Tombo

[Jack Ely <IMS_ELY@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

    Just my 2 cents worth:
    
    I first learned of Tombo harmonicas in 1976 when I met Richard Smith. He 
    had various models in his collection along with some Yamahas. The Tombos 
    were extremely hard to get - as far as we knew no one was importing them. 
    Ask a music store and they never heard of them. You had to know someone 
    who had one for sale (someone who picked them up in their travels, etc.) 
    or have a contact in Japan. We wrote some letters inquiring how to 
    purchase these harmonicas - to no avail. There were no U.S.A. distributers 
    and we had no desire (or at least not the cash) to go into the harmonica 
    business or become a distributor - most manufacturers don't even want to 
    talk about direct sales. Our reply from Yamaha informed us that they no 
    longer made harmonicas - pity, they were also high quality instruments.
    
    Then came Lee Oskar a few years ago with his name on a diatonic made to 
    his specifications by Tombo. Eventually he began distributing the whole 
    Tombo line in the U.S.A. - which made me very happy. I'm glad that Lee at 
    least tried.
    
    But they didn't catch on in the retail arena. Although many clubs were 
    given some pretty fantastic deals on these, not enough took advantage; the 
    demand just was not there - Not enough people want a bass, chord, S-50 
    shuttle-less chromatic, soprano or tenor pipehorn. This is just part of 
    the Tombo line. They are all fine instruments - but there is not enough 
    demand to warrant stocking all the different models, as I suspect a 
    distributorship agreement might require.
    
    Lee and Leslie Oskar have been very generous in supporting various 
    harmonica clubs - one of their ways of getting the word out on the L.O. 
    and Tombo line and showing a sincere interest in the clubs. I won't give a 
    figure but he has donated many $$$ in Lee Oskar and Tombo harmonicas to 
    BSHC over the past 3 or 4 years to help promote our annual festival.
    
    I wish Lee still carried the full line of Tombos but certainly can't fault 
    him for giving it up - at least temporarily.
    
    On the other hand, I'm glad we still have a source for Tombos in Norman 
    Ives. I remember when you could not get them at all.
    
         Jack Ely - Columbus, Ohio  --New Addr--> IMS_ELY@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx