I don't really like working on mixers, they are big and cumbersome in my small shop, and are usually so labor intensive it's hard to know what to really charge for an all out cleaning. Today I did a Carvin 16 channel powered mixer, the one that comes with the rack case as part of the unit. Get this, 208 pots, 40 faders, 56 jacks, 118 switches and 36 screws. That is at least 422 squirts of DeOxit! And these were mostly "sealed" pots, so getting the stuff in there is a challenge in itself. I got it done, and problems solved, but it took me 4 hours. That's a lot of knobs and jack nuts to remove and replace. I don't feel comfortable charging $200 for a cleaning, so I charged him 3 hrs for $150, plus $10 extra for all the DeOxit (I usually add a $3 chemical charge for cleaner, swabs, solder, ties, wick, etc).
I wonder what do other shops charge for mixers? I have seen one shop in the Tampa are that has a $200 minimum on mixers, I guess that both makes it worth it as well as discouraging smaller jobs. And I hardly even bother when someone brings in a low end Mackie w/fx that gave up at a gig. I tell them buy another one at Guitar Center, they are disposable AFAIAC, if it's anything other than a cleaning.
I wonder what do other shops charge for mixers? I have seen one shop in the Tampa are that has a $200 minimum on mixers, I guess that both makes it worth it as well as discouraging smaller jobs. And I hardly even bother when someone brings in a low end Mackie w/fx that gave up at a gig. I tell them buy another one at Guitar Center, they are disposable AFAIAC, if it's anything other than a cleaning.
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