fancy-schmancy repairs

[bort]

Hrmm... Just thinking it makes sense to eliminate a round of shipping, and potential more damage to the horn.

[bort]

Fair enough, Joe. Not something I have any current plans to try, but something that has crossed my mind as an "I wonder if..." Thanks!

[Mtrhed]

Bloke,
Thanks for sharing your prospective on "The Triangle". I can really see your side of things clearly now. I'm far from a perfect as a person but would never hang someone in your position in a triangle out to dry. Buying any horn long distance is a gamble, especially if the horn is damaged. If someone arranged to ship a horn to you for repairs then they obviously must consider you an expert. If the purchaser can't trust you they have no business a having horn shipped to you. If they refuse to beleive your assessment of a horn when it arrives then they need to say, "Thanks", pay you for your time, and have you ship the horn on to them.
Some people gamble in Vegas. I chose to gamble on tubas. Sometimes I do better then others. Still, I've done better on tubas then I ever have at blackjack.

[iiipopes]

I do this knowing that if I buy the horn, and RepairDude does what he can, I am stuck with whatever I get. I understand RepairDude is top-tier in the business and will give his best effort, but that he is not a miracle worker every single time. I also understand the gamble of buying a tuba sight unseen. If I choose to gamble in this manner, I have to make sure the savings in shipping for trials and repairs, etc. is worth the gamble.

Herein lies the crux of the matter. Instrument repair is the opposite of Wal-Mart. Too many people expect to be able to simply return it if they simply don't like it. Everyone forgets that's a WalMart customer service policy and not the way things are in the rest of the commercial world. Never has been. Doc lives with and accepts "Caveat Emptor." I do also, and I've had some projects that I've been immenently pleased, and still play on a regular basis, and others that I wasn't, and I had to eat it. Unless the final consumer is willing and able to take all the risk, then the triangle should not happen.

If possible, bloke's advice is best. In the grand scheme of things, another shipping cost, properly packed and shipped with insurance, is a marginal cost compared to the project, and personal collection is best if unsure about the shipping. A person shouldn't buy or sell stock worrying about the commission, and a person shouldn't engage in projects if overly concerned about shipping time or costs, whether through a common carrier or the cost of time and gasoline to drive to pick up the purchase.

[MartyNeilan]

Joe,
Can you ship it to me Express Mail?

[cjk]

Joe, what about this triangle...

Can you fix it?

[Dutchtown Sousa]

So let's say I was to buy this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/260874928217?ss ... _570wt_825" target="_blank
Could you give me a good estimate on how much it would cost to fix up so I could resell it to my band director (with a percent of the profit going to you of course)?