comercial mandos

[Marty Jacobson]

They’re all using CNC routing systems. Not hand made by my definition.

I use CNC extensively in my process.

I also have arthritis from doing so much lutherie work. I'll turn 35 in a few weeks.

[Br1ck]

Yes but I think it is a lot more than 2%?

The 2% I was refuring to was the amount of material taken in final top carving, not 2% better sound. CNCs are quite good at the first 98% of material removal.

[amowry]

I use CNC extensively in my process.

I also have arthritis from doing so much lutherie work. I'll turn 35 in a few weeks.

Same here. My tendinitis, arthritis, bad back, and asthma are all better since getting the CNC, and my instruments are better and more consistent now, because I can put more time in where it counts: graduation (still done by thumb planes, srapers, etc.), binding, finishing, etc. Actually, it takes me just as long to build instruments as it ever did.

For me, power tools are just a spectrum, and the word "handmade" doesn't have much useful meaning. I suppose the only instruments I made that were completely handmade were the first few, when I used nothing electrical other than lighting. But, I expect that saying a Dudenbostel or Gil isn't a handmade instrument would ruffle a few feathers for sure To me it's partly a question of how many people touch the instrument during the process, but also what the overall mindset and goal are. Things that are hard to quantify...

[Jeff Mando]

FWIW, Peavey was the first maker to employ CNC way back in the 70's, borrowing the idea from the gun industry and as a cost saving approach.

And, Peavey guitars and basses have their fans..........

[Pittsburgh Bill]

I have enjoyed following this thread and as a non builder found it enlightening. The builders that responded make me very thankful they exist and I would think motivate larger builders to try harder. It appears that even the smallest of builders, most use some mechanization to expedite the build process in the early stages. I have also gathered that the early stages have less impact on the final quality of the instrument than the tweaking that takes place in the later stages. I would also think that experience is quite important very early on selecting individual pieces of wood for use.
However, I'm not sure the person that started this thread did so with the expectation of such in depth revelations about how our instruments come to be. Did he not think that companies such as Weber, Collings, and Northfield build their instruments off of a large assembly line? Perhaps not, but I don't think so.
Referring back to my nonprofessional post #4 on this thread I still believe that once skills or should I say great skills are attained the difference remains that the small builders that have those skills are selling an instrument with their name on it. The pride that comes with producing a wonderful mandolin has to be a motivator when bearing your name.
Fortunately for us some of the larger builders have managed to maintain a healthy reputation for quality instruments and provide good value for the price point. I, for one, would like to have the expendable income to support my MAS with all instruments from small builders, but my wife says that I don't.
And as always, just my humble opinion and thank you to the builders that have shed light on how they ply their craft.

[Br1ck]

To really appreciate the craft, you need to build one. It is an eye opener. I was able to put my Arches kit together and end up with a mandolin I truly love playing, but have no doubts about someone with skill taking the same wood and making a better mandolin out of it. Then there are the skills such as binding and finishing that add so much aesthetic pleasure. It was building one that made me realize $6k is not too much to ask.

Just to build one and not have it fold up was rewarding.

[testore]

I’m 52, been making instruments for 35 years. My knuckles, fingers, back, elbows and forearms ache with each instrument I build too. I’m not immune to the repetitive movement damage. My eyes are failing and when I resaw a large piece of wood my nose drips for the rest of the day. Still I love the process and do it with hand tools that my training has taught me. My dear friend Tony Rizzo is a very fine self taught violin maker. He has made many very fine Violins very late in life. His hands are a crippled knot. He can’t straighten his fingers anymore. I believe he is in his 90’s. He may have made his last violin last year, but I had the pleasure of seeing it. Not his best work, but it was honest. Aging is a part of life, Tony has embraced it and still produced fine products with his crippled hands. He’s a real inspiration. This craft isn’t about perfection, it’s about beauty and interpretation. It’s an art form done properly. CNC destroys the personality that attracted me to this career. I hope to die at the bench with a gouge in my hand, covered with wood chips.