270 HS NM (JASMINE) Image

SAMICK SW-270 HS NM (JASMINE)

- dreadnought style, cedar top, round soundhole, black pickguard, bound body, herringbone purfling/rosette, walnut back/sides, mahogany neck, 14/20-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with pearl block inlay, bound peghead with pearl logo inlay,...

SAMICK LW-028 A NEW Image

SAMICK LW-028 A NEW

- similar to the LW-025 G, except features ivory body binding, 3-per-side Grover tuners, available in Natural satin finish, mfg. 1997-2001.

SAMICK EAG-98 BLS Image

SAMICK EAG-98 BLS

- single cutaway design with flamed maple top, maple back and sides with sandstone finish, oval raised wood bound soundhole, rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays, 23 frets, rosewood bridge, black diecast tuners, EQ-700 System electronics, a...

SAMICK SW-292 S (NIGHTINGALE) Image

SAMICK SW-292 S (NIGHTINGALE)

- dreadnought style, solid spruce top, round soundhole, black pickguard, 3-stripe bound body/rosette, mock bird's-eye maple back/sides, nato neck, 14/20-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay, rosewood bridge with white bl...

SAMICK SW-630 HS (LAUREL) Image

SAMICK SW-630 HS (LAUREL)

- dreadnought style, solid spruce top, round soundhole, black pickguard, bound body, herringbone purfling/rosette, rosewood back/sides, mahogany neck, 14/20-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with pearl tree of life inlay, rosewood bridge with...

SAMICK SW-730 SP Image

SAMICK SW-730 SP

- dreadnought style, solid spruce top, round soundhole, black pickguard, bound body, multi-stripe purfling/rosette, rosewood back/sides, mahogany neck, 14/20-fret ebony fingerboard with abalone dot inlay, ebony bridge with black white dot p...

SAMICK LW-060 GA Image

SAMICK LW-060 GA

- full size dreadnought, spruce top, rosewood back and sides, abalone inlay, mahogany set neck, rosewood fingerboard and bridge, 20 frets, gold Grover tuners, gloss Natural finish, mfg. 1999-2001.

SAMICK SW-790 SP Image

SAMICK SW-790 SP

- similar to the SW-730 SP, except features jacaranda back/sides, bound fingerboard, available in Natural finish, mfg. 1994-96.

SAMICK SWT-210 CE Image

SAMICK SWT-210 CE

- thin line depth dreadnought style with single rounded cutaway, spruce top, round soundhole, mahogany back/sides/neck, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard, rosewood bridge with white black dot pins, 3-per-side chrome tuners, piezo bridge picku...

SAMICK SWT-217 CE ASHTR Image

SAMICK SWT-217 CE ASHTR

- thin line depth dreadnought style with single rounded cutaway, ash top, round soundhole, mahogany back/sides/neck, 14/20-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with pearl diamond inlay, rosewood bridge with white black dot pins, 3-per-side die-c...

SAMICK SDT-110 CE OSM Image

SAMICK SDT-110 CE OSM

- thin line depth dreadnought style with single rounded cutaway, kusu top/back/sides/headstock, round soundhole, tortoise pickguard, bound body, multi-stripe purfling/rosette, 14/20-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with pearl diamond/dot inl...