F*ck me runnin!

[vector]

Rant advance warning-

Just got financially ass-raped by a "Master Luthier" on a relatively simple repair to my Les Paul. I've been going to various luthiers, guitar repairmen, and techs for a long time. I've seen the vast range in pricing but it wasn't until I encountered this last ass-hat that I think I've hit the ceiling on pricing.
I'll own up to my portion of the blame in this- I did not demand a quote up front. I assumed I knew, from years of using repair techs, what it was gonna cost. Boy, was I mistaken. The only thing bigger than this prick's bill, is his ego. Never encountered someone so full of themselves and/or shit. Mother fucker better deliver the goods. That LP better fucking play like magic and sing like a choir of angels.

When the fuck did tech's become so pricey? I mean, I get it- guitars players, especially suck-ass, wanna-be, mid lifer's like me, have a bit more disposable income and likely a few nice axes around. But that's fucking highway larceny. He even goes to the extent of charging 50 bucks more per hour for work on "vintage" instruments. Never disclosed what he defines as "vintage" either.

I'm fast running out of techs who are either competent, price worthy or nearby.

[Chad]

I'm confused. Did he already do the work? Or did you drive a distance and felt obligated or something like that? If you don't like his prices or personality, I'd walk.

[LouSiffer]

Duno if I would fuck you running....but, if you hold still and wiggle it just right.... -Lou

[outlawten5]

I made a comment on another post that I don't change my own strings. Its true. Idon't. But I send this guy a lot of work and he hooks me up. 5 guitars for 75 bucks. Intonation, action, fret polishing, neck adjustments etc...I am always happy and my jap charvels feel better than any guitar I have ever owned. BTW He brags that he designed the Jem for Steve Vai. And his house is full of framed pics of them both

[pianoguyy]

I just took 2 in to someone new on Thursday after my HD500 and Ibanez was delivered.
I think I may end up getting a rather large bill from him. He's such a perfectionist, I can only imagine every fret being removed and cleaned and all that other good stuff.

But my other guy is so stinkin far away.

[leftykingv2]

I made a comment on another post that I don't change my own strings. Its true. Idon't. But I send this guy a lot of work and he hooks me up. 5 guitars for 75 bucks. Intonation, action, fret polishing, neck adjustments etc...I am always happy and my jap charvels feel better than any guitar I have ever owned. BTW He brags that he designed the Jem for Steve Vai. And his house is full of framed pics of them both

Unless the guy doing your set ups is Steve Vai, Elwood Davidson, or Joe Despagni he had nothing to do with designing the "Jem."

[leftykingv2]

Rant advance warning-

Just got financially ass-raped by a "Master Luthier" on a relatively simple repair to my Les Paul. I've been going to various luthiers, guitar repairmen, and techs for a long time. I've seen the vast range in pricing but it wasn't until I encountered this last ass-hat that I think I've hit the ceiling on pricing.
I'll own up to my portion of the blame in this- I did not demand a quote up front. I assumed I knew, from years of using repair techs, what it was gonna cost. Boy, was I mistaken. The only thing bigger than this prick's bill, is his ego. Never encountered someone so full of themselves and/or shit. Mother fucker better deliver the goods. That LP better fucking play like magic and sing like a choir of angels.

When the fuck did tech's become so pricey? I mean, I get it- guitars players, especially suck-ass, wanna-be, mid lifer's like me, have a bit more disposable income and likely a few nice axes around. But that's fucking highway larceny. He even goes to the extent of charging 50 bucks more per hour for work on "vintage" instruments. Never disclosed what he defines as "vintage" either.

I'm fast running out of techs who are either competent, price worthy or nearby.

Do you mind me asking what work was done and what he charged? I am on your side about that "upcharge for vintage instruments." That's just bullshit. This is just another reason I am glad I do my own tech work. The last time I took a guitar to a tech I didn't pay. I got the guitar back playing worse than it was when I took it in. The tech at the shop said" This guitar is pretty beat up I think it's time for you to consider buying a new guitar." Meanwhile I have 27 others at home. It was one of my old Japanese Ibanez RG's. The price of the set up was $44.95 and I asked for the manager and told him flat out I would not pay for the work that was done. I asked for the lowest action possible with no acoustic buzzing of the strings. Well the action was so low it buzzed on damn near every fret and he tweaked the neck so far out of whack when I took it home and fixed it I had to turn the truss rod almost four whole revolutions to get it back to being playable. The guitar looked like it was adjusted by a monkey. The manager said well we can try to do another set up for you and get the guitar closer to your liking. I said how long will it take? He said another week. I told him forget it payed for the strings and walked out the door. I haven't brought a guitar back to that place since and I won't ever again. The problem I find when going to these places is they hire these little skinny jean wearing tattoo covered hipsters who look like rock stars but can't string a guitar and know virtually nothing about tech. Especially Guitar Center. They're really guilty of bad hiring practices. At least 80% of their employees don't know shit about what they're even trying to sell people. I've seen there sales people tell customers that an import was made in USA. One time in particular I was looking to buy a new practice combo and spend maybe $300 bucks. I brought one of my KV2's with me and the salesman looks at me while I am trying an amp out and says "That's a really nice guitar you've got there." " I wasn't aware that Jackson made an import King V left handed." I just looked at him. It was all I could do to restrain myself from calling him a fucking moron right on the spot. It sounds to me like you're dealing with the exact opposite of the shit I run into. For all the crap and ego you're dealing with I just hope he gets your guitar back to you the way you want it. Good luck bro.

