Posted by Volker on September 06, 2002 at 06:50:56:
Well, I checked the archives and found some comments on this topic, but they are rather on an assumption base. Does anybody know real facts about advantages or disadvantages of the expensive handcraft process in comparison with hydraulic and possibly even roboter controlled production runs? Does it pay to invest twice the price of a standard 6/4 for the similar handmade version?
There are controversal opinions on the emotional (non-rational) base. Some are praising the good old days before the general introduction of modern production processing equipment (maybe up to the beginning of the 60s), on the other hand, companies like Conn and Bohland proudly mentioned their modern hydraulic construction equipment in their early catalogs of the 20s and 30s as THAT decisive progress - especially in regard to the later sound quality (they argue, the huge pressure inside the branches provide a perfect smooth inner surface as the ideal guide for projecting the sound - leading to the reader's impression, this could not get achieved by the handmade procedure using lead as a pattern for shaping).
So, is the attribute "handmade" appealing to our subconscious in order to make us believe, there is more care and time being invested (thus better / more valuable) at the expense of much higher prices? At least as for cars, I am convinced, modern cars are much better in overall quality than partly handmade oldtimers, but maybe this comparison is "limping"?!?! I know, that there is at least one fact to point out concerning the safety of consistency in case of modern machinery, whereas the handmade horns may vary in individual quality within the same model range and batch. However, besides the risk to get a bad sample, it includes the chance and excitement to select and extraordinary good one.