To the OP with love....

Learn to fix your own stuff!

Problem solved!

Note: I AM a certified Master Electronics Technician, so take what I say as you wish.
I repair test equipment and do tape decks as well. Mostly as a hobby now. I am really semi-retired and do this out of my paid off house.
But I MUST charge a 1 hour diagnostic fee because I have to take apart a complex machine to try and figure out what's wrong with it, and what in most cases... someone else has DONE to it. This takes time and work. Frequently much more than one hour. I have been in decks a DAY before figuring out everything, as often it is more than one problem. USUALLY it is more than 2 or 3. That is the nature of old gear. Now on modern stuff.... you just swap a board. You don't really troubleshoot it, but at the same time it wasn't even meant to be repaired in the first place. Those are the "modern" shops, that still exist. This is not the type of work that I do. I do component level troubleshooting.
I CANNOT give up front estimates because I usually get hammered, clapped out, already tinkered with gear that now requires a MIRACLE to get running again. I am often "The Tech of last resort". By then, the customer is looking for CHEAP, as some "shop" already charged them and didn't fix a thing. It's like this: "My car is making a knocking noise, how much to fix?" Well, without seeing it, how can I know over an email if something is loose or it's a rod knock and the engine is going out? But sure... let me quote you $250 to fix.
There are times that when a job gets beyond reasonable expectation, I often just do a flat rate that works for me and the customer, as things are sometimes hidden and only come out later, but I am now much too deep into it and cannot just "UN-DO" my work and say sorry... I'm bailing on this one. I actually DO work with people. I do get it.
In my world, there is no "No fix, No pay" YOU go do it! You'll be out of business in no time if you work on ancient crap like reel to reel decks. The effort needed to just diagnose, let alone properly align an electro-mechanical device this complex makes this impossible. If that is what you want from ME.... good luck getting your thing repaired. I work from home, so my rates are reasonable, but no.... I don't and CAN'T work for free. Also, I'm actually very good at what I do... so the NO FIX is pretty damn rare. I fix stuff others gave up on.
Especially now, that many ebay flippers are just looking for a "cheap fix" so THEY can cash in big time. I have worked for a few.... "Can you fix this Studer A810 for $20?" NO... I cannot. It costs an hour to diagnose, then you get an estimate. And that is what it is... an ESTIMATE. Sometimes, things go south... it happens... and you have to make that unpleasant phone call.
And if you think that a good tech pads out his hourly rates.... think again. We usually have more work than time and usually a weeks to MONTHS backlog. In fact, I only do specific jobs and interview potential customers ahead of time. Yes, some shops do this... I don't agree with it. I do this because I LIKE what I do, not screw people over, so I understand the concern. Find a better shop. I always advise to find a private tech instead of a shop, as usually you will have a much better experience. Most of us old fools do this because we WANT to, not because we HAVE to. But groceries ain't free....
And then there are many jobs that are simply not worth taking, as parts and labor are constant, the value of the item IS NOT! It costs a minimum of $40 to replace a belt in a $20 DVD player..... just toss it and get another. OR... learn to fix it yourself. So I myself do not touch "cheap stuff".
Yes, I was asked this on a coby dvd player.... the girl was SHOCKED that I couldn't do it for $5!
Cheers!
