Am I overreacting?

Unfortunate but at least you didn't learn this lesson with a custom shop ukulele. That they were not honest with you about the damage is the most troubling.
 
hoosierhiver said:
What did he charge?
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$65 for the Mi Si ... which he had major struggles pulling off, which had me concerned from the start
$45 for the K&K ... which was the one he was familiar with.

The pickup installs look solid, he just has a challenge drilling 1/2" holes :D

And yes, some/most of my frustration lies in the fact that I had to discover the scars instead of him just telling me he had bounced the drill off both ukes (and how he would remedy it). And when I told him, he blamed it on the tail block ... which I believe is BS and avoidance.
 
Stuff happens but it's unfortunate the repairman didn't step up and admit his mistake. If it were me doing the job I would've offered the pickup and installation for free if it couldn't be repaired. Personally, I'd make sure my complaint was known to the owner of the shop and suggest some compensation. If I didn't get any satisfaction I'd move on and chalk up another "stuff happens" experience.
(BTW, I never saw bought the myth that I tail block has to be laminated for pickup installations. )
 
Repair work is full of risk, there is always a chance of messing up an instrument, pretty much the same as the risks of playing an instrument.
If I was to bump a friend's uke or guitar and put a dent in it, the FIRST thing I would do is tell them! I think that any repair guy (and yes, I do some repairs) should do the same thing.
More importantly, repair guys make mistakes ALL THE TIME. The really good ones know how to fix them and hide them.
 
I hate to hear that happened, and to two of your instruments. I just had a 45 year old clarinet come back after an overhaul and it was treated roughly. Marks on the wood, cheap springs installed, pads thrown on (not beveled or leveled) and the keywork was not looked after. The only really satisfactory solution I could come up with was to turn back time and never have taken it there in the first place. Sad thing is, I have used this shop before and the same technician was supposed to have done the work, but it didn't look anything what he has done for me before. Now I'm looking for a new woodwind tech.

I won't be going back and I won't be sending my students there. And I will be calling as soon as I have a complete list of what I want explained.
 
I'm fortunate that the scars are relatively minor ... and I've already almost forgotten they are there. It's the principle and the fact that I had to discover his mishaps on my own...that's what set me off. I'm all better now ;) And the pickups sound quite good, anxious to use them both in my next gig. Thanks all for your support.
 
I sometimes get really POed when someone does a hoser job, but it seems like that is more of the norm than not. I always think, I bet they aren't losing any sleep over it, just me. I calm down and take my business somewhere else. Life is too short to get upset over incompetence, especially when it seems we are surrounded by it.
 
For those who do it professionally (charge someone for doing something) and those who do it amateurishly (do it for the love of doing it), a thin clear piece of any blister pack plastic will keep a nose from marring a piece of wood when it rapidly penetrates the inside .
 
Wow. This luthier came through and his remedy far surpassed what I was expecting, and what I felt was necessary. It is very obvious he felt very bad about the situation and wants to make things right, not only with what happened during the course of his work, but make things right between us as humans. He gained my respect through his communication and his "solution". There are a lot of genuine folks around ... sometimes we all make mistakes and get a wake-up call. Thanks all for your support. It's all good.
 
deschutestrout said:
Wow. This luthier came through and his remedy far surpassed what I was expecting, and what I felt was necessary. It is very obvious he felt very bad about the situation and wants to make things right, not only with what happened during the course of his work, but make things right between us as humans. He gained my respect through his communication and his "solution". There are a lot of genuine folks around ... sometimes we all make mistakes and get a wake-up call. Thanks all for your support. It's all good.
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I get the sense that you don't want to share what the solution was. Either way, I'm glad you are satisfied and happy!
 
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