Well, another "shock" of being out of the scene for past year plus was the rise in pricing structure with seeming drop in all star service. Howie will do lots of things but Howie don't spend more than two browns on any encounter - more of a principle than a financial constraint.
But, hey, half the fun is to find the gems at lower cost before they feel they can suck guys in (no pun intended) with higher prices. I remember the days of Preetika at $160 for nearly 90 minutes in her first few weeks, I remember Taylor for $160 for the hour, I remember.....sorry, was getting nostalgic there.
I really wonder if some more of you fellow hobby dudes did what ol' Howie here does and tells them their price on the phone. Like, how about $160 for the hour. More than 50% of the time (regardless what their web site says about non-negotiable etc.) I get "well, OK" after some humming and hawing. Does it impact the service I get....possibly. I also say to them that I will up the fee if it is good for next time. This is not a lie but I don't tell them the two brown Howie rule so I guess it is not all that straight either.
I would ask all of you though to not blindly assume that $250 is the norm for good service.
But, hey, half the fun is to find the gems at lower cost before they feel they can suck guys in (no pun intended) with higher prices. I remember the days of Preetika at $160 for nearly 90 minutes in her first few weeks, I remember Taylor for $160 for the hour, I remember.....sorry, was getting nostalgic there.
I really wonder if some more of you fellow hobby dudes did what ol' Howie here does and tells them their price on the phone. Like, how about $160 for the hour. More than 50% of the time (regardless what their web site says about non-negotiable etc.) I get "well, OK" after some humming and hawing. Does it impact the service I get....possibly. I also say to them that I will up the fee if it is good for next time. This is not a lie but I don't tell them the two brown Howie rule so I guess it is not all that straight either.
I would ask all of you though to not blindly assume that $250 is the norm for good service.