RE: [Harp-L] Re: Bushman Delta Frost harps

["Tom Klingl" <tom.klingl@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Fernando is exactly right. This is also the information I have.
Read this from HarpOnline: 

http://www.harponline.de/index.php?page=specials/bushman/specials111_delta_0
1&lang_id=en_GB&

All this doesn't make the DF a bad harmonica. But I could live
without the stories made up around it!

All the best from Berne, Switzerland, Tom

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Fernando Bresslau [mailto:fernando@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] 
> Sent: Thursday, July 12, 2007 9:06 AM
> To: harp-l
> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Re: Bushman Delta Frost harps
> 
> 
> Well, AFAIK (own observations + reliable sources) Bushman had 
> its harmonicas manufactured by two harmonica factories, as 
> they are a reseller of instruments, not a manufacturer.
> 
> The Soul's Voice has been manufactured by Seydel. At least in 
> the beginning. By comparing earlier Seydel harmonica models 
> (or Weltmeister, fwiw) this was very clear. People have also 
> reported on getting Bushman harmonicas with the Seydel 
> lettering on the combs, or the other way around. I have also 
> seen Bushman part in the factory during a tour in 2005, when 
> John Hall was also present at the Klingenthal harmonica 
> festival. I also believe that the cooperation with Seydel has 
> ended a couple of years ago, so that might be a reason why 
> Bushman isn't promoting the Soul's Voice actively anymore. 
> Ben can surely set the facts straight here.
> 
> The Delta Frost came out **after** the Suzuki Harpmaster. 
> That makes only sense. Bushman sought a supplier who wouldn't 
> have to invest in too many tools to make his harmonicas and 
> therefore based his on an existing model. As a reseller, this 
> makes only sense.
> 
> All in all, since this is a repackaging and marketing action, 
> and not really product development, it does not make sense to 
> state that someone copied someone. Repackaging OEM products 
> for specific markets is a genuine value adding business 
> model, and tehre should be no problem with that. I am also 
> sure that John Hall gets lots of feedback from his customers 
> and that this feedback is then supplied to the manufacturers, 
> to produce the harmonicas according to John's ideas.
> 
> All the best from Trossingen,
> Fernando
> 
>