From the always interesting Oberloh Brass Works site are vintage images of the C. G. Conn band instrument factory from 1911.
Now most instruments are made overseas because of the high cost of labor in the U.S. You can read more about the Conn Music Instrument story here.
The Bis Key Chronicles 
Wow very cool, I think I have a couple more weeks and then I get to go to the ophera to see latino stuff, supposed to be very lively.
Take care
Not to be a dick about this but is the cost of labor really that high in the U.S.? I know more instruments are being made in Indonesia too but it’s not like instruments are computer cards. I can’t imagine that too many are made. Instruments are expensive but no one is getting rich making them, right. The guy you bought your BAS (like the the BAT – Big Ass Tuba) from does not own 12 cars and have is own episode of Cribs, does he?
When the Japanese started making guitars, there were suddenly a bunch of pretty good guitars on the market. The attention to statitstical quality control and automation (high precision robots) makes all those Japanese guitars really pretty good. Like any intrument, you still need the perfect storm of materials, engineering and handicraft to produce a transcendant model. But still, that’s not labor cost and the Japenese guitars made buying another POS Fender from who-know-where a bad idea.
I would imagine it’s other things like the ability to use toxic chemicals in an uncontroled environement that attracts some of these companies.
It’s always struck me as a little black magic that good brass instruments are treated as unknowable. I’ve known plenty of expert machinists and metal fabricators. It can’t be beyond them to produce high quality instruments. It is, after all, just plumbing – beautiful, well executed plumbing but still, just plumbing.
I love this pic! Some time ago i saw how a saxophone was made on the discovery channel (i think – or was it here?) and i was amazed by it. I wonder who thought it was a good idea to takea hollow tube, make holes in it and blow – it must have been someone with much time on his hands 😉
love, daphne
FX, you, a dick? No way! :o)
I do, as you know, tend to simplify very complex topics. But when you can get month’s labor in country for one third of what we pay a US laborer in one day, yes, it is significant.
Very interesting, so they do still make instruments here but have been on strike for a year. If they’re represented by the UAW you can be sure they are paid very well! More than many professions that require a 4 year degree.