GUITAR

GURU
YOUR GUITAR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
BY MASTER LUTHIER DANA BOURGEOIS

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN

HANDMADE AND HANDCRAFTED?
 GUITAR
GURU
YOUR GUITAR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
BY MASTER LUTHIER DANA BOURGEOIS

Q: What exactly is the difference

between a “handmade” and
a “handcrafted” guitar? Furthermore,
in the high-end market, what qualities
should a player (not a collector) look
for when evaluating the differences
between, for example, a $3,500 guitar
and a $7,500-plus guitar?

—DAN LIECHTY, NORMAL, ILLINOIS

A: A quick Google search finds that

Martin, Collings, Kent Everett, and
Kim Walker describe their guitars as “hand-
made”; Eastman, Froggy Bottom, Jeff Elliot,
and yours truly are among those that use the
term “handcrafted.” In practical usage, then,
neither term reveals much about the method of
manufacture or scale of operation.
But that answer’s probably not very satisfy-
ing. Surely, how a guitar is made must have
some bearing on quality, right? Unfortunately,
that loaded question can’t be fully explored
within the scope of this column. Perhaps,
though, by riffing on your second question,
some light can be shed on the first.
I’ve always felt that a guitar should first be
judged by its ability to make music in the
hands of an accomplished player. Players,
though, come in all levels of ability. I can’t
play like Bryan Sutton, but some guitars give
me a shot at sounding something like him.
For $3,500, then, I want a guitar that helps
me sound like Sutton. Or whomever. And for
$7,500, I want a guitar that helps me sound
even more like Sutton.
Other features, including elegant or
sophisticated visual design, rare materials,
individual customization, or a luthier’s skillful
and painstaking use of hand tools, can add
further layers of value. Like beauty, though,
value is in the eye of the beholder. If non-
musical features pluck your strings, you
should include these in your overall assess-
ment of value. But don’t confuse the icing with
the cake. If you don’t feel qualified to fully
evaluate the musical potential of a guitar, seek
the opinions of the best players you know.
So this kinda loops back to the handmade
question. Some of the most valuable fretted
instruments ever made were produced by so-
called factories. A 1939 Martin D-28 or D-45,
as well as a 1923 Gibson F-5 mandolin, were
each built by many hands, using at least some
heavy machinery and employing certain semi-
automated processes. Today, these instru-
ments have far greater market value than
most other instruments of similarly beautiful
design and similarly superb craftsmanship.
This is because popular, influential, and cul-
turally significant music was once made on
them, and continues to be.
I once wrote that I’ve never been moved to
tears by an inlay, a fret job, a beautifully exe-
cuted finish, or even a piece of wood. Music is
an altogether different story. A guitar’s reason
for being is to function as a musical instru-
ment. It can also be an art object, but that’s a
separate and, I would argue, secondary func-
tion. If you buy a guitar for playing music,
make sure it provides you with enjoyable
musical experiences. And that includes giving
you, the player, something always to reach for,
even if you’re Bryan Sutton.
Dana Bourgeois is a master luthier and the founder
of Bourgeois Guitars in Lewiston, Maine.

© 2016 Stringletter 2