Repair Shop Survey

Regarding the how many times do you take your instrument to the shop; the least is 1-2 times a year? I have many instruments, if I took them to the shop that many times, I'd have many fewer instruments. Should at the very least been a choice, less than once a year.
 
I haven't looked at the survey yet, as I agree with Gandalfe's assessment that there needs to be a less than 1 time a year option.
 
I answered multiple times per year (for repair visits), but only because I have several altos, sopranos, and clarinets and try to play them all over time. Hence, I end up needing some tweaking on some of them. It isn't like I use one horn and need it fixed many times each year. DAVE
 
Question 1 - I play saxes/clarinets, strings-vln,vla,cello,bass, and percussion.

I did it once for each instrumental group, as the responses differ based on instrument. I wouldn't think of mailing a marimba for service and I do all my own string repairs.

Sax and clarinet get fixed out of state.
 
I'm a professional woodwind repair tech and I work on all of my own instruments. I didn't respond since it may skew your results. If you don't mind my asking, what is the purpose of your survey?

John
 
jbtsax said:
I'm a professional woodwind repair tech and I work on all of my own instruments. I didn't respond since it may skew your results. If you don't mind my asking, what is the purpose of your survey?

John
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jbtsax - I don't mind you asking at all.

It started with a conversation about a bad experience with a flute repair tech. I had some months ago. I was commenting on the mediocre service I felt that I received. The conversation eventually went on to business organization and business planning. This eventually came to whether I could come up with a better business plan than the flute repair tech. had for their business.

So, I figured I should get out my textbooks and try it. So, for a while now I've been working on this plan. The survey is kinda like an industry study. That's pretty much it.
 
Thanks for answering my question. Good luck with your survey. I hope you get good participation.

From my years of experience, I believe that it is the professional ability, integrity, and personal skills of the repair tech who does the work that makes all the difference regardless of the business plan or model.

John
 
On an interesting note, I happen to develop business plans for startup companies.

Doing one for a "repair shop" has many other questions that must be answered first, strictly for the business side.

[1] targeted market (students, college, professionals) & demographics -- IE, no need for a repair shop in certain parts of detroit .. best to find a nice more upscale neghborhood.
[2] potential flow (quantity) of instruments
[3] potential price structure of repair
[4] cost / benefit analysis of profitability / turnaround time & selected supplies ( can get varying quality level of supplies) to repair instruments. This may affect "quality" at certain levels.
[5] startup, fixed & reoccurring costs
[6] competition type & locations
etc

of course, as jbtsax said, the technician has ALOT to do with it and their skill and PLAYING ability. I've redone saxes from our local shop. One thing I noticed. The player there has gorilla hands, thus everything works fine for them. When I play one, it doesn't work. For the pro .. it didn't work. Sometimes repairs are alot easier/faster when you squish like crazy and the horn plays perfectly. but that affects response (quickness) of playing for professionals


Also, ability to cater to high end players in which there is a minute issue with their instrument. And one finds out through testing and tonal trials that they changed ligs which affected certain tonal characteristics which the customer did not like. You won't find these high end skills in normal shops to find very minute tonal differences for those astute players.

just remember a business plan is a mute point if the business cannot develop profitability within a certain timeframe (normally 3-5 years) - if not sooner nowadays.
 
jbtsax said:
Thanks for answering my question. Good luck with your survey. I hope you get good participation.

From my years of experience, I believe that it is the professional ability, integrity, and personal skills of the repair tech who does the work that makes all the difference regardless of the business plan or model.

John
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Thanks jbtsax.
I completely agree with you. You can have this perfect plan in place, but if the repair person is the type of person in which every customer swears to never come back, that plan won't work.

SteveSklar said:
On an interesting note, I happen to develop business plans for startup companies.

of course, as jbtsax said, the technician has ALOT to do with it and their skill and PLAYING ability. I've redone saxes from our local shop. One thing I noticed. The player there has gorilla hands, thus everything works fine for them. When I play one, it doesn't work. For the pro .. it didn't work. Sometimes repairs are alot easier/faster when you squish like crazy and the horn plays perfectly. but that affects response (quickness) of playing for professionals
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SteveSklar - That is exactly one of the problems I had. I'm a beginner and had mentioned to the repair tech that I tend to press very hard on the keys of my flute. I asked for them to take a look at the pads and to make any adjustments to the pads that might help while I learn to have a softer touch. Well, when I got the flute back I asked specifically about this and they sorta forgot to check. They offered to look it over, but I was already disappointed with them and declined.
 
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