Do you TIP amp repairman?

[tonetime]

Hey there,

This month was the first time I had an amp repaired by a pro.

Was charged $120 to get a 2-prong changed to 3 on a Fender '66 Bassman head and look at the filter caps. Also added new handle to top of the amp for carrying. Guy charges $60-something an hour. Guy was backlogged, so it took nearly a month to get the work done.

Was I supposed to give him more money than the $120 he stated for his work? And how much if so?

Thanks in advance.

TT

 

[rangercaster]

i would only tip if he did extra stuff for free or if he carried the amp out to my car !!!

 

[jguitarman]

I consider myself generous when it comes to tipping for a waiter/waitress, cab driver, etc.. I have never tipped an amp tech. I assume he didn't change out any caps. $120. sounds a bit steep. Changing a handle, power cord, measuring caps is easy stuff. No way would I tip someone for that work especially since he kept it so long.

 

[Wally]

LOL....I think the fellow got paid very well for his work.That should be a bench fee plus a bit of time for installing the power cord plus the cost of the cord. In my world, that would be half of that and some tax at the most. Now, if he cleaned and retensioned the sockets, cleaned and lubed the pots, tightened all nuts, checked all voltages and tubes, and provided a personal blessing upon the amp maybe the charges could be a little higher. (;^)
$120??? Imho, that charge goes a long way toward replacing the electrolytic capacitors. That is something that imho needs to be done if that amp has original caps in it. Long before they show physical leakage or hum, these caps are not giving the circuit the voltage support that the amp truly needs to sound as it should. Using the tubes that are in the amp, that $120 plus another $20-40 or so gets the electrolytics replaced plus everything I mentioned above.

 

[Wally]

Oh, I forgot about the handle....that does add the cost of the handle to the bill. No labor for that since it takes all of about 90 seconds to do.

 

[sax4blues]

I usually think of tips for people that are giving me service that is personal, immediate, and the server is not the owner of the business.

Amp repair usually goes through normal backlog, is not really personal, and most are owner operator, so for me I had never gone through the thought process of tipping amp repair.

I don't tip the appliance repair guy (business owner), but I may tip the delivery/installation guys(working stiffs).

 

[strat a various]

No. Do not tip repairmen, techs, or service reps. Unless you request a song and they play it.

 

[Billm]

I would not expect any of my face-to-face customers to tip me. It would be highly inappropriate. And I often carry stuff out to their cars--if they've got the amp, I grab their guitar or vice versa.

 

[ibobunot]

I usually think of tips for people that are giving me service that is personal, immediate, and the server is not the owner of the business.

I'm the owner of my business and I don't ask for or expect tips but if I'm busy and you're in a jam the fond memory of a small gratuity can push you toward the head of the line....


(Just sayin')

 

[PJ55]

Only if he pours you a beer or gives you a haircut.

 

[JayFreddy]

I'm the owner of my business and I don't ask for or expect tips but if I'm busy and you're in a jam the fond memory of a small gratuity can push you toward the head of the line....

+1. After years of having hacks screw up my gear, I finally found someone extremely competent, and extremely honest. I don't generally tip, but when I go to pick up my amp and see he's only charged me $37 for what those other clowns would have charged me $70+, I always make him keep the change.

I don't know if that counts as a tip, but he knows I respect him and his work, and a few dollars here and a few dollars there will add up.

Lately he's only been charging me wholesale for parts, so I've had to insist that he charge me retail, but with a 10% "good customer discount". I'm certain I'm not his best customer, but I'm pretty sure not too many of his other customers tell him that his prices are too low, and then pay him what his goods and services are actually worth.

 

[charlie chitlin]

I often tip an employee.
Makes him/her friendly the next time you need service.
Don't tip the owner of an establishment.

 

[Chris S.]

No, it's fee-for-service, and the fees should be enough to compensate them for their time. But I'll often go out of my way to praise someone who's done a good job. -- CS

 

[Octave Doctor]

I've never gotten a tip for repair work, but I wouldn't expect one. Sometimes people bring me things they've got laying around--"maybe you can do something with it."

 

[Dennis Layne]

I did tip for an amp repair one time, and that was because the shop owner put me at the head of his backlog line and got me up & running for an important gig the next day. To me, that was service above & beyond "just doing the job" and rated a little something extra.

 

[jrfrond]

As someone who does amp, guitar and other MI repairs for a living (though I don't own the business, I manage it), here is my take on this:

I have been tipped a number of times, sometimes rather handsomely. I always refuse and take the money ONLY if it is insisted. It's always nice to have extra cash in your pocket, BUT I don't want the customer to get the feeling that they own me after that, and that is my issue with gratuities. I run a tight shop here in NYC, and we don't deal or bargain. We have specific fees for everything and everyone gets taken care of in order of check-in unless they pay for rush service. Customers who tip often feel that, the next time around, they should get taken care of ASAP and all extra fees should be waived, etc.

If tipping IS involved, it should be on a per job basis. A tip should NOT be a bribe for all future services. Having said all this, I'd rather NOT get tipped for my services.