It stands to reason that constant downward pressure on price for musical instruments will eventually result in compromise.
As poorer countries like Korea become richer, they have to pay more for labor, so to keep prices low, manufacturing shifts to even poorer countries where labor is cheaper. At some point, though, the price has to affect expectations.
I’m not saying the Indonesian guitars are or aren’t aren’t as good as the Korean ones; but there are certainly compromises made for either one compared to the Maryland guitars.
I’d certainly recommend an import for a beginner, or for a person not all that into playing guitar.
But for a more serious player, a US instrument is worth patient planning and saving for, if it’s possible to do so. I know lots of terrific musicians for whom affording a great instrument was not easy, yet they considered it essential. In the classical music world, players actually take out mortgages on special instruments!
It’s not unusual to see folks with multiple imported guitars when they could have one great USA model, and that’s something I don’t quite understand.
Before you think I’m an insensitive snot who doesn’t grok the needs of working musicians who need to play lots of styles, understand that I’m a working musician making my living doing TV ads and soundtrack music, required to play lots of styles, and there have been many times I’ve been able to have only one really good guitar that I had to scrimp and save for, with a family, a mortgage, and putting kids through college.
Edit: On the other hand, I freely admit to being an insensitive snot for reasons having nothing to do with music or guitars.