Why do woodwind repairs cost so much?

People always ask me “Why do repairs cost so much?”
Well, there are many reasons, and I will try give you just a few. Let’s start with the saxophone…
Pads cost a lot now days… many as much a $10.00 each and none less than $300 each…
So, if you get 6 new large pads the repairman’s cost is as much as $60.00
This does not include glue, cork and or time….
My warehouse in Torrance cost me $200.00 a day if I do business or not…. $25 an hour…
So, If I work on your saxophones for half a day (4 hours) it cost me $100
So far, I have invested $160.00 in your repair…. And not made a dime for me…
So, I charge you $75.00 per hour…. =$300.00 for the adjustments time and parts….
Now, for most of my days’ work I should make $140.00
But. And there is always a but… you stay and talk to me about the repair for an hour before you leave
You try your instrument for an hour when you pick it up. and tell me about your life’s problems….
I am down another $50.00 in my cost….
Now, I have 6 hours invested in you and your repair……
For my days’ work I will get $90.00 of which I will pay taxes of half… the day is down to $45.00
That is not even minimum wage…. And saxophone players are always bitching about repair cost….
One thing I am sure of … they would bitch about a gig that paid so little… (they pretty much bitch
about everything anyway)
Unless they play JAZZ……   THEN IT WOULD BE A GOOD GIG!
A good repairman with talent should be able to clear the $75.00 per hour…. really if you compare them to basketball players at the sane level they should make $1000,000.00 per hour… and the world is impressed if the basketball player makes half his shots…. try that in a recording session! Half the notes and your name would on the never call list… Hell, missing 3 notes just might get you there…..
So, give up the cigarettes, that night out drinking or whatever you need to do to pay the repairman… you make your moeny with the instrument… you need it to work the best it can!
You guys need the good repairman more than he or she need you!!!!!