SMS Musing #15

In response to a Facebook post asking about opinions on musical instruments made in China on the Flute Forum:

Which country a flute is made matters less compared to the quality control (consistency of output) and standards of said quality control ("student" grade versus "concert" grade). We use brand names as a proxy to determine these factors, because the well-known brands have an established track record.

Well-known brands can still produce duds, though that is likely to be less likely than some brand that is lesser known. Remember also that all well-known brands have started their lives once upon a time as an unknown one.

The only sure way to know if a flute works well or not is to play it for oneself. Trade shows are a way for the companies to showcase their best work. If one is looking for a steady supply of instruments, then it is almost necessary to visit the factories themselves to determine the two aspects of quality control I talked earlier before making a decision.

For musical instruments using more organic components (like wood, or animal skins) the question is more layered. It is less about it being made in a country and more about the ambient temperature/climate of the factory of origin. Organic materials are a bit more dynamic than metals, and can be affected quite drastically in their preparation and treatment in manufacturing. In these cases, the quality of control aspect extends deeper into the material supplier as well.

It's turning into an essay here, so I shall stop for now. 😅 I'm not here to defend nor denigrate "made in China" instruments, but want to advocate a more informed decision making process as opposed to relying too heavily on mental shortcuts that uses stereotypes.