thistle3585
Well-known member
So, I originally was going to post this in a current thread but thought it wasn't fair to the original poster to derail his thread. I hate it when people do that to mine. But I have a genuine question about building instruments.
Several times I've heard statements like "If you don't do it this way then your not learning the craft." For example, if I don't learn to bend with a hot pipe or learn to plane with a hand plane instead of a drum sander then I'm less of a craftsman. I just don't get that argument. I don't understand learning a technique for the sake of a tradition, of course I don't build what I consider to be a traditional instrument either.
I guess its the technology debate all over again. I can use a hot pipe but I really don't enjoy it. I've never found the need, but to suggest that someone is less of a craftsman because he doesn't learn/use a traditional technique is absurd. If I'm out of line please tell me. For what its worth, I consider myself to be an instrument builder and not a luthier and I haven't really given any thought to whether I was a craftsman or not.
Andrew
Several times I've heard statements like "If you don't do it this way then your not learning the craft." For example, if I don't learn to bend with a hot pipe or learn to plane with a hand plane instead of a drum sander then I'm less of a craftsman. I just don't get that argument. I don't understand learning a technique for the sake of a tradition, of course I don't build what I consider to be a traditional instrument either.
I guess its the technology debate all over again. I can use a hot pipe but I really don't enjoy it. I've never found the need, but to suggest that someone is less of a craftsman because he doesn't learn/use a traditional technique is absurd. If I'm out of line please tell me. For what its worth, I consider myself to be an instrument builder and not a luthier and I haven't really given any thought to whether I was a craftsman or not.
Andrew