While I understand both sides of this discussion, I have heard no difference in sound between Chinese-made and British made Celestions. If I did hear enough of a difference to warrant dissatisfaction, I would find out which Celestions were made in England and change over to those.
Concerning Les' comment about why someone would buy 5 or 6 Korean or Asian built guitars, rather then one American made one, it might be that as it is easier to part with less money for a given product and as a lot of players do not feel as many here feel about having no problem saving up and buying more expensive gear, that would be my reasoning for it.
I have read where some players, who had nothing but less expensive gear all of their playing life, all of a sudden decide that they would rather have one or two more expensive guitars. They trade away the lesser guitars and purchase one expensive guitar, and then realize what they had been missing.
Still some others are literally afraid of scratching or creating "honest wear" on more expensive gear, and just feel more comfortable playing less expensive gear.
I know that having played really fine gear all of my life, I don't even blink at either buying or playing in bars with high end gear. I know how to take care of it, and I am not afraid of playing it and wearing it in.
If a person has really fine gear and doesn't use it, I feel it's a crime. Why save it? Some other person will wind up with it eventually and they will use it, as it was built to be played.
Every high end company or person building guitars that I have bought and played, have always told me that they want to see their products played and enjoyed, not put in a glass case.
I agree fully.
I've not heard a difference between English and Chinese V-30s. However, I'd still spring for the ones made in England, given the choice. In part, that's because the Chinese aren't honoring patents, copyrights, or trademarks. In part, it's because I've found that gear made in China has QC issues. And I don't like to see US or British workers undercut by cheap, or political prisoner, labor (this does happen, it isn't a conspiracy theory of some kind, according to Amnesty International). Finally, the Chinese are being complete dicks about their claims to territorial waters, and are making up nonsense claims to their "historical" territories. Right now we have an aircraft carrier fleet or two patrolling in the China Sea to get them to back off their claims. In other words, we are showing that we will use force. We don't have to do that with England.
I don't like empowering them with my own personal money. YMMV.
I do get that people will buy several cheap guitars, instead of one great one. I could see getting one or two for temporary use, while saving up for the good one. And I understand that companies like PRS have to keep their doors open and give the market what it wants: mostly inexpensive stuff. I think they'd be better off in the long run just buying the good one at some point, but it's not for me to judge, I just mention it in passing.
And I agree fully that it makes very little sense to have great guitars and not play them when playing out; when I do a session, I want to give the client my very best playing and tone, and for the most part, that's going to come with my best instruments. Same when I used to play out to entertain people. It's what the instruments are for!
The great classical musicians often have multimillion dollar fiddles, or six figure pianos, etc., that they travel with to play on concert stages. They don't keep the good ones at home and perform with the cheap stuff, though some do use carbon fiber instruments on summer outdoor stages, they are very high quality, expensive carbon fiber things!
In any case, our audiences (or clients) deserve to get the best we can give them. Anyway, that's how I think about it. And I have a pride of playing as well as I can, on instruments that let me do that best. I know, it's not necessarily the case that the cheaper stuff can't do that, of course it can work. But I have my own cross to bear, as do we all.
