[Harp-L] Spiers Harmonicas/ was Quality and Price

["Joe Spiers" <joemopar@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I'd like to provide a little explanation of stuff I do. I'm not soliciting 
anyone's business, just hoping to clarify choices, as some of it might be 
considered relative to the discussion.



I offer three levels of improved harmonicas; Stage I being the level that I 
think fulfills the desires of what some here are asking of the manufacturers. I 
find it curious that the harmonica quality level a lot of players are saying 
they want- and would be willing to pay more for (within reason)- has not been 
requested of me more often. I've sold only one (and he was quite happy).



I think a few reasons could be 1) this type of customer doesn't want to wait a 
few weeks, 2) Stage II is only a few dollars more and a good value (a good 
seller), and 3) there could be an underestimation of what Stage I means.



The Stage I process is the solid foundation of a properly set-up harmonica. 
There are several steps involved, far beyond simple gapping and tuning. Most of 
it is proprietary work, not found on an average "custom harp". But most people 
looking at the reeds would think its bone-stock. In the automotive industry 
this could be likened to "blueprinting" an engine. With the enlightenment that 
comes with experience, I've developed several parameters, specifications for 
those parameters, efficient calibration procedures, and tools to do my work 
effectively and consistently. These are reasons why Stage I and II harps are a 
great value, especially the Special 20 model. Special 20's are good harps that 
don't need much beyond what's most important- the reed work. It takes about 30 
seconds to open the covers, and a few minutes to round the corners (a recently 
included upgrade to comfort). I would also like to mention here that although I 
only advertise the Hohner handmades on my website, a Stage I setup applied to 
the Suzuki Fabulus is very worthwhile if you've purchased one and may be 
interested in further performance.



A Stage II is a Stage I with embossed reed slots. It's brighter sounding, with 
a little quicker response. Both Stage I and II are constructed using 
current-production harmonicas. With either one, if I find a reed that won't 
conform to my specifications, I replace it with one that will. And both have a 
warranty.



Current production Hohner reeds are quite different than those made before 
approximately 2004. The end results of the same quality reed work, applied to 
older vs. newer reeds, reflect those differences in the way they feel while 
playing them. That is why I do not advertise an overblow setup at Stage I or II 
level (aside from the 6 overblow, which I will insure on all levels). Having 
said that, they might be acceptable for a lot of players, who have the chops, 
in the context of a short-duration OB note contained within a blues lick. Even 
stock ones can do that. They aren't acceptable IMO for extended-position 
playing where the OB's need to have more stability. When current reed brass is 
set up for hard-core overbendability, they lack the characteristic feel I want 
to achieve in all the rest of the notes. What good are overblows if the rest of 
the notes won't work right when you're on stage and need to lean on it really 
hard? When set up for traditional playing these harps are good fun to play, and 
I agree with Steve Baker- in my experience they are more durable. Also the 
current brass accepts my specified shapes and gaps quickly, allowing me to do 
my work quickly and efficiently.



This brings me to the Stage III level. These are constructed with 
harder-to-procure new-old-stock harps, with a setup very similar to Stage II. 
Older brass has a significantly stronger memory, requiring a lot of additional 
effort spent adjusting and plinking repeatedly. It's still a straightforward 
procedure with clear specifications, and not much time fiddling around. It's a 
solid, thoughtful process in combination with more appropriate reed material, 
which makes them overbend well without sacrificing "normal" playability. 
There's a longer warranty on these to help justify the price.



The labor and parts used establish my pricing, just like if you took your car 
in to get it worked on. No bonuses are taken for any particular setup. I've 
taken an average time for each level, multiplied by what I need to earn per 
hour in order to keep doing it, and I plan to keep doing it for awhile.



Thanks for the bandwidth, and your time.

Joe Spiers

http://www.spiersharmonicas.com