Re: [Harp-L] My B-Radical arrived. Wow

[Daniel Gage <dan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I'm happy to wait.  It's been over a year, but I think it'll be worth the wait.  The customs I got from Brad are so nice, I know he doesn't mess around.

So many people complain about the ecomony or about jobs going overseas, but not that many people do anything about it.  These guys are doing what made America great.  They're working hard, creating a new product, making it with local talent, and generally risking it all.  I commend the effort, and will continue to wait patiently.  

Thanks,
Dan G

--- On Thu, 6/17/10, David Payne <dave@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> From: David Payne <dave@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] My B-Radical arrived. Wow
> To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> Date: Thursday, June 17, 2010, 8:52 AM
> Ken,
> 
> I understand the complexity of what you're feeling - you
> said that you are
> really looking forward to getting a B-radical, want us to
> succeed, but at
> the same time question the amount of time it has taken to
> get your order. No
> I don't think you sound petulant at all, yours are
> perfectly natural and
> justifiable feelings.
> You mentioned the amount of time it has taken thus far to
> get your Harrison
> instrument vs. the amount of time it took for various
> custom products,
> while realizing the difficulties startup companies face.
> Yes, there have
> been some typical startup difficulties, we are dealing with
> a half dozen
> suppliers and one small change or delay from a supplier has
> a snowball
> effect, this Luckily, the vast majority of our components
> are made in
> Illinois (the rest are made in other places in the U.S.),
> which mitigated
> the turnaround time for vendor issues, but they still had
> snowball effects
> on productions. Our suppliers are all incredibily
> resourceful and inventive
> companies with bright, talented people. The deal is the
> B-radical design
> demands incredibly tight tolerances (for instance, for the
> covers to snap
> into place and hold without the screws as it's designed to
> do, the
> tolerances have to be absolutely perfect).
> That's all basic start-up stuff, of which most people are
> aware we have to
> deal with.
> However, what isn't as well understood, is that we are in a
> very unique
> situation for a startup, we have invented numerous
> technologies to create
> our unique instrument. There is this misconception out
> there that the
> B-radical is a custom harmonica - as in it begins life as a
> stock harmonica
> and is later customized. It is instead its own entity,
> separate from
> anything that came before. We are doings things that have
> never been done
> before.
> The example that sticks out the most to me is that we mill
> our reeds
> lengthwise. This is something people have tried to do since
> at least the
> 1930s. To get a lengthwise mill, we had to create 21st
> Century harmonica
> technology that did not exist before. There is a reason
> we're the first to
> offer it, it is anything but easy to do. There is no
> reference manual for
> this harmonica technology because we invented it and we
> have no one but
> ourselves to solve problems when they arise and make the
> necessary
> corrections.
>  As production progresses, we have become more efficient at
> anticipating
> needs of and executing corrections. Our vendors - we ask a
> great deal from
> them - have developed an idea of what tolerances we require
> and have
> familiarized themselves with the unique processes we
> require them to
> use. Our only recourse, up to this point, to get harmonicas
> out faster than
> we have has been to cut corners on quality, which is
> something everyone at
> Harrison is vehemently opposed to. I know when you are
> waiting for
> something, it's easy to imagine that those for whom you are
> waiting are
> wasting time or goofing off, but I can assure you that is
> not the case. I've
> seen Brad Harrison's work schedule, leaving at 4 a.m.,
> working sometimes
> until 11 p.m. I remember one night he knocked off early at
> 7 p.m. This man
> has given his life to create this instrument.
> All this isn't to say that everything will be perfect from
> now on. There are
> still challenges to overcome, but harmonicas are going out
> the door every
> day, although the number of reviews posted on public forums
> don't give that
> impression. A surprising number of the instruments were
> purchased by people
> outside of the internet harmonica community and we are
> working down the list
> considering time-ordered only as we work through cycles of
> keys.
> If you and Gary will send me an e-mail off list, I'll get
> you the best
> estimate we can.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Dave
> 
> Dave Payne
> Harrison Harmonicas
> www.harrisonharmonicas.com
> 
> 
> 
> > Right now, our No. 1 focus is getting harmonicas built
> to our standards
> and shipped out the door...
> 
> >
> > That's great news David! Concentrating on fulfilling
> your considerable
> > back-log of orders should take priority over making a
> big splash at
> > SPAH! Personally, I'm tremendously excited to receive
> my B-Radical harmonica
> > -- which I ordered sometime in October of last 2009.
> >
> > It's interesting that the waiting period for this
> legendary
> > harmonica (about 9 months and counting) 
> surpasses that of any
> > custom harmonica (or repair/rebuild) I've ordered in
> my entire life. I don't
> > want to sound petulant (though, no doubt, I do), but
> I'm beginning to grow
> > impatient -- especially after viewing all the great
> reviews from the lucky
> > few who have received their harp, and the pumped up
> news coverage that Brad
> > and his company are receiving on national TV, in
> magazines, via the
> > internet, etc., for their All-American start up
> company. No doubt they
> > are receiving many new orders (and investors) because
> of this wonderful
> > publicity. And I support that. I really do.
> >
> > However, by way of comparison, during the time I since
> I ordered my single
> > B-Rad in they key of A, I also ordered (and have since
> received) a custom
> > built from the ground up, hand-wired tweed harp amp
> (two months), a custom
> > built harp mic (two-weeks) that is hand carved from
> Indian Rosewood with a
> > beautiful NOS crystal element and VC, and a custom
> harp reed-replacement
> > repair job on a harp that was out of my kit bag for
> less than three weeks.
> >
> > I realize that start-ups are a bitch.... but I must
> admit I'm getting
> > antsy. Okay, maybe a little more than antsy.
> > C'mon you guys... Can you please get it in gear?
> >
> > After my first inquiry several months ago, I was told
> by a Harrison rep.
> > that I could expect my harp in May... though that date
> has already sailed
> > placidly by with no word of re-assurance from the
> manufacturer. June
> > perhaps? Well, there's a few weeks left. July? August?
> September???  How
> > about October and a nice, round, full-year wait? 
> Honestly, this is no way
> > to run a business, and it will harm the company in the
> end if you do not
> > rectify the turn-around situation soon. Right now all
> I have to show for my
> > "pre-order" investment is a lousy $35 dollar T-shirt
> that I'm less inclined
> > to wear as time drags on.
> >
> > No doubt  I will wait as long as I must, and
> will, hopefully, be very happy
> > with the product. once in-hand. However, be aware that
> the longer I am
> > forced to wait, the fewer the chances are that I'll
> ever order another harp
> > from Harrison. And I consider myself a patient man
> (having raised two kids
> > to adulthood).  I can only imagine that there
> must be other harp-less
> > "restless natives" out there who feel as I do.
> >
> > Be well,
> > Still Harpin' in Colorado,
> > --Ken M.
> >
> >
>