Handmade and we are human....
We are also living in an age where the mass produced, industrial process produces a type of perfection.... People have become accustomed to looking at objects that are largely produced by machines...
I'd rather have an instrument with good design and confidence of execution rather than one that looked perfect and yet lacked finesse...
This was beautifully stated. My first post on this thread (where I wasn't sure if Ken had really gone mad), comes from the conflict we have with standards for our own intruments. Here's a quote from Robert Ruck:
Some of the old Spanish guitars are just incredible, but a lot of those guitars are pretty rough. A lot of fairly inexperienced modern makers do better cosmetic work than those old Spanish makers, but they knew what was important. They were faithful to designs that played well and sounded great...
My partner, a Central American who apprenticed in Italy and Spain, is, to hear him tell it, more of an old style Spanish builder than anyone working today in Europe. His instruments have simply spectacular sound, but he's just not that concerned with the details of "exact" workmanship. On top of that, he has a predjudice against machines in general.
He told me once that someone came in to demonstrate a copier to make necks. In a "John Henry" contest, Omar built them with hand tools almost twice as fast as the copier.
I think in earlier times, it may have almost been a type of machismo: "do you want a guitar that looks perfect, or one built by hand, that will move you with it's voice". Of course, the answer today is it must have both qualities.
I will never convice Omar of that. He is very polite when we discuss these things, and would never disagree. Nonetheless, with the Latins, you learn there is polite agreement (not
quite condescending), and sincere agreement, and how to tell the difference.
The instruments come to me in the (very) rough, and it's up to me to finish things up. When so much of the building is done with hand tools no matter what you do, the instrument won't look like it came from a factory, or even the more modern small shops, where machine work predominates. I happen to like this (a lot), but worrying about modern standards of quality, based on the kind of machined look that Michael spoke of, is the kind of thing that can can make you "lose your mind".
More and more, however, I find myself "becoming Spanish", and relaxing (a bit) as a result. I know little criticisms can ruin someone's reputation, but is it really worthwhile worrying so much about other's opinions if you are truly creating a quality piece of workmanship?
Michael, I'll have to look into David Pye's book!