[Newc]

I do my own crappy setups. No sense paying another monkey to mess up what I can mess up myself. I get instant dissatisfaction, to boot, rather than waiting a week or more.

And Shitar Center is the last place I would take a guitar to be serviced. They pay shit, and people who know WTF they're doing would generally rather work in a better-paying-but-shittier job like a factory, record shop, or McDonalds. There are 3 exceptions, and they're all JCF members. Those guys know what's what. Whoever they are. They're probably not near you, though.

[vector]

First- to be clear-I'm all about doing my own work IF it's within the parameters of my skill sets. However, I've posted before about how I shouldn't be allowed near my guitars because I can take a p'up swap and turn it into a disaster. All kidding aside, I prefer to let a pro handle anything beyond set ups and simple p'up swaps.
This situation involved swapping a broken push/pull tone pot for a push/push pot and replacing a faulty cheap Chinese-made toggle Gibson used in their $4,500 Custom Shop LP.
The confusion Chad has is understandable- let me clarify:
I took the LP (along with two other Hamers) to this hot-shot Master Luther who designed a guitar that Alvarez produced in the late 80's. He had done some work customizing a '76 Strat for me back in '85 or '86 so, I knew his work was good. Was promised the guitars back in one week's time. A few days go by and I started to get a sense of the full breadth of this guy's ego thru a number of emails we exchanged. Figured if this guy's talking up his rep and skillz like that I better get an estimate of what the $$ damage was gonna be. Mistake #1. Should've got it up front, right away. In my defense, I've been using the services of luthiers and repairmen for a LONG time and I like to think I have a pretty decent idea of what to expect in terms of charges, prices.
Guess I was WRONG.
Fast forward two weeks later and guitars still not completely done. But after several requests for estimates, I finally get his email stating it was gonna run $377.00, AFTER the work is just about completed. Can't take it to someone more reasonable. Worse still, dude has 2 more of my prized Hamers.
Fuck.

BTW- LouSiffer- not in this lifetime.

[pianoguyy]

You still in Philly?

In Carlisle there's a guy. Wood Shed Guitar Shop. Chris DellaPorta.
He was Randy RockStar's apprentice. He's good.

Its too far to buy strings. But take six guitars at a time for your yearly maintenance, to lessen the fuel expense.

[vector]

You still in Philly?

In Carlisle there's a guy. Wood Shed Guitar Shop. Chris DellaPorta.
He was Randy RockStar's apprentice. He's good.

Its too far to buy strings. But take six guitars at a time for your yearly maintenance, to lessen the fuel expense.

Thanks, Pianoguyy. I already have a REAL good tech/repair guy a tad closer in Lemoyne. Greg Platzer at BCR Music is one of the best I've worked with but the 1.5 hour/each way drive kills me. I typically don't get guitars serviced regularly, either. However, I will likely be taking the other 2 Hamers from the mile high ego-ed/priced guy along with one other and head out to Lamoyne. Fuck paying 150/hour plus parts. That shit ain't happenin'.

[leftykingv2]

I do my own crappy setups. No sense paying another monkey to mess up what I can mess up myself. I get instant dissatisfaction, to boot, rather than waiting a week or more.

And Shitar Center is the last place I would take a guitar to be serviced. They pay shit, and people who know WTF they're doing would generally rather work in a better-paying-but-shittier job like a factory, record shop, or McDonalds. There are 3 exceptions, and they're all JCF members. Those guys know what's what. Whoever they are. They're probably not near you, though.

The bad set up job I got wasn't done at a guitar center. After playing guitar for 30 years I know better than to take a guitar there for a repair or set up.

[Chad]

Wow, a pot swap & toggle switch replacement...$377.00? That is criminal. If the parts were in front of me, I could probably do that in an hour tops. A seasoned pro should be even quicker.

[leftykingv2]

Thanks, Pianoguyy. I already have a REAL good tech/repair guy a tad closer in Lemoyne. Greg Platzer at BCR Music is one of the best I've worked with but the 1.5 hour/each way drive kills me. I typically don't get guitars serviced regularly, either. However, I will likely be taking the other 2 Hamers from the mile high ego-ed/priced guy along with one other and head out to Lamoyne. Fuck paying 150/hour plus parts. That shit ain't happenin'.

Those rates are astronomical bro. $377.00 bucks to change a toggle switch and a pot did I read that right? WTF? Is he replacing the parts with shit from the Roswell New Mexico incident? That shouldn't cost more than $50 or $60 bucks with parts and labor at the very most. I honestly have never heard of anyone ever being charged that kind of money for such routine maintenance. I mean my buddy broke the head stock clean in half on his Les Paul and the Luthier he took it to fixed it for only $175.00 bucks.

[vector]

Leftykingv2, the more I think about it, the angrier I get. He emailed me his hourly rate of $125.00 an hour labor and $150.00 for "vintage" axes. Mind you, this was sent out AFTER he had my guitars in shop and on the table. To be fair, I should've asked him all this up front. But like I said, I've used techs, builders, luthiers, repairmen for years and years. I like to think I basically know the spectrum of charges/rates.

My guess is he's charging me "vintage" hourly rate and is lumping in a set up as well. I WILL be getting the full story in person.