Who ever the person putting this information about the DM-1 Korea acoustic was not started in 96. Sigma started in 1970, in Japan. Later in '73 they moved to Korea. They used the style in guitars in Korea, before changing to u.s style. Soon they would be shipped to America and looked over before sent to music stores from Martin & Co. The Dm-1 was introduced in '76 and has been on and off until mass produced in 1996.