bazuku
Well-known member
Fortunately for us, most people value hand-crafted over machine-made instruments.
Lutherie is a craft that is steeped in tradition, so it is to be expected that any technological changes will be resisted, or at least, adopted very slowly. Hot hide glues versus aliphatic resins, the reluctance of some to use bolt on necks, and the bias against non-traditional high tech plastic instruments are lingering examples of this. Hand skills should be appreciated and applauded, but in the end this will probably be decided by the economics of man hours versus machine minutes ….. the industrial revolution is endless and without mercy. No one who has had successful microscopic robotic nerve surgery rues the fact that the surgeon used machines to accomplish his task, so I doubt that the average ukulele buyer will lose too much sleep over how the inlays were accomplished.
Sadly, even for traditional craftsmen, time is money.
Lutherie is a craft that is steeped in tradition, so it is to be expected that any technological changes will be resisted, or at least, adopted very slowly. Hot hide glues versus aliphatic resins, the reluctance of some to use bolt on necks, and the bias against non-traditional high tech plastic instruments are lingering examples of this. Hand skills should be appreciated and applauded, but in the end this will probably be decided by the economics of man hours versus machine minutes ….. the industrial revolution is endless and without mercy. No one who has had successful microscopic robotic nerve surgery rues the fact that the surgeon used machines to accomplish his task, so I doubt that the average ukulele buyer will lose too much sleep over how the inlays were accomplished.
Sadly, even for traditional craftsmen, time is money.