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

[Jerry Deall <jdeall@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Remember, anytime you opt to be a Beta Tester, expect issues. 
Maybe that's what the "B" stands for 

Thanks Jerry, 
http://www.thebluesambassadors.com/ 
http://www.myspace.com/bluesambasador 
http://www.myspace.com/harpmic_man 

- 
--- 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. 
> > 
> > 
>