Before I get started, it may be a good Idea for you to read up on the word philosophy, as it has a few related but different meanings, is complicated, and often misunderstood, here is how Wikipedia describes it.
I tend to use fact based logic more than anything when I philosophize, and ignore popular belief, as it is more common for people to base their beliefs on what is convenient and idyllic, not necessarily on truth and fact.
My approach to the repair and building of instruments starts with function, and as musical instruments are tools for musicians to practice their craft with, it only makes sense to want a good tool. When it comes to the tools I use to execute my craft, I always opt for the best I can afford, as they cut down on work time, and give better results.
My highest priority is to make great instruments for serious players. I do not have the collectors market in mind when building and repairing instruments, and I do not compromise quality in exchange for ease of building or higher profit margin. When it comes to repairs, I will always suggest upgrades over factory original parts if I know them to be better, but of course it is up to you in the end.
A major part of proper function of a musical instrument is good sound, but good sound is a matter of personal preference, and you may prefer a different sounding guitar than the other guy. The subject in itself is plagued with misunderstanding and false information, which I refuse to fall victim to, as many instrument builders do, who should know better. I will use uncommon woods and other materials despite popular belief, as I consider their actual physical properties, and use them where they are suitable, and ignore tradition for traditions sake, as I do not run a museum. Using a wider field of materials and construction methods, I can come up with instruments covering a wider range of sound, and lessen my impact on the environment.
Once good function is established, form must be considered, as looks can not be ignored, and are not only important to the future owner of the instruments I build, but also to me the builder. Visual appearances are a matter of taste, and that can vary widely from person to person, but there is also such a thing as bad taste. Also a major consideration with looks is style, and all kinds of styles and variations thereof have arose throughout the history of human existence, some more desirable than others, but also a matter of taste.
I have been told that I have a keen sense of style, and also good taste, and do not like to veer far off from my artistic vision. When building in a particular style, I like to keep looks correct to that style, but do sometimes build in styles of periods where guitars did not even exist. I will not sacrifice good function to achieve a certain look, so don't be surprised if I knock down your Idea for a bass made of solid granite, or a Mandolin that doubles as a barbeque.
I strongly believe in treating people with respect, honesty and kindness, but also believe that respect is a two way street, and kindness is often abused. In my experience the phrase "Customer is king" is primarily used by those who think they are more important than, or superior to others, those who want to overstep given boundaries, and those who need their ego's stroked for whatever reason. I believe that there is such a thing as a bad king, the history books are littered with them. I never understood why some people accommodate those that push them around for no good reason, and I for one will not have it.
I am very friendly and accommodating, but not in a foolish way. I treat everyone equally, no one is more important than anyone else, no matter how famous or well to do: I turned down working for Jimmy Page without batting an eye, when his representative got evasive to my question of weather it was true, that Jimmy treated his technicians as scapegoats, as I had heard it from a few different tech's that worked for him at one time or another.
So weather You are super famous, or a complete unknown, in my shop it's all the same, and first come first serve and equal treatment for all still applies, just remember in my shop I am king, but a good and pleasant one.
Well in this case philosophy may not be the right word, and I like to see things as they are, and having repaired guitars for over 30 years now, I have seen it all. The word "Quality" is just that, a word, and contrary to popular belief, amount of sales does not equate to quality for the most part, and expensive does not necessarily mean value, as new technology does not mean better technology. The most misleading word is traditional when used to describe the parts of an instrument, as technology tends to move forward, and tradition is stagnant.
When I tell someone that the neck on their famous brand name instrument can not be adjusted anymore because the truss rod is of bad technology and material, and has failed, they look surprised and in disbelief, and may even question my finding. The truth is often that the technology of anything manufactured is decided in a board room, where dollars and cents take precedence over technology, and a great design may be struck down to save one buck on each instrument, no matter how much the engineer flails his arms and cusses.
When I worked at Washburn, someone in management decided mid production run, to replace the carbon fiber neck reinforcements with ebony cutoffs from fingerboards of a series of basses we were making. Not only did it have no reinforcing quality what so ever, the resulting instruments were completely useless, and still got sent out, but with the lightest available string gauge, and the truss rods adjusted to where they ran out of thread! They did remove the feature of "carbon fiber reinforced neck" from the tags and advertisements, but they did not drop the $1200.00 price tag.
Besides a very few company's, quality and material choices are all over the place depending on who owns the company at any given time, and who is making the decisions. Proud employees do not always feel that proud about what they are making, if they know any better. Sometimes it is better to ignore the hype, and read the guaranty slip thoroughly, or get an unbiased expert opinion, when choosing an instrument.