Subject: [Harp-L] hohner success

[EGS1217@xxxxxxx]

Jon:
 
There still are tons of people out there buying and playing the 270's but  
who don't use a computer or even have a clue about online  harmonica forums. 
I ran into yet another such gentleman just this  past week at a Mopar Car 
Show, of all places. Talked into it by my husband  and a harmonica playing 
veteran who's gotten me up to accompany him  on The National Anthem before. 
He's beginning to introduce me to his  harmonica playing friends who know 
nothing about this world. They're all quite  fascinated but most don't spend 
time online and wouldn't know how to go about  it. The Vet I mentioned is just 
beginning to explore the  Net a bit so I'm slowly introducing him to harp 
videos, SPAH and  GSHC.
 
 
His elderly friend was blown out of his socks by the three CX-12's in  
various keys which I showed him--explaining that he had 270's in several keys  
but had a very difficult time working on them, especially the  sticking 
mouthpieces (I gathered his problems were arthritic in nature).  The one-piece 
slide of the CX-12 (which I dismantled in front of him) and easily  cleaned 
shell 'look Ma, no multi-part mouthpiece'--made his face light up.  His son 
came over afterwards to get as much info as he could--thanking me for  making 
HIS life easier--since he 'now knew exactly what to get the old man'  for 
his next birthday.
 

The point is: they're out there and they're playing but they have no  
knowledge about online discussion, fixing, styles/models of harmonicas, or the  
info about hundreds of other harmonica players getting together to play or  
exchange ideas. They play in small groups or by themselves with their 
families. 
 
 
Over the last few years I've met many just like him even at SPAH who  will 
say they've never gone online and know nothing about harp-l or  
slidemeister. Those people came to SPAH through their harmonica clubs. Computers  are 
simply not part of their lives--and they're not all elderly people as one  
might surmise: A lot of folks simply don't want to be part of 'the  grid'. 
They're living their lives --playing their music--but getting  their information 
from word of mouth or telephones, or a friend dropping by  to talk about or 
take them to the next event. They work, make music,  have busy lives and 
know zero about this harmonica-centric world WE  occupy.
 
 
The fact this man played multiple keys of 270's was extremely interesting  
to me for that fact alone. He didn't even know the name/number/style of his  
harmonica--just that it was a Hohner about 'so' big (had left it in his car 
on  the other side of the parking lot) and that it came in A, F, G, etc.  
Specifically wanted to hear how my Bb chromatic sounded --so I played 'Fly  
Me To the Moon' for him, with his other friend trying to play along on  a C 
(unsuccessfully, which is MY own problem on a C chrom). Then I wiped  down 
and let him play my A. I thought he was going to put it in his pocket right  
there and make me an offer I couldn't refuse<G> he was so  excited by the 
sound. He has a slight hearing difficulty and this chrom is  so much louder 
than his own (according to his friend) he was obviously thrilled.  To them this 
was all brand-new technology and information.
 
 
Today I'm forwarding the one guy who's online links and videos to SPAH and  
to Phil Caltabellotta's playing--and anything else I think will pique their 
 interest. If they're amenable and I do finally get back to being able to  
travel distances soon, I'll suggest perhaps bringing them along to one  of 
the GSHC Club's next meetings. 
 
 
As for what they've given me--I got up again on a DJ's band-stand and  
played the Anthem (dueting with the one man playing a tremolo)through  a mic no 
less, for an audience of least a couple of hundred who all stood  at 
attention with hands over hearts, and this time my knees didn't knock. It's  sure a 
great way to overcome one's nerves, especially since the DJ invited me to  
come back anytime after he came over later on to listen to me play  along 
underneath some of his music (I wasn't Gussing--WE were beside a  River, his 
music was blaringly loud pointed towards a parking lot set up for car  
display with a lot of motors running and no one could hear me except our own  
small group). Besides, if one can 'Gus' over Springsteen's 'Born in the  USA' 
you'd deserve to be heard. <G>
 
Elizabeth
PS: the tremolo guy bought HIS newest in person at Sam Ash too. It's one of 
 the few remaining sources on Long Island--waited 5 weeks for it to come 
in, but  was happy enough with their service.
 
"Message: 6
Date: Sat, 1 Sep 2012 19:33:53 -0700
From: JON KIP  <jonkip@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] hohner success
To:  harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx

I just got another hohner 270 deluxe.... a chromatic...  probably my 11th 
or so....I suspect nobody else buys them.

In the past,  there have been some issues with them, some easy to fix, some 
less easy to  fix.... tuning has been on the high side, 444-ish...

However, this one  seems, at first play...to be really better made than the 
earlier ones, 5-6 yrs  ago, I think.....some gold looking bits where before 
they were chrome.. not at  all important... except when someone asks "Hey, 
that sounds good, can I see your  bolts?" ,....yeah, an obviously over-used 
come-on line from fans... you have to  get used to that stuff, I 
suppose...although I may be not understanding the  question correctly, as it's usually 
asked when there's lots of noise going  on.....

It's really well in tune, 441, and both reed plates are tuned to  the same 
pitch.... very playable...

This one has 7 bolts, rather than the  older ones' five. I usually add a 
couple of bolts to the old ones....just  because.

This is, out of the box, a pretty good horn... one reed needed  
regapping,.... but that's a personal thing.

So if this is can be  extrapolated into the general hohner product line, 
which "who knows?", it's a  great improvement....

On top of that, the price on amazon (thru Sam Ash)  was wrong, the price 
listed was for the Regular 270, but in the end, Sam Ash  sold me the deluxe 
for the advertised price... They first sent me a Regular 270  but replaced it 
when I told them of the discrepancy ....saved about fifty  bucks... so the 
purchase of more excessively redundant instruments sort of made  sense...I'm 
very happy with the customer service guys at Sam Ash....I was  impressed 
that they really wanted to make me happy.

DISCLAIMER: I own Sam  Ash, the entire chain, and I'd like you all to buy 
stuff there, send me your  checks, I'll see that they go to the right 
place...make them out to me, and I'll  see that Our Lady of Accounting gets the 
money.... really, I will...  

(for some reason , when people praise an instrument company here , they  
feel it important to issue a disclaimer, for a reason that escapes me.....so  
that was mine)

nice work, someone at Hohner...for the instrument and at  Sam Ash for the 
service...


jk