Matt - you're right - the fees are high enough to make it difficult
for many of us to participate. The harp player market is very
small, which is precisely why very small companies like me can
compete in the first place. But it also means we're not rolling in
surplus cash. Believe me, if there were much of a market for in-
line volume controls, HOSA would tool up and manufacture 100,000 of
them and put me out of business with prices WAY lower than I could
compete with. But the nature of this market is that it excludes
most of the big companies - and allows little guys like me to
compete. I would love to sponsor SPAH (I'd love to attend too -
SPAH - bring it to the west coast!!!) - but I can't, at least not
this year. I know several other mic builders, gasket makers, amp
makers - who are in the same boat. Most are in the business because
we love it. But I also understand that SPAH is not a cheap event to
put on, and they have to try to offset their costs. For now they'll
have to get by on my annual dues.
/Greg
http://www.blowsmeaway.com
http://www.bluestateband.net
From: "Matt Smart" <matthewsmart@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: July 4, 2007 6:00:37 AM PDT
To: Harp <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] SPAH the money maker
Does anyone know what the costs are to be a sponsor at this year's
SPAH
event? $1000-$5000!
This is really dissapointing. Hetrick Harp cases was going to
go, but
there is no way we can afford that. It is really dissapointing
that their
fees are so high. That pretty much edges out any little guy
trying to
make a quality product. The only vendors that would pick that up
are Hohner
or Suzuki...
Charging that much seems contrary to the purpose of the event. I
would
think they would want a nice array of harmonica sponsors to get a
sense of
the different products that are out there. I would like to see
Joe Spiers
with a little table talking about his custom harps, or how about
Jim Mcbride
talking about his microphones or Bryan Purdy with his killer
amps. These
ridiculous sponsor fees pretty much guarantee that the best harmonica
products in the marketplace won't be represented. What are your
thoughts?
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