Samick GL 950

Exhibit D: Samick GL950 NA


Just the Facts

Samick is one of the world’s largest guitar companies and has made guitars marketed by Hondo, Epiphone, Fender, and others as well as under the Samick brand.

This guitar was probably made in the late eighties, or possibly nineties.  I e-mailed Samick and was unable to get any information about this guitar.  On one of the guitar forums there are pictures of two similar guitars, but nobody seems to know much about them.  About all I  know  about this guitar is derived from examination of the instrument.

It features a neck-through design, and in appearance is similar to some of the guitars made by Alembic in the seventies.  It also resembles the Ibanez Musician, and S.D. Curley Guitars from the same period.

The  fingerboard is ebony and the body appears to be maple and walnut.  The model number  on a little sticker on the back  says GL950 NA.  The NA probably refers to the natural finish.  There are two humbucking pickups, a stop tail piece and tune-o-matic style bridge. The two volume, two tone, and selector switch layout are similar to most two hum- bucking guitars.  The sealed tuners say Samick and resemble those made by Schaller  and Gotoh.

The workmanship on this guitar is very good ,although two of the fretboard inlays are a little off center.

Where and When

I got this guitar from a friend in about 2010. 

Why it’s Cool

This is a very good guitar.  It is fairly light and the pickups are well balanced and sound good.  It is also a really good looking guitar.

On the Other Hand

It sounds pretty much like most two humbucker guitars.
The sound is good but not particularly distinguished or magical.

I really like this guitar and would like to know more about it.  I’d like to know when it was made and would be interested in any marketing materials about it.  I have been reading Guitar Player Magazine since 1976, and still have most of them.  I don’t recall ever seeing this model advertised.

If you know anything about this guitar let me know.