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Factory vs. Handmade vs. Hand Built
by Scott Beckwith
Chairman of the Board, Head Cheese & Nutty Professor
Birdsong Guitars
There are some fine guitars coming out of China for short cash. With thick,
shiny finishes, tons of features, proven old designs. They will serve most
casual & beginner musicians well. I could (and have) played many gigs on similar
instruments. Korea - they've been building really good stuff for a while now.
Those huge factories... it's almost like the cartoons where a cow goes in one
side and a hamburger patty comes out the other. Pile in the wood, push a button,
out comes a copy of an American design. Heck, a lot of 'em even get stamped with
Familiar American brand names.
Where do you think the big companies come up with their "lower" lines of
product? And you know, there's nothing inherently wrong with this, so long as
you know what you're getting. Marketing them as "a real (insert American
brand name)", labeling them as "hand made" or what have you is just a
shuck. A company that makes a million guitars a year, if they can save a penny
somewhere on some component on each one... whether it's on cheaper jacks or out
of the factory laborers asses... that's a bundle. And they'll do it every time.
Do the math - it's a sound business decision. That's why their stuff costs $200
(or oh, sorry... $199)... some factory in Vietnam or Indonesia made them
for $50 each. What kind of parts quality goes into an entire guitar that can be
built for $50? Think those factory workers get health insurance? Overtime? Paid
dental that involves Novacaine? (Just the BRIDGE we use on the
Cortobass costs us more than that... wholesale!) Still, they're decent instruments,
WAY better than what a $400 or under student piece was 20 years ago. My God,
that's a whole other story. Oh, the junk I've played!
Questions:
Do you believe a musical instrument is a sacred tool of creation?
Do you feel it should be a special instrument you choose to be your musical
voice?
Do you believe that the art of artists & craftspeople is worth paying for?
Are you opposed to sending your money to countries whose politics you disagree
with? (and by the way, commissioning an artist
in another country to hand build you a piece is VERY different than going down
to the local Mega Music Monolith Superstore and buying some
"product" made in a huge third-world factory, so let's not confuse the
two or which one I'm referring to, okay?)
Does anything in the above paragraph bother you at all?
If you answered no to these questions, you can pick up a good guitar at a great
price from any huge superstore in the world. That's what they do. Good luck,
play from the heart, and make some good music. For those who answered yes to the
above questions, you're now looking at American, maybe Japanese guitars, maybe
really high-end custom jobs. The "Handmades." Or the factory guitars
perceived as completely hand made. I'll tell you what, small companies &
builders like Alembic & Ken Bebensee, REAL handmade stuff, turn out some
jaw-droppers. They also cost a small fortune - super high-end and "boutique"
builders routinely charge $4-$5000 or more. Is it worth it? Completely. These
are original works of art by master craftspeople! Do you have any idea the time
it takes to build something like this? The skill levels in so many areas
required? It would make your head spin around like some kind of radar dish. But
that's a pretty thin market up there; not many folks can lay out what a decent
used car or a small chunk of land would cost for a guitar or bass. Of course,
this is coming from a guy who drives a '74 Dodge. By choice.
Questions:
Is a $4000 instrument out of the question?
Would you feel uncomfortable playing it hard at the next gig?
Are you looking for something simpler than a multi-piece, carved, inlayed,
exotic work of art?
Do standard, traditional designs bore you to tears?
Would you still rather deal with a person than a Corporation?
If you answered yes to those, congratulations! I know right where you're coming
from. And THAT is what we do at Birdsong Guitars - provide the professional
player with professional tools. Their art is first and foremost how well they
play & sound, their UNIQUE combination of features & specs. Form follows
function. Play 'em hard - that's what those high dollar bridges (and the premium woods
and expensive, heavy duty pots, switches & tuners) are for! Do I personally
carve by hand file every component? Mill, drill and cast my own hardware? No!
You don't want to pay me for THAT. So like anyone building anything in these
times, we do have to buy some pieces that can't come from, say, downtown
Austin. That's reality. Do I end the day covered in sawdust, solder,
and finishing oil? You betcha. And with a goofy grin on my face. With my
wrists sore from hand building all these special parts into YOUR instrument. In
MY shop, under MY control, to MY standards. THAT's reality, too... and that's why they're $1500, not $200
(oh sorry, $199) or $5000 for that matter. They are what they are - great American
built tools
of creation. And if you don't like 'em, we buy 'em back. End of story.
Scott
The
Birdsong Hand Built Guitar Co.
PO Box 1745 Wimberley, TX 78676
512.847.6014
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