Re: [Harp-L] Re: Harp tech gurus

[Joseph Leone <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Jun 4, 2013, at 4:15 AM, diachrome@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:

> For some reason my reply didn't go through last night so I'm resending it.
>> I wasn't suggesting we  beat that dead horse. lol.

Oh, we know that Mike. I think I speak for most everyone when I say that we are definitely on your side. It take a special person to care enough about others to devote this kind of time (as Jon Kip pointed out..when DO you sleep? lol) and effort to an endeavor which doesn't have reciprocal rewards. EsPECIALLY when most techs have day jobs. I see it as almost imperative that techs have other means of support because the bills come in and it doesn't get any easier. 

I would think that techs whom are already retired and have a back-up income would be under far less pressure. As an example, if I were a tech, I would have ALL day, EVERY day, 24/7/365.25 to do it. A man or woman with a family doesn't have that luxury. And for this we are grateful. Sincerely. Now I (personally) don't use techs. I have only ever had Pat Missin & Gary Lehman do stuff for me. It's a matter of my hands and eyes having gone bad. In the case of Pat, it was making a brand new diminished diatonic. And it WAS fine work. Gary re-built a chromatic that he had ALREADY worked on before..so I felt he knew it best. And it WAS fine work. 

And Jon Kip nailed it. Harmonica players play a less expensive instrument and when it goes south, it's a matter of justifying any additional expense to bring it back north.  

>> I only brought it up because the current discussion  reminded me of my old  post.  Could have been that I posted that in response to a similar thread.  I'm not advocating certification. 

Ok, but like I said..I would have absolutely nothing against it. But it would have to be done by a party whom didn't have a dog in the fight. An independent entity and not a harmonica company. Harmonica companies would want to protect their own rice bowl and would tend to put in restrictions. Like 'no working on another brand' and such. For example: I was trained as a maintenance tech for Intoxilyzer, Breathalyzer, and Alcometer. Three different companie's products..I was trained by an independent lab. 
>> 
>> Harp techs do communicate behind the scenes. A few of us know personal hardships and struggles and sacrifices we make to remain in business. Family, health, and security play a big part in it.

Yes, I have no doubt. And I always say family comes first. Especially health. 
>> 
>> I can't answer for how other techs should deal with situations that arise and paid customers get caught in the middle.   I rarely accept payment upfront because it makes me nervous to sit on other people's money. That's just me.

I agree. When I made custom long bows, I never charged up front.  
>>  
> 
> mike 
> www.harmonicarepair.com
> 
>