| $40 per hour includes about $10 per hour of benefits, so the annual cash compensation to the assembly employees would be 2,080 hours times $30 per hour, which would be $62,400. That seems high for the average employee. If you include the helpers cleaning the shop and early apprentices, the average is probably more like $40,000. Thus, $40,000/2080=19.23+10(benefits)=29.23 times 45hr = 1,315 leaving very little room for materials, marketing and profit margin.
It's apparent that no one is going to reveal an accurate number.
Back to the original topic, how hand made are Schilkes? About the same as the other name brands, EXCEPT they don't use assembly jigs. They are NOT the only ones in this category, but that would be a difference as compared to Bach and Conn, for instance. Most horns are "hand made", but Schilke uses a more time consuming process that minimizes building stress into the instruments. Each Schilke IS NOT a "custom" trumpet just because they're put together without an assembly jig.
Dave |