[Harp-L] Re: Harp-L Digest, Vol 42, Issue 26

[SONNYTONE@xxxxxxx]

Being the senior of the crew, and I have mentioned Scott numerous times as  a 
great technician, I have found over a thousand loyal customers over my 12  
years of producing now my third, and soon to be fourth model. I can't think of  
anything more to add to my two amps that will be my line. A forty pound tone  
monster, and the big boy 410. While many cannot produce great tone no matter  
what they play through, everyone goes through stages. What you get with a 
custom  builder like myself is personal one on one attention from a harp player 
who will  steer you in the right direction to get further past where they are. 
There is no  malice in this, again I have spent over 35 years playing and 
keeping an open  mind, so I know what harp players want, as along with the thousand 
or so  customers worldwide, there are the other few thousand I have dealt 
with via  email or on the phone. Not everyone is courteous, and I have had my 
moments  also. Before this all there was for an amp was the Kendrick who first 
started  the amp for harp players, and I don't know of anyone who is happy with 
that  product. One of my customers ended up not liking it, so they said he 
should buy  their other model which was worse he said. Over 3500 bucks not to be 
happy, if I  try and satisfy someone and it just doesn't work out, we work out 
a deal to get  their money back. Simple, I don't want anyone badmouthing me. 
Many have heard me  demo the amp over the phone, distortion aside, they can 
hear what is possible  and That sound is what they have been looking for. It 
starts within, but having  an amp and customer service for life is worth a lot 
more than just a Fender out  of the store. And if you don't care and won't sound 
any different due to your  own playing ability, then it really doesn't 
matter. Money is an issue, I can't  do cheap, I have to have other builders do my 
chassis work, I don't use cheap  parts, being unique in many respects with what 
I use, and everything else has  been handpicked for tone by my experimenting. 
HarpL is not the world of harpers,  it is one forum. Many read my website, see 
how many true reviews there are, and  call and ask questions. I don't Sell, 
if it is not right for someone I point  them somewhere else. Just sold an amp 
to a guy in Finland, Europeans are very  cautious, luckily I already had a 
Finnish customer who he was able to talk to  and ease his mind. His review has 
just been posted. This is what we do and we  care about our products and our 
customers. When I am gone there will be others  still building their amps, perhaps 
I can leave a positive mark in history, but  then it won't matter anyway. 
When they cremate me all that will be left is a  bunch of metal. I am fortunate 
to have customers from around the world already  giving me deposits on a site 
unseen amp. To any of my 410 customers, there will  be a money back guarantee 
for the new amp plus incentives. I respect and honor  the fact they stood by 
me. And now other builders are getting that same  respect, harp players are 
always looking for that certain tone, not being a  blues player or Chicago style 
player you may not know what that is. For guys  that use effects and 
processors, anything will do, so everyone is able to  be happy. Unless you have actually 
gone through the R & D process and put  your house up believing in what you 
are doing, don't know custom  builders. None of us are getting rich.