Best Friends Warning

[Taffy Evans]

Hi,
Recently, whilst working in the workshop I heard my dog going off out near the driveway. This is normally an indication that I have visitors or customers arriving. I can usually tell by the tone of her bark and the duration of it, what type of person could be at the door.

*Short or no bark = well-dressed family-type people. Often mum or dad with kids.
*Persistent Barking = not so well dressed, i.e.: tradesman or somebody from the bush
*Persistent barking with occasional growl = Appearance, behavior, manner, or attitude questionable.

I have never paid any attention to this until the other day when I heard the barking with a growl. Two young guys appeared, one asking for a set of strings which I got for him, and I asked for twenty dollars. The guy said he did not have the money but would drop it back later. I said you can pick up the strings then. He tried again and I said sorry. My rule is, No Pay No Play. So his mate coughed up.

The next day he arrives back for some work on his guitar. Suspecting he has no money I offered him the part if he could do the job himself, he said he would like the job done properly, so I did the work. He called to pick up the guitar and spun me the same tale as before, I'll drop the money back later.
I remembered my dog's warning and my rule No Pay No Play, and I have not seen him since.
There must be a moral to this story.
Taff

[kiwigeo]

The next day he arrives back for some work on his guitar. Suspecting he has no money I offered him the part if he could do the job himself, he said he would like the job done properly, so I did the work. He called to pick up the guitar and spun me the same tale as before, I'll drop the money back later.

I'm surprised you didn't ask him for the money up front before doing the work. I've not yet come across any clients this dishonest..but I continually get people I've not known long asking me to make them a guitar..with an obvious implication that because were "friends" the guitar should be made for free.

[WJ Guitars]

I am also familiar with the no money problem. I repaired, restored and fitted new strings to a very old Maton classical style guitar. I trusted the client, however, after sending the invoice three times over a three month period of grace I never got paid. I learn my lesson about how to handle the money handover.

Wayne

[Taffy Evans]

Hi, Martin, I do ask for payment up front if the repair cost is more than the guitar is worth, I was only going to charge $20.00 so I'm in front I still have the guitar.

Wayne, I have two signs in my shop, [1] No Pay No Play, and [2] Instruments not picked up blah blah, will be considered abandoned and be sold to recover costs.

The other day my early warning system assessed a visiting customer and got it correct again. This was a fairly elderly guy with a long grey beard, and longish grey hair, wearing a bush hat and thongs. The dog did not bark at all, she must have known he was the bearer of gifts.

Six guitars no less...

2-IMG_0351.JPG (118.56 KiB) Viewed 30826 times

Just what I need more work...not.
Taff

[kiwigeo]

Three Frankenstrats??

[simso]

Yeh, I think most people have endedmup in same situation at some stage.

I had a guy bring an old guitar in, smashed top etc, sentimental job for him, he seemed genuine etc, did the top, did other stuff cost was 900, he came out to collect and his card wouldnt go through, so gave him an invoice to pay online, took the guitar and never paid

Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me, so no one leaves without paying now

[kiwigeo]

Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me, so no one leaves without paying now

Nothing in your bank but you would have definitely banked a healthy amount of good karma.

[Taffy Evans]

Hi, here's a story on the other end of the scale, which would describe 99.9% of my customers.

Having had good support from the musical community over many years, I often try to do folks favors, to give back so to speak, but I find it hard at times. More recent examples stand out over the last 25 years.

When I was first setting up my new workshop after moving from Central Australia, I was building benches and putting up shelves and stuff and a little girl was standing in the doorway, she said she wanted a new string on her guitar, I had already put up my sign out front. She asked how much and I said don't worry. ten minutes later she was back with $2.00. I glued it to the back of my bench, my first paid job in Queensland.

At another time more recently, a young kid came in with his dad he too wanted a string put on his guitar. I restrung the guitar but went through it with him showing him what to do next time. Dad said how much I said $1.50 for the string. I had to nearly fight with him not to accept the $10.00 he wanted to pay. That $10.00 is also pinned to the back of my bench.

The last story of many is of the student to whom I was giving guitar lessons, she was truly amazing at picking things up. At her last lesson, I offered her a go at an electric guitar she said she loved it. Long story short-ish, I put together an old PRS guitar and asked the mum if I could offer it to her daughter. Anyway, I told them it cost me nothing and she was welcome to it, so after a bit of discussion I said I do not want payment but for them to make a donation to their favorite charity. One month later I was given a receipt for $100 for payment to the Cancer charity. The schoolgirl apparently had to earn the money before donating it.
Cheers Taff.