How much for new pickguard and other bits and bobs?

[plasticpigeon]

I am asking as I do some guitar repair as a hobby, and it seems that people I have done work for are happy enough to come back to me which is nice. I usually only charge a small amount as it is fun for me. However at the mo I have a few things of my own to work on so I'm less inclined to work for peanuts. A chap recently brought me a GB20 which was very neglected. The pickguard had gassed out making all the metalwork look green and the frets go brown. It even corroded the pickup lead wires though luckily there was just about enough uncorroded length left to splice in a new wire!

So far I have made a new pickguard, rewired the pickup, added a new earth wire, cleaned all the metalwork including the frets, filled a hole in the bridge base where a hole had been made for a transducer wire, sourced a new bridge top and pickguard bracket. I still need to string the guitar up and set it up. The total cost of parts was around £65. I am wondering if anyone has any idea what all this might cost if taken to a "professional" please? Here is what it looks like at the moment.

[Cunamara]

Well, looking around the Interwebs it appears that the going shop rate for guitar repair is between US$60–90 an hour.

[deacon Mark]

I don't gig anymore but repair guitars. Frankly I cannot get too much for anything. These days I charge a lot for things because everything has gone up. You call a plumber or electrician you know the score. You bring your guitar to me to repair and I need to net $65 an hour to even think about doing anything. There are standard type jobs that shops quote a price but as far as I am concerned you bring me the guitar and I tell you what the estimate is.

So if you bring me simple headstock crank with nothing needed except getting it in place and glued correctly it is $100. If a person wants they can go elsewhere I don't care. Clamps are costly these days and I spent many hours and time learning to do repair. Go buy the clamps you need to do the job and then tell me I am expensive? You need a new nut and action set. That is $125 for a bone nut with no fret work. If you don't like it then go buy all the files needed and you better know what measurements should be. When you do this you will understand that the service is fair. Replacing all my files would probably so serious money more than $1000. for sure.

[skykomishone]

Good advice Deacon!
Mike Lull - Repairs in Bellevue WA are now billed at $120/hr.
Better hope it's a little repair there.
Cheers
Steve