Music has been a mainstream part of human culture for countless centuries. And over the vast majority of that time, the processes used to create the instruments that made that music have traditionally passed down through the generations. The master would teach his apprentice all the skill and talent needed to produce a handmade instrument that was beautiful both to the eyes and ears.

But as the endless march of time has given us more advanced machining techniques, and the ability to automate many processes, there has been somewhat of a movement towards machine-made musical instruments. Naturally, this has led to lengthy (and possibly never ending) arguments over which build technique is superior: handmade or machine-made.

In reality, there are pros and cons for both styles of instrument making. That’s why, this weeks, we’re going to be taking a look at some of the advantages and disadvantages of handmade and machine-made instruments.

Machine-made

Pros

As we have learned to better automate the build process, machine-made instruments have gotten a lot better in both visual and audio quality. This by itself is a pretty big advantage. Hand-making any instrument, from a simple drum to a intricate guitar, is time consuming. So having the ability to produce many, nearly equally decent quality instruments quickly, is certainly an advantage when you look at it from a business point of view. But that’s not where it ends.

Mass-produced instruments also (usually) have the advantage of easy repairs. A skilled instrument repair technician will be able to fix most problems regardless of whether your instrument is hand- or machine-made. That being said, machine-made instruments have the advantage of interchangeable parts, and a certain level of predictability in the repairs. What I mean by that is the machine process for making instruments will make each and every instrument produced nearly identical. This means that someone with a little experience with a particular brand might know what to expect, making repairs easier.

This identical nature of machine-made instruments offers one last benefit over hand-made: machines don’t have “off-days.” A machine can’t get sick. A machine can’t get depressed over a break-up. A machine can’t become fatigued after hours and hours of work. Basically, you can always count on an automated musical instrument factory producing instruments of identical quality, whereas anything handmade is subject to a multitude of human interferences and distractions. For this reason, many people feel that machines can make faster, cleaner, more consistent, and more desirable products.

Lastly, and possibly the most important benefit to new musicians, is the fact that because they are easier and cheaper to produce, machine-made instruments tend to be significantly less expensive than handmade.

Cons

Of course, there are a number of disadvantages to machine-made instruments as well. First we have to go back to those “easy repairs.” While making most repairs to a machine-made instrument is fairly simple, and therefore an advantage, there is one aspect that cannot be repair so easily: the finish. For any instrument that has a nice finish added to it (which is many, if not most), the common method for applying that finish doesn’t leave much room to fix it later. For example, traditional guitar finishes like lacquers or French polishes are amazing to look at, but take a lot of skill and time to apply. This has made polyurethane, catalyzed and ultraviolet-cured finished more and more popular because they are so much cheaper and easier. The problem is that this mass-produced finish cannot be repaired or worked with if there is any damage. The entire finish would need to be sanded off and redone to fix a simple crack.

The quick, clean, and easy process of mass-production also creates a problem when it comes to options and customization. Instrument factories are, by definition, set to very strict and unvarying specifications to produce large number of instruments in a relatively short period of time. This means they simply do not have the ability to create customized “one-offs” or even small quantities of alternate options. If you’re looking for an exact replica of an existing instrument (say, Elvis’ guitar), then a factory guitar will be perfect. But if you want a different neck width, or fret sizes, or different wood choices, or options for body shape and size, you’ll need to find someone who makes them by hand.

Handmade

Pros

Making music is an extremely emotional activity, and as such, a lot of the advantages that come with a handmade instrument are equally emotional or romanticized. For example, dealing with an individual instrument maker will establish a much more personal relationship with someone that may last for years to come. This is an individual who will be available to consult with you, give you knowledgeable advice, and help you through some musical difficulties. And the relationship goes both ways; they will feel a responsibility to you and any work they do for your instrument. Machine-made instruments offer no such relationship.

This relationship is born of something else that machine-made instruments simply cannot offer, and that is a higher level of pride and craftsmanship that goes into the work. Craftsmen put all their time and effort into each any every instrument they produce. Yes, this means it makes a lot longer to make each one, and they may be subject to the master’s emotional and physical well being, but the process allows each instrument to be unique in some way. Each instrument produced is a work of art all on its own.

This uniqueness inherent in each instrument offers yet another advantage that machine-made instruments cannot provide, and that is customization. Of course, each instrument made to order can be customized to the musicians exacting needs and desires, helping them to stand out against the crowd of mass-produced guitars, drums, etc.

Lastly, there is just something so personal about an instrument made by hand. It’s easy to see why people can form such strong emotional attachments to a unique instrument that has no duplicate.

Cons

Of course, handmade instruments are subject to a number of disadvantages as well, mostly stemming from the fact that anything handmade has limitations. First an foremost is durability. Factory made instruments can be built up a bit to better withstand the wide variety of musicians and playing styles the instruments will be subjected to. No two musicians will treat their instruments exactly the same, and even the environment the live or play in can have an effect on the instrument. They need to be able to handle these changes and differences. Handmade instruments, on the other hand, cannot be made to be so universally durable. A hand maker simply cannot afford to overbuild his instruments because it would result in pretty much the same instrument a factory could produce, but with a much heftier price tag.

And that leads us into the other major disadvantage to handmade instruments: the price. A handmade instrument will carry with it a price tag that reflects the instrument’s value in terms of labour and overhead more so than a machine-made instrument at the same price. A machine-made instrument may only take 8 to 36 hours to complete, using repetition and automation. A similar guitar made by hand might take 200 hours of conscious devoted time, effort and skill. Clearly this will increase the price, but as with most things in life, you get what you pay for.

So, which is better, machine-made, or handmade? Well, it really all depends on what you’re looking for in your instrument. Handmade guitars are not inherently better than machine-made, or vise versa. It’s all about personal preference, budget, and needs. You’re best bet is to weight your options, pick up and try one of each, and make the best choice for you with the information and experience you have as a musician.