PROBIRT Forums: Help with a feasibility study

Featured Member

ID: andreajelleff
Since: 1/23/2005
From: Wantirna Australia
Rating: (0.0)

Featured Picture

Google Ads

Active Topics Display List of Forum Members

Memberlist

Help

Other Repair Topics
PROBIRT Forums » Other Repair Topics

Topic: Help with a feasibility study

Author

Message

<< Prev Topic | Next Topic >>

kaitlinshaw
Newbie
Newbie

Joined: April.16.08
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1

Posted: April.16.08 at 9:16pm \| IP Logged

Hi! I'm a sophomore music education student at the University of South Carolina, but I'm thinking about going into band instrument repair after I graduate. I'm in a music business class this semester, and my final project is a feasibility study for opening my own instrument repair/supply store. So, since I'm a newbie, what kind of equipment would be absolutely essential to open my own shop, and about how much would it cost? Thanks!

Bruce Hunter
Newbie
Newbie

Joined: October.11.07
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5

Posted: April.17.08 at 1:57am \| IP Logged

Greetings!
I suggest contacting Ferree's Tools, Inc. (WWW.ferreestools.com) and talk to Gary, and/or see if they'll send you a catalog and price list which has a suggested list of "less-than-overhaul" tools for, for instance, a brasswind bench and a woodwind shop, as well as a specialty bench. Be prepared for a middle-to-high 5-figure number, depending on how you decide to set up shop.
Alternatively, apprentice in a repair shop, or enroll in a Band Instrument Repair School (Google is your friend).
Hope this helps,
Bruce

bobbaier
Technician

Joined: February.07.05
Location: USA
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 30

Posted: April.22.08 at 4:07am \| IP Logged

One thing to keep in mind is that an inventory of pads will be one of the biggest expenses. I have five types of clarinet pads, four types of flute pads, three types of bassoon pads, etc. just to have the correct type needed for specific instruments. You can easily end up with upwards of $15,000 in pad inventory.

bob

motomom
Newbie
Newbie

Joined: April.08.07
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 28

Posted: April.27.08 at 10:32am \| IP Logged

Bob, $15,000 may be a really low estimate. When Brook Mays went belly-up we went over and bought (for $3000!!!) all their stock of parts, with shelves and cabinets. When we arrived back here with the goods, I wanted to see how much $$ worth of loot we got.

So, I started counting, with our current Allied prices, with the largest sax pad drawers.

I only counted 6 little sax pad drawers before I got to $3000. I got weary of the project at that point, so I never finished counting all of it. I know I would never be able to do it. We estimate it was around $50,000 worth of parts.

The best part of the deal was the parts cabinets. When Brook Mays had bought the little family owned store we had worked for for 40 years, these were the same cabinets that I had spent days organizing and labeling. So I was able to buy all that work back from them for basically nothing, already organized the way I liked it.

LarryMueller
Technician & Clinician

Joined: January.20.05
Location: USA
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 24

Posted: April.27.08 at 6:05pm \| IP Logged

Do you have any specialties, or do you plan to be a rather general repair shop? It might be best to apprentice or check out one of the schools first, to see which tools and supplies you'd like to start with, so you don't have to buy it all at once. You're easily looking in the 10's of thousands for a general shop, but there may be ways of easing into it. I started by teaching private lessons, and fixing students' instruments, in small ways at first. It gradually built up from there.

Larry

If you wish to post a reply to this topic you must first login
If you are not already registered you must first register

Printable version

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot create polls in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum

Login

New Member Registration
Retrieve Lost Password

Shout Box

(10/9 17:13) ChrisHarnett: Doesn't seem very promising
(10/6 12:46) DriverDrobina: Is this site still active?
(10/6 12:45) DriverDrobina: I have the same concern
(6/2 17:51) Wailinfree: is this site still active?
(6/2 17:51) Wailinfree: is this site still active?
(4/29 12:46) BENSCHILDGEN: Cleaning snakes nowdays SUCK!
(12/4 22:44) dparker: Hey Brent!
(11/26 20:46) crousfrench: I'm back. Did you miss me?
(10/9 7:18) BENSCHILDGEN: What's going on out there?
(6/1 18:53) dparker: dparker@ciomit.com www.ciomit.com
(6/1 18:53) dparker: or we can do an online meeting
(6/1 18:53) dparker: It can be dangerous. If you could send some pic
(5/25 5:17) BENSCHILDGEN: It seemed as if it was silver brazed together
(5/25 5:17) BENSCHILDGEN: It seemed as if it was silver brazed together
(5/25 5:9) BENSCHILDGEN: I had an old tuba that I could not get it apart.
(5/25 5:8) BENSCHILDGEN: I just do not know much about the whole mechainsm
(5/24 14:2) dparker: How can I help with the clock springs?
(5/24 14:2) dparker: How can I help with the clock springs?
(5/18 5:9) BENSCHILDGEN: MAYBE THIS SITE SHOULD BE LINKED TO FACEBOOK
(4/26 7:20) BENSCHILDGEN: I need info on tubas with clocksprings for levers
(4/4 8:34) dparker: Indeed! I will be posting more soon!ore soon!
(3/30 11:36) BENSCHILDGEN: Let's try to get this site flowing again
(7/6 19:46) Krch: My favorite is uses for electric soldering guns!
(6/13 9:0) crousfrench: I still enjoy watching the videos over and over
(6/13 8:59) crousfrench: I haven't seen anything new in awhile, but
(5/31 21:36) Krch: articles...articles