It takes more of our time and effort to get paid by schools for repairs than to do the repairs...

[bloke]

...which is why we have to charge them more than double...and why y'all end up paying it.

[prodigal]

True story, brother. Just getting stuff sent out is a hassle.

[MiBrassFS]

.

[bloke]

I don't recall that message being directed to anyone in particular, and I have no idea who does school repairs and who does not.

The fact of the matter is, the schools pay the money, but it's The People who pay the schools. I suspect The People are never going to demand more efficiency of the schools, so things will remain the same.

They're paying people with fairly rare skills (regardless of the level of expertise and speed of execution of those skillsets -: depending on who happens to be near a school system in that particular part of the country) to mess around dealing with much lower skill sets such as driving a vehicle, typing things, retyping things, submitting things, resubmitting things, and waiting several weeks for payment.

Do I charge a little less for schools and school systems which pay faster and make lower clerical demands? Why yes...Yes I do.
What I charge even less if they picked up and delivered - as do my individual customers? Why yes... Yes I would.

One other thing:
Actually, compared to school owned instruments, professionally owned instruments are the most disgusting and the most slimy on the inside, with individually owned student and amateur instruments being the second most disgusting, with school instruments mostly being dry on the inside (even though they all need cleaning badly)... As they are the least played.

Someone we both know confided in me one time (as if I didn't know this)...

' you want to know what I do for a living? I clean spit out of tubas.

[MiBrassFS]

.

[MiBrassFS]

.

[bloke]

Since I’m in a commandeering mood today… the other classification of repair consumers that can be annoying are “non-profits.” I’ve occasionally done stuff for free or gifted stuff, but I like to be the one to decide when and what. I decided to cut one group off because of their entitled behavior. Anyway…

All of us do free stuff, but I'm more likely to do a free repair than I am likely to do a free gig (because I don't have to drive anywhere nor risk my car getting broken into do a free repair)... but I've done both.

free repair:
"FREE...!?!? REALLY...?!?!"

me:
"Look at me... Do you see me sweating or bleeding? (nope) I'm good if you're good."

[MiBrassFS]

.

[prodigal]

I try to fix as much stuff for the HS where I work for free, plus, I kinda like doing it, and if it gets me out of hallway supervision, winner, winner!

I spent this whole week unsticking stuck slides on a Jupiter fiberglass sousaphone. Yuck city, with extensive red rot forming. PBlaster and WD-40 and rawhide mallets were necessary. Fun times.

If they hadn't cut the cords on the woodworking tools here to "protect" the students, I'd still cut cello and bass bridges, but I'm not doing that at home.

I'll do setup work on strings for my students every time!

[tadawson]

"If they hadn't cut the cords on the woodworking tools here to "protect" the students"

Well, that's certainly a world class level of stupid . . . .

[prodigal]

"If they hadn't cut the cords on the woodworking tools here to "protect" the students"

Well, that's certainly a world class level of stupid . . . .

Liability, they're too dangerous. Kids aren't allowed to use hammers, drills, etc. Excepting in tech school. Plus, nobody needs to know how to use hand tools anymore in our disposable society.

Sorry, I guess I'm a dinosaur.

[MiBrassFS]

.

[tadawson]

"If they hadn't cut the cords on the woodworking tools here to "protect" the students"

Well, that's certainly a world class level of stupid . . . .

Liability, they're too dangerous. Kids aren't allowed to use hammers, drills, etc. Excepting in tech school. Plus, nobody needs to know how to use hand tools anymore in our disposable society.

Sorry, I guess I'm a dinosaur.

It wasn't a problem for 100's of years, so I still call "mass stupidity" . . .

Simply being alive has the risk of death. Deal . . .

[prodigal]

I know, I really enjoyed my shop classes in high school. I was known to run down during rehearsal and put another quick coat of BLO on my woodworking projects. We had planers, large sanders, various sized band saws, etc. Nobody became "Stumpy."

In metal shop, we spot welded, used brakes, etc. I still can play cello with all fingers intact.

Schools are afraid of their shadows, I know, I'm in one now!

[prodigal]

I know, I really enjoyed my shop classes in high school. I was known to run down during rehearsal and put another quick coat of BLO on my woodworking projects. We had planers, large sanders, various sized band saws, etc. Nobody became "Stumpy."

In metal shop, we spot welded, used brakes, etc. I still can play cello with all fingers intact.

Schools are afraid of their shadows, I know, I'm in one now!

Is your 186 a CC or BBb?