[Harp-L] new harmonica online store

["sam Blancato" <samblancato@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I just checked out this new online harmonica store - completely boring.  Do
we need another online store like this?  Their prices, are no better or
worse than anybody else's, the selection is nothing new, and the site
organization is lackluster.  Why bother going into business and offering
such a drab presentation and selection?
 
What I'd like to see is a source like Harponline.com in the U.S.  This
supplier is SERIOUS.  Huge selection, presented beautifully, loads of
information on everything, workshop presentations, articles, and well
written copy on everything they sell.  Get this, they have a huge selection
of spare parts for just about every brand except Suzuki, they have custom
combs for many models of both chromatic and diatonic, custom tunings, a
custom gapping and sharp edge removal service.  All of this is organized in
a very easy to read format and the photography for all the products is
really sharp.  They also have a line of tools, and tuners, and a reed
replacement kit/system that is first rate.  You can explore this site for a
couple of hours and still not exhaust the material there.
 
This is what shopping for harmonicas should be all about. 
 
The only draw-back is that your order takes time because it's in Europe -
the Netherlands, I think - and you pay a little more because of this and
because of the conversion from Euros to dollars.  
 
If somebody had a site like that in the U.S., I think that would be great.
Here's the thing, there aren't that many people into harmonica in North
America so your market is going to be maybe too small.  Obviously harmonicas
are taken much more seriously in other parts of the world.
 
Sam Blancato, Pittsburgh