Basic shop labor rate:  $80 per actual FIRST hour spent on an item's actual repairs. Jobs that go beyond ONE hour, are charged at $40 per hour. 

Service calls:   $100 Flat Fee, which includes up to one hour at customer's site. Basic $80/hr after the first hour at site. If over 40 miles round trip, will be an extra charge of $0.80/mile each way.      ***We are presently NOT doing service calls***

Diagnostic/Analysis/Estimate/Minimum Fees:  Analysis/estimate fees, often known as a Minimum Fee, or Initial Diagnostic Fee, etc., are normally included instead of being on top-of final repair invoicing.  There are very rare instances in which we do a minimum fee or analysis/estimate, and the customer declines to repair the unit at that time, and, considerable disassembly>>reassembly or other labor was involved. Should the customer later decide to have the repairs done, and brings back the unit for such, in most but not all instances, the job is re-quoted at no charge for the quote. 

The maximum amount of time assigned to the analysis/estimate/minimum fee is usually one hour, with some exceptions.  In many instances I spend a lot more time, but don't charge for it.  

The following categories are for minimum fees and diagnostic testing, by type.  If the item is approved for repairs, the quotation applies.
Tips are accepted!


Type 1:  Small and simple items, in general:  Many small items are checked out for only a small charge.  Cheap LOOK-SEE's may or may not be available. 

Type 2:  Basic 2 channel receivers up to ~90 watts per channel (see Type 4); SOME simpler Boom Boxes; separate tuners; most table-top radios; many antique radios; single (and some dual deck) cassette players; 'separate' CD players up to 6 discs; up to 6 channel (no speaker amp) mixers.  Many (not all) bookshelf separates systems.   $39 basic, $65 complex.

Type 3:  Larger home speakers, or speakers requiring speaker unit removal to gain internal access to crossover, etc. (We no longer work on most large and heavy powered speakers).  Magazine type CD/DVD players that are part of an item, often called a bookshelf system, containing an AM/FM radio and cassette deck and/or phonograph.  CD players OVER 6 discs. 3 to SOME 7 channel receivers including home theatre types, med-sized musicians mixers or amps; 'compact' musician's amps with difficult circuit board access.  Pro and semi-pro turntables with complicated electronics.  Boom Boxes with lengthy disassembly requirements.   SOME complex dual-cassette decks.  Receivers >90 w/ch to 130 w/ch.    $68 typically.

Type 4:  Large, heavy, musicians 'combos' such as Fender Twin Reverb; many quite heavy amplifiers; SOME high powered amplifiers with Class D circuitry.  Many high-complexity 8 to 12 channel mixers or powered mixers.   Any CD player holding over 10 discs.  Large antique radios (generally, pre-1965).  NOTE that very large and heavy stereo receivers or amplifiers, such as the Pioneer SX1050, SX1250, Sansui 22000 and 33000, Marantz 2500, 2600, big old Crown amps, etc. can be Type 4 OR Type 5; and, I may decline to work on them at all due to their high weight, etc.  SOME high complexity 7 to 9 channel AVR receivers.  Console radios with phonographs, when I have room available to work on them, are likely to be put into this Type 4 category. Many Type 4 items will have QUOTED minimum fees before acceptance for diagnostic work.  Generally, Type 4 category minimum fee is $105.  See Type 5.

Type 5:  This Category is generally for Triple Lead Marshall (JCM 2000 TSL122), which are highly complex and/or very heavy and CAN BE quite difficult to work on; and, may take a fair amount of time just to remove/replace the chassis.  I usually discuss category 4 and 5 items in-depth with the customer before accepting such an item for diagnosis or repair, to be sure the customer and I are in agreement as to what is to be done.   I sometimes see items I will place in this Category that have previously been wrongly/poorly worked-on, have multiple problems, sometimes prior work caused problems. Sometimes there is extensive circuit work that is needed...and, I may need to do quite extensive Internet work to find Service Literature, etc.   Included are large mixing boards of 12 or more channels, which I may decline to work on at all; and, most amplifiers over 200 w/ch.  Our MINIMUM FEE WITH DIAGNOSTIC TESTING is typically $135; some run more.

TYPE 6:   This category is for most anything else not elsewhere's mentioned.  We usually quote a minimum/diagnostic fee once we see the unit, and obtain the full complaint from you.   There are some items we MAY no longer work on, such as as big and heavy Open Reel (Reel-to-Reel) tape units, that may or may not contain an 8 track and/or cassette player besides the open reel mechanism.     We are going to stop working on the biggest Ignaters and triple lead Marshalls, ETC.

We may require a substantial cash deposit before any work is done on ANYTHING.

Note:  We are beginning to decline work on SMC-built items....that means lead-less components (Surface Mounted Components), as I have sold my special soldering equipment for such PIA work, and these units are typically difficult to work on anyway, particularly without service manuals.


Test item usage fees: 

Use of specialized test tools, that wear out, are NOT NORMALLY included, and will usually be billed as a 'parts or test gear usage'.