As the new economy of craft markets and small scale manufacturing grows, is it really a new idea or just a redefining of an old one? Is this something that has been debated for centuries and is now showing itself to only further prove the economic theories of the Industrial Revolution? Good short read in the NY Times magazine this weekend gets into it a bit.
Category: Uncategorized
Fretboard Journal posted a great video interview and bio on Romero Banjos last week. Their attention to craft and the art of woodworking makes me wish I played banjo so I could order one.
(Source: http://www.fretboardjournal.com/)
The guys at Motomethod have a very unique business model, and it’s one I hope takes a hold so we can see more like it. A cool take on community and craft and the space that overlaps.
(Source: http://motomethod.com/)
I am absolutely a road trip junky.
Walrus Audio. I’m really digging the combination of indie/boutique manufacturing with a focus on art and design. This is a cool feature on the artist handling the designs for their current pedal line.
(Source: http://walrusaudio.com/)
So, I’ve been wanting to mess around with pedal building for a while now and decided this holiday break would be the best chance I had for a few days off to spend learning. I ordered a beginner level kit from BYOC, a clone of the Marshall Bluesbreaker Overdrive. It wasn’t a bad build, although I did run into a few issues and enlisted some help from the pro’s on the BYOC forum to help me out. I had to double back a couple times to clean up solder joints and messy wiring, but all in all not too bad. Two days later and several strange glances from Kelly in the other room… and it finally fired up! Not my favorite pedal, but this definitely got me going. Now to decide what the next build should be…
Support the Rise Above Foundation by bidding on signed posters from the New England Metal & Hardcore Festival:
“Indie” Capitalism
In many ways, I’ve been seeing this all over and within my group of friends… whether in the DIY communities of boutique musical instrument and gear builders, cafe racer building and modding, craft breweries and distilleries, and so many more that are out of my immediate sight. I, for one, welcome this return to craft, return to “indie” capitalism, and a return to using your mind and hands to create a value and not trade and leverage for a perceived monetary differential. The question is, can it sustain a livelihood for all the people willing to embrace it?
H.G. “Skip” Brack salvages tools from all over New England to resell at affordable prices, in an effort to support his local economy and craftsmen. (via Moto-Mucci)
Stones In The Merrimack 