When one is paying a technician to do a repair, you are partly paying for his / her ability as a diagnostician as well. The only repairperson I have ever encountered who would charge for an unnecessary repair is one who was unable to figure out the problem. Aside from tapers, metal, and much of the engineering of a horn, the actual mechanics are relatively simple, but also often quite delicate. So many of the problems with mass produced horns have to do with assembly. Occasionally, there are design flaws that are discovered only once the horn is out in the field. A great diagnostician will discover the problem immediately. A great technician will solve the problem immediately, often redesigning an aspect of the horn to make it better. There are charlatans in every profession, but an experienced horn player can spot them a mile away. I have only had experience with men like Walter Lawson, Bob Osmun, Randy Ulmer, and Bill Kendell, all of whom did excellent, meticulous work and never let me down. I have often paid a hefty wage for their services, but never more per hour than I make as a player. Through my friendship with Walter, I have better come to understand the value of the experience and knowledge he and other fine craftsmen have acquired without being paid (not unlike my own musical training) and I can't begrudge any of them payment for their experience. All of them have been generous (particularly Walter) in sharing knowledge and guiding me to do certain simple things on my own. They could easily have taken those simple repairs on as income for themselves. Never once have I felt "ripped off" by the technicians I have dealt with. Bottom line...get to know your technician well, establish a relationship of mutual respect and friendship, and you will never pay for something unnecessarily.
-----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, September 28, 2005 9:23 AM To: horn@music.memphis.edu Subject: Re: [Hornlist] horn broken - This is awful advice After reading the latest response in this thread, I have to say something in public about it. There are many things that disturb me. While I agree with some of the points made, I have to take exception to others as well as the general tone of this response. Before I begin my criticisms, I'll agree with the sentiment that a horn player is well served to know how to maintain his or her own equipment. I will also agree that many horn players are well versed in repairs, and do good work. It is to their credit, and can certainly save them time, money, and aggravation. On the other hand, I will respond to several comments made. 1. "You know as well as I do that using Brasso to eliminate a small drag in a valve is practiced by the best of repairmen." No, the best repair people I have met do not use Brasso on valves, and I know some of the best there are. 2. ."I would be willing to bet that, although you made the sale on the very expensive repair you suggest, that you would use some form of fine abrasive to make sure the valve didn't still hang up. You'd look pretty silly if the customer returned with the same complaint the next day. " This disturbs me deeply. It implies several unsavory things, including that the repair in question was not only expensive, but that it was likely unnecessarily expensive. It also implies that the technician in question was being dishonest in his original statement, and that he must have used an abrasive. It also implies that an abrasive is almost always necessary in these situations. And finally, it implies that repair technicians are simply selling something that the customer does not need - that repair technicians are by nature dishonest. All of these are untrue, and certainly untrue of the technician in question. The truth is that the best technicians know what they are doing, and never recommend expensive repairs when inexpensive repairs will do. The best technicians can admit mistakes, and yes even they do make mistakes (although not in this case). The best technicians never look silly, simply because they know what they are doing. 3. "I have done a lot of this kind of work with great success, but I have a big advantage over you in that I have a day job, so I can afford to tell the truth to the customer." Again, the implication is that the repair technician cannot afford to tell the customer the truth. This is patently untrue, especially of the technician in question. It implies that instrument repairs are not a day job, that they are and ought to be a sideline. It implies that the technician can only afford to oversell and lie about the true nature of the problem. It implies that because a technician gets paid for the work done, that there is some conflict of interest with the truth. It is absurd to suggest that only those who don't get paid for their work, or get paid very little, can tell you the truth about your instrument. 4. "I have no doubt that the work you do is exquisite, and with a reputation to maintain and a living to make, you are going to be inclined to propose doing as much work as possible to be absolutely sure the problem is fixed. Determining the exact cause of a problem can be very time consuming. How much can you get away charging to determine something doesn't need repair? It's so much safer, and far more lucrative, to cover every possible base, and you really don't have to figure out what's really wrong." The implication here is that the techician does not even bother to determine the cause of the problem. A good technician will be inclined to do the job properly. Period. Good technicians do not offer unnecessary solutions. Of course the technician is going to be absolutely sure the problem is fixed. That's what the customer expects, and that is what they pay for. And finally, I will say something about the original problem and the response made by Stuart deHaro to that problem. Stuart is an excellent technician and his work is exquisite. And in this case he is completely correct about the inherent design problem with valve lever and linkage of Conn 10D's and Conn 11D's. His advice was far more honest and knowledgeable than all the other advice given to the original post. I really take exception to the implication that Stuart is being dishonest. It is unfair and untrue. Dave Weiner Brass Arts Unlimited _______________________________________________ post: horn@music.memphis.edu unsubscribe or set options at http://music2.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/pandolfi%40deerfield.edu _______________________________________________ post: horn@music.memphis.edu unsubscribe or set options at http://music2.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
