Re: [Harp-L] (no subject)

["Suave Blues Man" <res6k2zt@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Brother Mike,

    Here are a few suggestions. This location HAD $19.95 Hohner Marine 
Bands a few months ago -
http://www.villagemusicstore.com/ !

    If you have a club they might consider themselves as a business and get 
a tax license and make arrangements for reducing costs. I have a local shop 
that gives a reasonable discount from the MSRP, (manufacturer's suggested 
retail price). Of the operating shops it appears that 
http://www.coast2coastmusic.com/ is going to be the resource of greatest 
commercial return...for less.

    Next suggestion. Prices and quality will drive you to really play the 
Blues. Norton Buffalo, http://www.norton-buffalo.com/ is the main proponent 
for Huang harmonicas. Prices are reasonable and quality is righteous. 
Playability is truly in the eye, er, mouth of the beholder. Bushman is next 
with high marks for the Bushman model comparable to the Hohner Marine Band. 
Suzuki falls into about here with their Marine Band equivalent. Hohner is 
next in line, at least price-wise. Seydel is next. (You might find a vendor 
with lower prices in alternating patterns re Hohner & Seydel.).

    You should consider doing repairs and tuning of your own harps. Those 
well toned tunes and licks aren't just a result of a stock harp. (I am NOT a 
repair person or tuner, etc. I'll admit it right up front. But I do feel 
obligated to give you the broadest recommendations.) With the little bit I 
have done to my harps these references should help:

     1. Diatonic http://www.angelfire.com/tx/myquill/ - Scroll all the way 
down and on-third way down of the sidebar is "Maintenance"

     2. Chromatic http://www.angelfire.com/music/HarpOn/ - Scroll halfway 
down. Look to the left - "Maintenance"

     3. This reference is so that you'll get an appreciation of the cost of 
having someone else do your cleaning, tuning and so forth:
         http://harmonicalinks.com/repairs.html  You can look at all listed 
the customizers sites, (and then some), and feel queasy at the prices. 
Here's where I absolutely understand where you're coming from with your 
interest in less expensive products.

     4. Cost of equipment to repair, tune, modify, et cetera. It's a long 
and costly path. Simple end is a few hundred dollars. The other end...has NO 
end!

     5. "How-to". You'll want to spend some time at http://www.youtube.com/ 
researching people like Chris Michalek and Jason Ricci. Chris does an 
extensive procedural presentaion of harmonica tuning. Oops, almost left 
out - http://www.elkriverharmonicas.com/ David Payne is also a proponent of 
tuning and repairs.

     6. http://www.harmonicasessions.com/index.html - Start with the first 
issue and read the Kinya Pollard articles about repair, tuning and 
modification. Amazing!

    So, there's a 'starter kit' as it were for you. And all of it 
predicated upon a simple question of how do I get'm cheap, eh?

Be Blues...And Jazz,

Suave Blues Man


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "MIKE CRANDALL" <mikecrandallblues@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, December 27, 2008 2:07 PM
Subject: [Harp-L] (no subject)


> does anyone know where to get harps at a reasonable price? they are 
> getting way overpriced
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