[Harp-L] Sick of it



I just want to say that I don't know Sonny, never met the man nor talked to him, HOWEVER I would like to put my 2 cents in on the "idea" behind this subject.


If you want what he makes and sells.......buy it, if you can't afford it but still want it, save and buy it.  This particular topic touches a nerve with me. Over the years I have had folks complain about the "high costs" of my quality handmade US made products (cases aren't all I do).  I make all the products I sell myself and do my very best to get the finest materials available.  I don't use imported cheap leather, I use the best I can get.  I also GUARANTEE my products FOR LIFE.......that's not a cheap investment.  It is what I do for a living, it is my day job not a passing hobby.  It's how I raise my family and pay the mortgage.  I have told customers who complain about pricing before quote: "if your boss came to you on Monday and said that you would have to take a 30% reduction in your salary because you make too much money."  I THINK I KNOW WHAT YOUR REPLY WOULD BE.

I don't want to start a flaming thread, and I don't want to get booted of the list but this just strikes a nerve with me.  

Sonny, you just keep doin' what you're doin' building great mics and amps......quality costs, it ain't cheap nor free.......

I do appologize to the list in advance, but I do emotional about some subjects......

Jeff


--- SONNYTONE@xxxxxxx wrote:

> Sonny Jr here. I need to get this off my chest in an
> appropriate manner.  
> Virtually All of my amp customers do not have great
> mics for optimal tone and  
> sound. Usually they have the bright 520DX, or a
> Bluesblaster or other not 100%  
> strong element. Ebay is a crapshoot at best, since
> everyone knows where the  
> elements come out of now, THEY are the ones that
> have driven what used to be 
> $80  - $100 mics now up to $200. I want my customers
> to have the best mics for 
> their  SJ, so I have to bid high, usually end up
> spending $190, the have 
> beautiful  custom smaller shells with V/C made for
> $80, costing me $270, and I sell 
> them to  my customers for $295, I spend an hour
> installing, testing and 
> retesting. If you  factor in the probably 100
> elements that were not strong enough 
> for me to in my  heart sell to my customer, take
> that $190 loss and you can see 
> I do this as a  service. There happened to be a
> bunch of black elements which 
> I did not have in  my now few elements, so I put
> snipe bids on them all. So I 
> get a rude, nasty  email from someone whom I outbid
> calling me a horder of 
> elements, that I am  taking them away from guys who
> want to build their own 
> mics. My statement was, I  have to pay top dollar,
> if they want it I am just 
> making them pay just like I  do. I have a private
> source I buy my elements from, so 
> now occasionally if I  want to take the risk for a
> rare clam for my customers 
> or myself I will try  to snipe it, or try for some
> blackies as my customers 
> do ask. Ebay is an  AUCTION, if you want something
> bad enough, all you harp 
> players are the ones  that have made the standard
> pricing what it is, not me. And 
> I will NOT sell an  even 9/10 strength to my
> customers, as I have just enough 
> mics and variety that  I can do so. So in essence
> this is a losing 
> proposition for me when you include  all the duds,
> it is just my commitment over the 
> past 14 years to get my customer  the best they can
> have. For this person to 
> throw in , Haven't you made enough  money on your
> amps. He obviously assumed I was 
> buying these elements for  profit. I have lost from
> 50 to 60 thousand dollars 
> selling the 410, as during  those 3 years of
> surgeries, on top of building an 
> amp with the highest  build cost, I had to pay labor
> for things that I would 
> have normally  done. Not asking for sympathy, I
> chose to do this, and now 
> things are  looking like I could streamline the
> process without cutting quality an 
> inch. I  am tired of being berated and held in the
> middle of the square to 
> have stones  thrown at. I am in a good frame of mind
> which is reflected by my 
> posts. So if  MOB posts somewhere about my "hording"
> mics, I know at least 50 
> regular players  that were true horders and have
> tons of elements, did he 
> contact them also? If  any of my customers who
> bought mics from me are out there, 
> please speak up.I  hope this was not seen as a
> tirade from me, but none of you 
> know what it is  like to have gone through what I
> have over this long period of 
> time. Anyone  that has talked to me actually on the
> phone, or met me, or will 
> even contact me  civilly over the phone, 7 days a
> week, might get to know 
> just who I am and what  I am about. SJ  




-- 
Jeffrey Spoor    Owner/Maker
317-894-8699 Shop
317-363-9431 Cell
Cumberland Custom Cases
www.cumberlandcustomcases.com




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