Gentlemen,
I've stayed away from posting to any forums over the last several months so it didn't look like I was playing favorites, but I had to jump in here for a minute - if for no other reason than to rush to Sylvan's defense... At least a little.
There are several ways one cam look at this subject, many of which are represented above, but the point of view that "it doesn't matter" bespeaks a very unprofessional attitude about a very important aspect of the craft.
I agree with Sylvan, in that, to consider yourself "accomplished" you probably should be well versed in all aspects of the craft. Do we who make our living at this sub things out? Of course. For example, I buy pre-slotted and radiused fingerboards these days, but I didn't start doing that until after I had produced hundreds myself, and I only started doing a few small things like this because my production numbers dictated that I HAD to do something to speed the process.
Bruce Dickey makes the good point that few of us grind our own shell, or make our own tuners either but, where do we stop offering this type of analogy to justify using the labor of others, and putting our own name on the final product? Where does it stop? Are folks who build only highly "serviced" kits "Luthiers"? Do folks who have guitars built overseas with "their name" on them receive the title "Luthier"? Jay Turser or Carlo Robelli anyone?
Now, there are folks who have allergic reactions to nitro, and there are folks whose shop circumstances do not, in any way, allow them to set up a spraying system, and these are valid reasons for subbing this work out. I just hope that those who simply, "don't like to finish", or, "don't like to make necks", or, "hate sanding", etc., etc., etc. - (and I hear a lot of comments like this - more often that I would hope to) - don't start cutting all kinds of corners, and wind up not learning these processes at all. Jeez guys, it's all part of the deal, and anything you don't learn diminishes your "accomplishment". It is my belief that anything worth learning, is worth learning fully, and thoroughly.
I don't particularly care what you call yourself, be it "Luthier", or "guitar maker", "hobbiest, "journeyman", or "Grand Master de` Lutherie Par Excelance`", but always ask yourself if you're as good as you WANT to be, and set about the task of learning what you have to learn to achieve the results that you're after. Knowledge is power, experience leads to accomplishment, and the more you know, the fewer corners you'll find yourselves backed into as well.
And by the way, John Kinnaird, Stradivari did NOT sub out "a lot of his violin building to specialists", in fact, he subbed out NONE of it that my books mention - especially his scrolls! Later in his career, when he was in his 80's and 90's, his sons worked with him, but the quality of the work is much less refined, and easily identfied. My point? This is a spurious "factoid", used to justify an untennable position. True, the "cottage indusrty" of specialized parts makers sprung up long ago in Europe to build lower cost instruments, but in the 17th and 18th centuries, the few who were considered Master makers were called that for very good and specific reasons.
OK, those whom I've pissed off, and wish to quit ASIA - form a line to the left.
Bill
Bill Moll38767.4312384259
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