Guitar Tech - Exclusion List?!

stevebrum · September 2023

OilCityPickups said:

stevebrum said:

dindude said:

Funny as I was looking for techs in my area just yesterday and this one came up so I know who it is. Can’t vouch for his work, I saw the exclusion list and, whilst I get it, iltbe approach just comes across as grumpy which puts me off a bit.

If you find someone you’re happy with. Would you please let me know who! That’s exactly how I found this guy - just looking around at localish places in the WM.

In business we have a thing called 'managing customer expectations' which is essentially telling folks what they can or can't expect of our services. You have to do this at some point before taking on a repair or a custom job, as generally the guitarist public thinks of us as half Guru and half miracle worker :-)
We have to point out that delivering the moon on a stick yesterday - isn't at your paygrade! Personally I like to gently point this out to the customer via an e mail or better still a phone call, but businesses differ, and I don't think it's grumpy, just very 'up front'. Many people hate saying 'no' in person, so pre-empt it with exclusions - different strokes ...

I understand that - I didn’t think Rics would have been that much of a bastard for a tech to work on and I guess that’s what prompted my post.

It’s hardy like taking a brand new Porsche to a little back street garage that doesn’t have the knowledge and tech to complete the work, or at the other end of the scale an old knacker that’ll fall to pieces as soon as you wield a spanner at it, and one job turns into several more.

As said in my other posts I respect anyone’s choice to pick and choose the work they’d take on. It just surprised me as although not the most popular - I’d have thought a Ric was standard enough.

I think the post has resulted in some healthy discussion so it’s all good.

scrumhalf · September 2023

I'm an accountant, not a guitar tech, but when I was doing consultancy work there were things I wouldn't touch, such as tax, financial services and insolvency.

There's no obligation to be an all-rounder. If you can make a living by specialising in some things or avoiding the other things then all well and good. You can damage a hard-won reputation by buggering up something you don't want to do, better to politely decline.

ICBM · September 2023

stevebrum said:

I understand that - I didn’t think Rics would have been that much of a bastard for a tech to work on and I guess that’s what prompted my post.

They’re not.

But given that some ‘techs’ can’t even set up a Jaguar properly or think Floyd Roses are a lot of hassle, it doesn’t surprise me.

OilCityPickups · September 2023

ICBM said:

stevebrum said:

I understand that - I didn’t think Rics would have been that much of a bastard for a tech to work on and I guess that’s what prompted my post.

They’re not.

But given that some ‘techs’ can’t even set up a Jaguar properly or think Floyd Roses are a lot of hassle, it doesn’t surprise me.

I have had to sit on the phone and explain to a 'tech' who was installing a pair of my humbuckers into one of his customers guitars ... how to wire a coil shunt switch. I mean ...
There a quite a few techs out there who stretch the boundaries of that term to my mind.

Bennyboy-UK · September 2023

OilCityPickups said:

how to wire a coil shunt switch.

Rhyming slang?

fretmeister · September 2023

gumbothewiddler said:

fretmeister said:

gumbothewiddler said:

Don’t like this exclusion approach from a so-called specialist. If working on those guitars is allegedly unprofitable or unnecessarily awkward, why not just say, my standard setup fees are X, but anything on this list is charged at 5 times my usual rate as they’re all fecking pigs but still do the work.

Employment lawyers don't do injury claims work.
Neurosurgeons don't do bowel surgery.

I think it's far more professional to exclude things the person does not like or feel comfortable doing.

No, but criminal bar (and possibly others I don’t know) operate cab rank rule.

Yes - but barristers are allowed to return the brief on the basis that they are not qualified to take them. Such as asking a 2 year call person to deal with a murder, or a complex financial crime matter where the person has never done one.

Bit like refusing to work on a Parker because the luthier has no experience of carbon fibre and no-tang glued on frets.

guitarjack66 · September 2023

SteveRobinson said:

GoldenEraGuitars said:

It doesn’t make you less of a specialist because you don’t want to work on certain items.

Surely it makes you *more* of a specialist, and less of a generalist?

'General Disdain' would be a great forum username.

Sporky · September 2023

Would we all have to salute?

impmann · September 2023

TBH, I'm not surprised that there is an exclusion list - its the guy's right to say he's not happy working on these things for whatever reason. I'd far rather him be upfront about it, than not...

What I find funny is that some of you genuinely sound "affronted" by someone saying that they aren't happy to work on certain guitars. Entitlement? Much.

As mentioned above I have a list of individuals that I won't deal with (not publishable) for a variety of reasons - some for reasons of preserving my sanity and some because they are abject w@nkers. And some people get a 'fuck off' price from me when asking about work - mainly because if they are daft enough to pay it, then it compensates me sufficiently for dealing with them. Sadly, that only applies to my freelance work, not my day job... but that's *my* choice, just like it's this tech's choice not to work on these guitars, for whatever reason.

Tannin · September 2023

Yeah .. but what do you do when someone you gave a "fuck off" price to rings up and says "You are too bloody dear but you do a good job so I'll take it?"

I had it happen to me, back in computer shop days. WTF? I thought, The quoted price is thousands more than the job is worth. So what if the staff don't want to go to his place and put up with the bastard? I'll do the work myself. Easiest money I ever made.

stevebrum · September 2023

impmann said:

TBH, I'm not surprised that there is an exclusion list - its the guy's right to say he's not happy working on these things for whatever reason. I'd far rather him be upfront about it, than not...

What I find funny is that some of you genuinely sound "affronted" by someone saying that they aren't happy to work on certain guitars. Entitlement? Much.

As mentioned above I have a list of individuals that I won't deal with (not publishable) for a variety of reasons - some for reasons of preserving my sanity and some because they are abject w@nkers. And some people get a 'fuck off' price from me when asking about work - mainly because if they are daft enough to pay it, then it compensates me sufficiently for dealing with them. Sadly, that only applies to my freelance work, not my day job... but that's *my* choice, just like it's this tech's choice not to work on these guitars, for whatever reason.

Not sure if that’s aimed at me as the OP. Probably not, but for the avoidance of doubt no - I’m not affronted, just surprised.

A Ric and a vibrola are well established in the guitar world - and largely unchanged in 60 years! I didn’t expect to see anyone swerving them as I didn’t realise/appreciate working on them is seen as problematic. That’s all - no entitlement.

ScreamingDave · September 2023

Can’t blame the guy for having a list of what he won’t work on. As Dirty Harry says, “A man’s gotta know his limitations,” but publishing it comes across as a bit arsey and could lose him other work.

I run an events company and there are some venues I won’t work at, for a number of reasons, but I’m not going to publish a list.

I’ve tried the over-pricing thing and been bitten on the arse when people go for it and I’m stuck with a job I don’t want to do, so I just tell people if they try to book me for that venue, and tell them why. Sometimes they change venue and I still win the work!

Collings · September 2023

stevebrum said:

Just spotted this on a guitar tech/repairers website.

It must be nice to be able to turn work down…

I almost get the aluminium neck thing but Rics & maestro terms?

Never heard of this - I’d have thought most places would do the work but maybe with come caveat around tuning stability.

I've used this tech a couple of times now, the last time was a full setup and fret dress back in April. He had about an 8 week waiting list back then.

He is absolutely meticulous over the fine details (bordering on OCD in a good way!) so not surprised he has some guitars he would not want to work on.

He supplies a detailed report when you pick up your guitar with every possible measurement as it was received and the same after the work. I've used loads of techs over the years and never seen anything so exhaustive.

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Guitar Tech - Exclusion List?!

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