[Harp-L] Exhorbitant Hohner repair prices

[Tony Eyers <tony@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

".... In 2007 I sent my reedplates for CBH 2012 for reconditioning. The 
charge was reasonable at
$20 for reconditioning and $5 for shipping."

$20 for reconditioning an entire set of chromatic reedplates (presumably 
retuning, replacing dead reeds/windsavers) seems very low. To assess 
prices like it is best to estimate the number of hours needed to do the 
job properly, divide into the cost and look at resulting hourly rate.

"... I was surprised when you sent me the estimate for CBH
2012 reedplate reconditioning at $120 and CBH 2016 reconditioning at $145."

This more recent higher priced estimate seems to reflect more accurately 
what it would cost Hohner per hour to put a skilled person on to this 
task. I imagine that servicing costs for other wind instruments (Sax, 
trumpet) would charge at similar hourly rates.

Tony Eyers
Australia
www.HarmonicaAcademy.com
...everyone plays