How to make $65.00 an hour

[John Ross]

Hi,
I used to service elctronic organs, as well as servicing pianos.
Some of the service manuals cost, $50 & up. Parts inventory is
expensive.
Other than churches, in this area, you can't even give an organ away.
So since it was only 15% of my business,  I let it go to someone else,
about 5 years ago. There seems to be even less organ work now. So of
course he has to charge a higher fee, to make a living.
Regards,
John M. Ross
Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada

DaleP34429@AOL.COM wrote:
> 
> In a message dated 11/25/98 1:05:03 AM Central Standard Time,
> JTTUNER@webtv.net writes:
> 
> << Second thought, I think we piano tuners are in the wrong business!
> 
>  I had my electronic organ technician in my home today to repair my
>  Hammond organ.  He was here almost two hours and charged me $130.00 for
>  his time (no parts needed).  He told me that many organ technicians are
>  up to $85.00 an hour!  He also said that most pipe organ technicians
>  charge from a low(?) $65.00 to $100.00 an hour.
> 
>  Now, are we in the wrong business???
> 
>  Jim Turner >>
> 
> Well, I am an electronic organ technician as well as a piano technician, truly
> the mark of a misspent youth. Organ techs have a much larger investment in
> service literature and parts in my experience. Usually they have to drive a
> van to carry it all. It may well be that the organ tech who serviced your
> Hammond actually makes the same or less than you do after expenses. Our
> business bills organ service at a 20% higher rate than piano service for the
> most part. It covers the additional expenses and inevitable call backs that
> result from owner ignorance, acts of God, and mistakes. Your tech is right in
> the ball park on his rates I believe. I know several organs techs who
> basically have a $120 minimum service call for the first hour up to a 25 mile
> radius. It is almost impossible to schedule organ work in a logical geographic
> manner, so much time is spent on the road in between calls. In short, I would
> be careful what you wish for, some old boy may sell you an organ business.
> It happened to me as a callow youth and I haven't been quite right since.
> 
> Dale
> 
> Dale Probst
> Registered Piano Technician
> Ward & Probst, Inc.
> Piano & Organ Service
> Wichita Falls, TX