# My answers to "Who to see and how much" threads



## YJMUJRSRV (Jul 17, 2007)

gone fishing


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Cant argue with logic


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## fudb (Dec 8, 2010)

That being said, I've been to true experts (who were and remain) busy, who charge $70 an hour for their shop rate and then spend half of the time they're billing you for on the phone with other customers (or at the door). I've been to other true experts who start the job and finish it, charge you the time it took them, then go answer the voicemails.

Same job, same level of expertise, double-digit differences in final price.


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## washburned (Oct 13, 2006)

It does pay to shop around, but the old adage remains true: "if it seems too good to be true it probably is".


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## Jimmy_D (Jul 4, 2009)

The guitar repair and service industry as it exists today is essentially a joke by any business standard. Witness the statements above re wait time. 

I’m being told that wait time is to be expected and that; the better the guy is - the longer the wait, the longer the wait – the better the end product. An industry where there’s no such thing as a quality job in a realistic time frame, and we’re supposed to expect that or we’re not smart enough to get a good job – go figure.

So, once I get an audience with the pope (so to speak) I can hand over my guitar and expect to wait, what if I’m talking it in for an upgrade and it’s gone for weeks or even months. And don’t forget it’s an industry governed by “the only price that matters is what’s the guitar worth to you” – fail business 101 without passing go (anyone handing over a guitar to one of these so called experts under these circumstances, that is).

This boutique market governed by little science and plenty of tall tales, is laying there waiting to be revolutionized by someone with a few bucks and some brains.


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## YJMUJRSRV (Jul 17, 2007)

gone fishing


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## Jimmy_D (Jul 4, 2009)

So you're not going to point out the weak points of my argument, you're just going to confirm my statement. 

I'm not mad about anything, just pointing out the situation at hand which seems to be making you mad, you won't see me lining up at your door anytime soon, no need for guitar techs here.


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## Lab123 (May 27, 2007)

Hey Jimmy, I don't always agree with YJM but I have to agree with him this time..There are a lot of guys like you who have the same attitude...They bring in a 60 dollar guitar with the bridge missing and some loose bracing...."fix that for me ole buddy and I'll pick it up tomorrow evening and theres a twenty spot in it for you"....If there's a dozen people ahead of you you have to wait the amount of time it takes to make a dozen repairs..Simple....I also take pride in doing nice work...Its slow and tedious work and my time is worth money...Larry


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## Jimmy_D (Jul 4, 2009)

I love how you guys see my post as some kind of slight on your profession, which it isn't, it's a comment on the business - I'm sure you both do fine work but you both also exemplify my point - YMJ wants to charge me more because he doesn't like my supposed attitude, and you've described me "a guy with a 60 guitar" who needs his tech but doesn't value his work - both wrong, both funny none the less.

Anyway my points both stand 

- the attitude at issue here is the one in the first post, which states if you're not smart enough to give me the work yada yada yada, it's a joke and it's the reason I do the work myself. 

- the industry is due for change.


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## Lab123 (May 27, 2007)

Jimmy, I'm sure you do nice work also...Sorry I let myself get involved with this thread...
This forum is about Guitar building,Methods and Techniques and I think we are way off topic...Take care Larry


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## John Watt (Aug 24, 2010)

This is an interesting thread, because the love of music, and every hype about it,
are the emotions and attitudes that make it so interesting, involving, for me.
All of that, and even more, comes into play when you're talking about maintaining your instrument.
Too bad for electric lead guitarists, that our time on top is over, the 60's and 70's over, crushed by synths and digitals.

I can see long wait times being justified. When I'm at a friends build and repair shop,
he's got old guitars in there, some for a year or two. But that's building value, adding time, to the guitar.
That's a big part of it for collectors, and visiting to see how it is can be some real guitar time, not being a performer.
It really is what the owner wants and how much he wants to pay to get it the way he wants it.
If I have a problem this way, it's others finding out I built my guitar, wanting me to work on theirs.

and more than this, May All Peace Be Upon You. Music takes me to that beautiful space.


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## Guitar101 (Jan 19, 2011)

John Watt said:


> Too bad for electric lead guitarists, that our time on top is over, the 60's and 70's over, crushed by synths and digitals. May All Peace Be Upon You. Music takes me to that beautiful space.


I'm going to have to disagree on one point in your comment about lead guitarists time on top being over. I have piano's, a synth, and guitars but when I go out to catch a local band. It's the lead guitarist that I'm watching, listening to, and if their pretty good. Appreciating. Keep working on those licks. There's a lot more people watching and listening than you'll ever know.


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## bagpipe (Sep 19, 2006)

Guitar101 said:


> but when* I *go out to catch a local band. It's the lead guitarist that *I'm *watching, listening to, and if their pretty good.


Thats because you're a guitarist! The other 95% of people couldn't care less.


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## John Watt (Aug 24, 2010)

It's always disappointing to me, having invented a new aspect of acoustics,
when luthiers say maybe only 5% of guitarists would be able to catch this more extensive feel.
Believe me, I noticed it when audiences started getting more excited about synthesizer sounds,
more people wanting to talk to the keyboard player, saying I can play piano, I can play that.

I was always hoping rock would evolve into a more knowledgeable audience, maybe like the old classical scene.
But the sex and drugs really became the biggest part of rocks' party in public, bringing down the industry.
I see comedy as becoming the next rock, with wrestling (now ultimate fighting) being the biggest arena acts,
with monster trucks being big business down south.

It's amazing who's watching and listening, when other musicians come out to see.
That's being a professional, in public. You never know who's watching.
Right from the start, that's all I heard. 
That's how I met Jeff Healey. He could hear I was pulling bends across the neck like him,
but he couldn't tell I was standing up playing with bass strings on the bottom.
Yeah, I know, what a concept. Bass on the bottom, and highs on top.
I don't have to scrunch up my fingers to play lead on the high notes.
Can you dig it?


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