Official Luthiers Forum!

This doesn't deal with lutherie per se, but I thought it was relevant to some of the discussions we've had here. Gives some history on how skilled work has been stripped of their status for the sake of efficiency and how we might be headed down the same path with information technology. Might shed a little light too on why we find such pleasure in guitar work.

http://www.thenewatlantis.com/publicati ... -soulcraft


Pat

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formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

Great article. Timely as I have been doing a tradesman's job around my own house, (refinishing wood floors) while my latest guitar sits on the bench waiting for binding. Both of these tasks bring the satisfaction of doing things for yourself and knowing in the end someone who has no inclination or motivation to do either of these will look at your handiwork and wonder what posessed you to undertake such tasks. Its probably the Scots-Irish in me that refuses to pay for things like that when you can do it for yourself. Lets hope the craft of guitar making continues, whether a hobby or a vocation.

Mark
Somewhere in central WA

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Wisdom is justified by her children

Great artice; I have been ranting about this subject for years!

Great artice; I have been ranting about this subject for years!

Sam and Max,

Though the article is much more articulate than anything I could put together. The idea that decision-making has been moved up and away from the person performing the work has come up in earlier threads about what makes a hand-made guitar, and also I believe, in a piece that Ervin Somogyi wrote in an American Lutherie recently. I think the loss of that empowerment for the worker strips the work of its meaning to the worker.

I worked for Apple Computer years ago. The work, the work environment, fellow employees, perks, the pay, everything about the job was great on the surface, great boss, etc., but my work had little personal meaning. Even though I had a fair amount of autonomy, I felt like I didn't own it. In that respect, driving a cab was more satisfying. My current job is pretty good that way, though the pay is lousy (state university).

For me, building guitars has everything going for it - autonomy, meaning, concreteness, manual competence, etc. If only it paid well, or even moderately, with benefits! At least this way, I'm sure I'm in it for the love of it and not for the money.

Pat

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formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com