[Harp-L] Endorsements

[Damien Masterson <dzm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Most endorsements, unless you are a superstar, are not much more than  
a slightly deeper discount than you can find online. If anything, it  
is a rapport with the company, and if you're ambitious enough,  
ideally you can get them to sponsor you if it appears you have gigs  
or attention that merit it.

  If the company is together, there are other perks: They will place  
you on their website, links to your addresses, etc.. at Audix, I got  
to go into the main test room and blast harmonica and sax though a  
series of amp & mic combinations. Very friendly staff, and they gave  
me lots of light merch and promo materials to give out at concerts  
and workshops. On their website (http://www.audixusa.com/ 
artists.html) I am lodged before David Garibaldi and David Grisman,  
something I hope to earn merit for after another 20 years of  
practicing and playing!
    Hohner sends out harps and lets you pay later, ala F.R. Farrell  
in the old days, lately Hohner USA has been struggling. It's been a  
challenge getting certain harps, getting any presence on their  
website, although they did recently put my picture with a blurb in  
their Easy Reeding publication, so I better not complain!!! I don't  
play any other harps, so I better keep them happy!

   Once you're huge, you can get companies to give you free crap  
galore, but then you're already wondering if a free set of harmonicas  
or a free mic is worth letting the company use your image, when  
someone else might be willing to pay you a million dollars for it. I  
have not been blessed with that dilemma yet.

  I heard a story 5th hand, it could be B.S... Someone said Norton  
Buffalo had an endorsee deal with Hohner, and they started using his  
image all over the place and ticked him off. Anybody remember that  
gossip? He doesn't even play Hohners... Maybe I should call him and  
ask him.

  The final point worth remembering is less experienced musicians  
and layman are impressed with things that they are familiar with, or  
long initials after someone's name, unless they are as skeptical as  
me, which I hope is not the case. So if you get enough of these  
little tags on your email signature, maybe they will think you're  
worth checking out. Or maybe not! It can't hurt...

Best of luck

D


Damien Masterson http://www.damienmasterson.com
or enter my name in any search engine
http://www.myspace.com/damienmastersonmusic
http://cdbaby.com/all/damienzm
415 305 7138 dzm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Damien Endorses Hohner Harmonicas and Audix Microphones