'PRO' Setups? When To Quit

SurferJoe46 · #1 03-23-2011, 10:30 AM

I was at a 'store' yesterday for a bit - ordering parts and such, and I watched a woman come in with three, no - make that four guitars.

She had two acoustic boxes of mid-range quality/price and a low-end Dean electric and a fairly higher-priced Gibson.

What did she want? New strings on all of them.

Now I know that the luthier is there for people who need setups, for cleaning and adjusting used gear to put them on the walls for sale and other 'services' - and I mean absolutely no disrespect to the luthier who works there --- but C'MON!!!!

STRINGS??? ON ALL her guitars???

She also asked that he TUNE THEM FOR HER AND HER FAMILY.

I was surprised that she didn't ask to see his credentials and degree in 'String Replacement and Subsequent Tuning Thereof'; diploma. After all, it wasn't posted on the wall behind his head.

Somehow -(and I really don't know how he kept a straight face during all this) - I really wonder when it's time to wean a customer off the tech's mammary and at least make them tune their own guitars.

OK - changing strings might be beyond some people's abilities - since after all it's confusing trying to decide 'which end goes on the round thing-y and where does the other end go?' stuff - but I just don't get TUNING it.

If it wuz me --- I'd charge her $200.00 for stupidity - plus parts.

Von Felgenhauer · #2 03-23-2011, 10:36 AM

Its kind of silly having someone replace strings, but thinking from the store perspective I would NEVER turn down that easy of money

**JoshB** · #3 03-23-2011, 10:36 AM

Well, I worked at a music store for a couple of years and we had people come in for that all the time...it was kind of sad actually...

fourstringdrums · #4 03-23-2011, 10:43 AM

When I worked at a music store, there was a guy who would drag in a beat up acoustic with rusty strings so we could tune it. He was obviously high on something every time. We finally told him that he needs to learn to do it himself after about the third day in a row of him coming in.

Basshoofd · #5 03-23-2011, 10:45 AM

Some people just don't like messing with their gear and would rather have a professional do it. Seems fine by me, though a little naive perhaps.

SurferJoe46 · #6 03-23-2011, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fourstringdrums

When I worked at a music store, there was a guy who would drag in a beat up acoustic with rusty strings so we could tune it. He was obviously high on something every time. We finally told him that he needs to learn to do it himself after about the third day in a row of him coming in.

Munchausen syndrome?

Spinal Tapper · #7 03-23-2011, 10:45 AM

Kinda funny, but not that far off the mark...

When I had to change the strings on my squier strat for the first time (my kick-around, I can't play for crap, home recording guitar), I didn't really know what I was doing.
I had to ask my buddy who actually plays guitar to come show me. There are some awful videos on how to (incorrectly) string a Fender Strat online, thus making me even more confused.

Turns out it's not exactly like stringing a bass, so I didn't feel that dumb as he showed me..."but if you teach a man to fish"...

I've also considered bringing in a few of my low end acoustics for setups from my local tech. My Dean AEB is DYING for a setup. It's almost unplayable, along with a cheapo acoustic guitar that my girlfriend owns.

fourstringdrums · #8 03-23-2011, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SurferJoe46

Munchausen syndrome?

It's spelled "Musician"

darkstorm · #9 03-23-2011, 10:50 AM

If no one in her familly who plays, one can assume theres at least two players. But if none of them can change their strings or tune a guitar. They should all take up some other hobby that doesnt require so much skill imo. Tuning and dtring changing should be doable by anyone whos played for a week or less

sqadan · #10 03-23-2011, 10:52 AM

I help out at my local shop part time... and we have TONS of people come in for restrings... We charge $10 on top of the cost of the strings. If people want to part with $10 for 10 minutes worth of work... so be it.

Mojo-Man · #11 03-23-2011, 10:54 AM

It's a comfort level.
My older brother is a gear head.
And taught me at an early age to change string, and due setups.
This has saved me a large amount of money over the years.
Also, friends now pay me to setup there basses.
A little knowledge goes a long way.

mdogs · #12 03-23-2011, 10:54 AM

Why would the repair person turn down work??? If he can make money doing it, he would be the dumb one for turning business away...

Rob Martinez · #13 03-23-2011, 10:56 AM

I see nothing wrong in this woman's request. Sounds like she and her family play music for a hobby. If she is willing to pay, that IS the guy's job, or part of it, so be it. And frankly, it's no one's business but her's and the luthier's.

I bet Victor Wooten has someone change his strings.

SurferJoe46 · #14 03-23-2011, 11:01 AM

Ethics?

I'm guilty of course too. In 47+ years of retail auto repair, I vowed if a customer came in and asked me to paint his windshield, my only questions would be: "What color and how many coats?"

No-one can make me mad slapping me in the face with money --- no matter how arcane and stupid their request. I DO draw the line at immoral, illegal and inhuman - but I have internal/moral arguments over the last one for some people.

solarplexus · #15 03-23-2011, 11:02 AM

I did change strings quite often in the local shop I used to work when I was younger. Nothing wrong about it.

BigGuns · #16 03-23-2011, 11:05 AM

Yeah, I used to work in a music store where we did a ton of that. As a musician, it's hard to see it from a non-musician's standpoint, but some people just don't have the slightest idea of how to understand a guitar, the way to play it or the way to put it together. For example, when I was a little kid watching my dad play guitar, I thought the neck was just a handle to hold it by, and the playing all happened with the right hand. Sounds to me like this lady maybe inherited these guitars, or somehow got them and just wanted them cleaned up and playable - not necessarily by her.

C.Linton · #17 03-23-2011, 11:09 AM

On the face of it, it does seem a bit silly.That was the first couple of things I learned to do even before I could really play, tuning and changing strings. I don't know, I guess it's the same as how some folks just don't know how to change a tire on a car. You would think that a basic skill that every driver should know, but not everybody does for one reason or another.

gfried84 · #18 03-23-2011, 11:11 AM

Believe it or not most of my customers do not know how to properly string their instruments. I always offer to teach my customers how to do it because I feel a musician should be able to do this. Most people end up tying their strings in knots around the post. I now use planet waves auto trim tuning keys on all of my custom guitars because they cut the string as well as lock them.

SirGrotius · #19 03-23-2011, 11:13 AM

She's clearly not the musician in the family and doesn't know much about what is required around tuning and re-stringing guitars, so may just be trying to be nice to her family. I think it's cool she's interested.

PurpleDrank · #20 03-23-2011, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Von Felgenhauer

Its kind of silly having someone replace strings, but thinking from the store perspective I would NEVER turn down that easy of money

+1

I change strings for people I know all the time. If they throw me a couple a bucks for the trouble, great. I always offer to show them what they need to do to maintain their instruments, but some don't even want to know. Sad but true.