7string Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 (edited) I received a PM this evening which has made me (expletive removed) angry. The player has problems with a bass. At the worst he'll need a new jack and a new switch fitted in addition to a setup. [color=#FF0000][size=5]The price quoted by a shop in Glasgow is £200[/size][/color] For a setup, I always go by the price charged by The Bass Gallery in London. They build Sei Basses there, they're excellent at what they do and they charge £35. So out of the £200, there's £165 left for a switch and a jack socket. The retail cost of the parts is around £10-12. So there's £150-ish left. Be careful out there people. Edited August 2, 2016 by 7string Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 Yeah but those highly motivated and uber skilled technicians need to pay the bills too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 +1 I've followed the thread where this bass has been discussed. I almost fell off my chair when I saw the £200 quote - probably one of, if not the most blatant ripoff attempts I have ever seen (and I've seen a few over the years!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 [quote name='Ou7shined' post='1085984' date='Jan 11 2011, 08:02 PM']Yeah but those highly motivated and uber skilled technicians need to pay the bills too. [/quote] Not to that extent unless they own RBS... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metalmoore Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Good to hear that he sent you a PM 7String. My work here is done... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 [quote name='icastle' post='1085997' date='Jan 11 2011, 08:11 PM']Not to that extent unless they own RBS... [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingofthestuntmen Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 And now you've got me wondering which "shop in Glasgow"... Not asking you to name names, though I have an idea... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimBobTTD Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 My drummer's other band's guitarist just gave me his guitar to fix after a botch job by a local shop. He wanted to have his neck pickup disconnected (but left in there) and his bridge pickup switched for an EMG81. However, he said it sounded weak and there was crackle on the output jack. I open it up: they have left the original 500k pots in but - and this is where it gets worrying - they have switched them round. So his A500k is now the tone control, and the B500k is now the volume. Furthermore, they fixed the intonation for standard pitch and not D, as he had requested. They then gave him back the original parts they had taken out...whatever they are. And they charged him for it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 It always pays to look around and get quotes. The prices quoted for exactly the same work can vary immensely. It can be more cost effective to factor in an hours drive to the luthier, than going to the one that is round the corner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 [quote name='Lozz196' post='1091168' date='Jan 16 2011, 10:46 AM']It always pays to look around and get quotes. The prices quoted for exactly the same work can vary immensely. It can be more cost effective to factor in an hours drive to the luthier, than going to the one that is round the corner.[/quote] Are you not happy with the prices Terry charges then?? I've always felt that he was always reasonable..he's worked on 3 of my basses and I think he's been fair on each. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 I can guess this is the same place when I was speaking to them about refreting my warwick were insistent that their super hard steel frets where what I wanted rather than warwick brass frets.... I didn't even get as far as price but ringing the bass gallery (yeah we can do warwick frets, no extra cost, if thats what you want) the price they quoted, with deleivery would have been cheaper... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 [quote name='LukeFRC' post='1100169' date='Jan 23 2011, 09:39 PM']I can guess this is the same place when I was speaking to them about refreting my warwick were insistent that their super hard steel frets where what I wanted rather than warwick brass frets....[/quote] And probably absolutely nothing to do with the fact that it was the only fretwire they had to hand of course... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lettsguitars Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 there seems to be a lot of mysticism attached to guitar work, like some sort of magic circle. but i think the reason a lot of 'luthiers' overcharge is down to the fact that work is thin on the ground and the bills do need paying. most of the work on a guitar can be done at home with minimal tool requirements and a little knowledge. everything you need to know is on the net. electrics can get confusing though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 The difference is in possessing the skills to put that knowledge to good use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 [quote name='TheGreek' post='1091581' date='Jan 16 2011, 05:11 PM']Are you not happy with the prices Terry charges then?? I've always felt that he was always reasonable..he's worked on 3 of my basses and I think he's been fair on each.[/quote] I`m more than happy with Terrys work and prices. To the point where all the guys in my band now use him, he is almost sponsored by The Daves! They have all been singing his praises once they`ve got their guitars back. There are a few people closer to me than Terry, but its much more cost-effective taking the hours drive to his. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuee Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 [quote name='lettsguitars' post='1100621' date='Jan 24 2011, 12:01 PM']SNIP... electrics can get confusing though.[/quote] Indeed! I recently totally stripped and rebuilt an '81 Tokai Hard Thumper with all upgraded 'vintage' parts, and thoroughly enjoyed the whole process. The feeling of accomplishment when it's all back together, looking amazing and sounding great is well worth the effort (as is the saving on labour costs), but the wiring was really hard. The circuits just don't make sense to my feeble mind, so it was very much copying the old harness wire for wire, solder point for solder point. And it was only a basic Precision setup - probably the simplest guitar electrics there are! Next time I will pay somebody who knows what they're doing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry norton Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 [quote name='lettsguitars' post='1100621' date='Jan 24 2011, 01:01 PM']there seems to be a lot of mysticism attached to guitar work, like some sort of magic circle. but i think the reason a lot of 'luthiers' overcharge is down to the fact that work is thin on the ground and the bills do need paying. most of the work on a guitar can be done at home with minimal tool requirements and a little knowledge. everything you need to know is on the net. electrics can get confusing though.[/quote] Yeah true, mysticism and fear of cocking it up completely are great ways to convince people they need to entrust their prize instrument to a magic instrument shaman, but if you're handy (like you obviously are), it's easy to think everyone else is. In my experience the majority of players just want to play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7string Posted January 25, 2011 Author Share Posted January 25, 2011 [quote name='lettsguitars' post='1100621' date='Jan 24 2011, 12:01 PM']there seems to be a lot of mysticism attached to guitar work, like some sort of magic circle. but i think the reason a lot of 'luthiers' overcharge is down to the fact that work is thin on the ground and the bills do need paying. most of the work on a guitar can be done at home with minimal tool requirements and a little knowledge. everything you need to know is on the net. electrics can get confusing though.[/quote] The thing is that if shops were more open with work they do then they'll gain the respect and trust of the player. Treating customers like they're idiots (and overcharging them) just creates bad feeling!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metalmoore Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Well next time i am in Glasgow to visit my family i think i will be bringing ALL my basses to you Mark. Having some problems finding someone to do setups and other things over here. Again, cant recommend Mark (7String) enough, great guy, great service. You'd be mad to go to anyone else in Glasgow/Central Scotland Area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 [quote name='Lozz196' post='1100657' date='Jan 24 2011, 12:31 PM']I`m more than happy with Terrys work and prices. To the point where all the guys in my band now use him, he is almost sponsored by The Daves! They have all been singing his praises once they`ve got their guitars back. There are a few people closer to me than Terry, but its much more cost-effective taking the hours drive to his.[/quote] I've pretty much had the same experience with Terry - [b](TJC Guitars - 07901 895639 or [email protected], )[/b] - can't fault any of the work he's done for me and anytime there have been any questions he will ring me to discuss them before doing the work. Fortunately he's only 15 minutes from me. Having had work done by other luthiers in Herts before and not been 100% happy with their work I can honestly say that I totally trust his opinion and the quality of his work..I thoroughly recommend him to anybody who wants work done and can travel to Stevenage, Herts.. NB: I am in no way associated with Mr Chapman and I'm not on any commission - just trying to pass the benefit of my experience to other BCers.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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