Guitars vs Strings

["Paul Harker" <paul-harker@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

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With the talk of custom harps, it seems that some folks think of a harmonica
like a guitarist would think of a set of strings -- a consumable item. On
the other, some look at it more like the guitar, an instrument to care for
and maintain. Most, appear somewhere in between.
 
On of the things about harp is that it is really a set of 12 (or more). $10
harps cost $120+, a $25 harps cost $260, and custom harps can be measured in
thousands of dollars. Not chump change.
 
If you paid over a grand on a guitar, saxaphone, trumpet etc it's an
investment for a lifetime.  I'm curiouis if it would be reasonable to expect
a set of custom harps to do the same?  
 
In addition, I'm curious how others feel -- are harps a disposable
commodity, a long-term investment, or ??