[Harp-L] Harrison Harmonica's shutting down - An outsider's viewpoint



First, I don't have a dog in this fight; just an outsider's viewpoint.
So, if you feel the urge for ad hominem attacks, please try to restrain 
yourself. It's just an opinion from a nutcase; just dismiss it.

This appears to be the notification that Harrison Harmonicas sent out:

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"Harrison Harmonicas has made a name for its B-Radical harps and earned a
reputation for making a top-quality instrument.  That commitment will
continue but with a different company. The B-radical is a very expensive
instrument to create, something we weren't able to anticipate when we set
our price in pre-production. Even as we began to meet and sometimes even
exceed our production goals, there were obstacles we were unable to
overcome. It is with a heavy heart I say Harrison Harmonicas is no longer
able to continue as a company.

However, another innovative American company with a reputation for
manufacturing excellence has purchased the B-Radical harmonica and will
build the B-radical as well as other HH-concept models. They are committed
to - and with 49 years of manufacturing experience are capable of - carrying
forward the revolution we started.

The new company has expressed a firm commitment to filling our backorders.
It will be sending out a communication to you in the coming weeks, you
should be hearing from them soon via email announcing the new home and how
backorders will be handled."

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I didn't order one of the B-Radicals because my favorite tuning never became
available. Otherwise, I would certainly have tried at least one. I had hopes
that Brad and company would succeed against all odds, and that (eventually)
special tuning orders would be accepted. I liked everything except the "railroad 
ties" design; everything about the B-Radical was well-thought out.

It's tough economically for everyone right now. I understand the frustration
and anger expressed because hard-earned money was paid for (apparently) nothing.
However, I don't think it is fair to trash Brad personally and publicly for 
having to sell the company. For all indications, the man tried everything he 
could to make it work. Even in selling the company (which has to have broken 
his heart), he still has worked out a "firm commitment" from the new company to 
filling your back orders. That seems to indicate considerable personal integrity 
to me. He didn't just take the money and disappear. If you've ever started a
company, poured your sweat and tears and dreams and money into it (I have), only 
to have it fold, then you have some idea of what Brad must have felt. Otherwise, 
you are clueless.

I don't know Brad personally and have never met him, but everything I've heard
about him says that he's not the kind of person to scam the harmonica community.

If you've given the company 2-3 years to produce a harmonica for you, maybe it's
not unreasonable to wait and see how the new company handles things. If your
money disappears down that rabbit hole, that may not be Brad's fault.

Live and let live, sez me. Life's too short for all this angst unless you want to
feed your inner blues person on steroids.

Crazy (but I don't be radical) Bob
 		 	   		  


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