My Epiphone dot is China made, and I had big fears but picked it up anyway. Epiphone oversees the production of these guitars and let me tell you, flawless. No worries at all. Plays great, looks great as it plays, and I did what any intelligent person would do, I put in Gibson 57 humbuckers and man alive, she wails.  I think Gibson has crazy prices and exploits players with price tags too high. Maybe they will sell more if they cut prices in half or more, until then, Epiphone is just as good in my book anyway. Take it from an old sea bass who has played 45 years and owned just about every top brand guitar out there. .