RE: [Harp-L] Harmonica Shelf Space

["Bernie Clarke" <bclarke1@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I just bought two Marine Bands today.  My dealer tells me the price went up
again to $43 list.  I get them for much less than that, but Hohner is
bonher(ing) us!  Why should the price go up in the US when the dollar is at
a six year high against the Euro?  Last year, the price went up they said
was because the dollar was so weak.  The price NEVER goes down!

Bernie

-----Original Message-----
From: harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Rick Davis
Sent: Friday, March 06, 2009 9:48 PM
To: Jp Pagán
Cc: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Harmonica Shelf Space

I'm not sure that is the reason why harmonica shelf space seems to be
shrinking.  Online dealers don't seem to be proliferating either.  Has there
been a general decline in demand for harps?

In two stores I checked here in Denver, Marine Band harps were outrageously
expensive, like $42.  In Guitar Center they are still about $28.  Have the
margins become so thin that harps are no longer profitable for the big
retailers?  I am curious about the micro-economics of it.


On Fri, Mar 6, 2009 at 6:50 PM, Jp Pagán <jplpagan@xxxxxxx> wrote:

> I've never had much luck getting a good harp selection at any brick &
> mortar store. I've been to Guitar Center as well as to some well known
> places here in NYC like Manny's and Sam Ash. Usually they have like, 50
> Blues Harps in C and maybe a couple other harps in A or G, maybe F, and
> that's it. For the longest time, I've ordered my harps online: any key you
> want, any make, any model, and usually arrives in a couple of days.
Besides,
> my money goes to people who are part of and care about the harmonica
> community, not to Guitar Center or Sam Ash. Not that there's anything
wrong
> with that, but they care little or not at all about harmonica players.
Then
> again, maybe it's because of people like me. ;)
>
> -Jp
>
>
> --- In harp-l-archives@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Rick Davis <bluesharpamps@...>
> wrote:
> >
> > I've noticed over the last couple years that shelf space dedicated to
> > harmonicas in music stores has dwindled to almost nothing.  Stores like
> > Guitar Center (and others like it) used to have big displays of harps in
> or
> > behind the accessories counter.  Now the only thing I see is the little
> > Hohner box that perches on the counter.
> >
> > What's up?  Have harp sales fallen off so much that stores no longer
want
> to
> > devote shelf space, or have other items such as pedals made in China
> become
> > so profitable that harmonicas are squeezed out?  I bought a Special 20
in
> C
> > today and had to walk up and down the counter several times before I
> found
> > any harps.
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-- 
-Rick Davis
The Blues Harp Amps Blog
http://www.bluesharpamps.blogspot.com/
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