Another example that maybe makes it clearer coming to mind: warhammer is a massive business, for decades. But why do people like to buy unpainted little plastic models and then do a usually mediocre job themselves painting those, taking forever? They could just buy them fully painted by professionals, that would look obviously much better.

But the enjoyment and emotional attachment comes from doing that yourself. It is your little sci fi army even if their lines are smudged. You look at those figures and remember the hours spent painting them, progressively getting a little better with each. It is the same with the instrument, the husband fixed it up, spent a lot of love and effort on it, learned something in the process. Now thats all gone and instead he has some product.