Crafter guitars was founded by HyunKwon Park in April, 1972. He started business in his home, making guitars in a twenty-square-meter area with four employees. Early guitars were classical models that were distributed in Korea. Guitars at this time were branded "Sungeum." In 1978, they moved to a bigger location in Yangju-gun. In 1986, his oldest son, Injae Park, joined forces and decided to change the name to something more user friendly. They came up with the name Crafter, which has been in use ever since. HSS (Honner) distributed Crafter guitars in the U.S. in the late 1990s and early 2000s. In 2000, they opened a new 7,000-square-meter factory with a workforce of 140 people. They currently are distributing guitars in forty different countries.
In 2005, full- and semi-hollow body electric models were introduced into the U.S. Market. Crafter has also produced solidbody electric guitars and basses under the Cruiser brand, and currently under the Ashland brand. Crafter has also used their own trademark on a line of electric guitars, but they were never available to the U.S. Market.
Keep in mind that all models listed here are strictly the models that are offered in the U.S. market. Crafter produces several more models, but many of them are not or never will be available in the U.S. Contact Crafter or visit their website for more information.
Instruments currently built in Korea. Distributed by Crafter USA in Ashland, VA. Crafter has been building guitars since 1972, and under the Crafter name since 1986.
