Re: [Harp-L] Re: Chromatic Repair

[Joseph Leone <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

This is just a guess..but I have to fore warn you that my guesses usually turn out to be facts. ( something David Payne had witnessed first hand), but I believe that the klepto for NOT providing USA with vintage parts has something to do with their (admittedly unusual) klepto for charging USA customers LESS than anyone else. Having been at this for some time, I have a feeling that Hohner feels that the USA customers are more likely to play a harmonica, and if something goes south, are equally as likely to just go out and buy another. Ergo..the 'better price' incentive. Having lived in Europe several times, I noticed a general aura that it was felt that Americans could (and would) buy what ever they wanted, any time they wanted, for what ever reason they wanted, any where they wanted, any way they wanted, any hoo. Whereas Europeans were more likely to 'stretch' THEIR possessions. 

smokey joe (last of the Cafe's)  Come watch his show. You'll laugh, you'll cry................... You'll kiss 5 bucks goodbye. 


On Dec 3, 2012, at 4:43 PM, Michael Easton wrote:

> I may have to correct you a bit on stocking 60 year old parts Winslow.
> 
> Hohner Germany still carries parts for many of their outdated line including wood combs and straight slides  for the older 16 holers  From what I recently read you can also purchase NOS discontinued models
> at the factory.  There is a good chance they also fix them since the parts are still available.
> 
> Now comes the hard part.  Me not cursing every profanity in the book about the the arrangement H-USA has with H-Germany to NOT SELL  new or discontinued parts to US citizens.
> 
> EU players and techs can get the parts but we can't.   I salivated when I went on the German site and saw all the vintage parts listed, including the much needed
> straight slides for the wood comb 64's.
> 
> 1/2 of my business deals in restoring the prewar chromatics. The parts are out there but I can't get to them and that sucks big time.
> 
> I still have respect for Hohner Germany. The actions of the US distributor should not reflect on  the mother company though. If I could,  I'd bypass HohmerUSA  altogether but for now I have to keep ordering what I can
> from them. <sigh>
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On Dec 3, 2012, at 11:50 AM, harp-l-request@xxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> 
>> Message: 10
>> Date: Mon, 3 Dec 2012 09:30:50 -0800 (PST)
>> From: Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>
>> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Chromatic Repair
>> To: Harp L Harp L <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
>> Message-ID:
>> 	<1354555850.77749.YahooMailNeo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
>> 
>> The modern 280 is a completely different beast from the 1955 one:
>> 
>> -- Plastic comb, screwed together with reedplates vs. wood comb nailed
>> 
>> -- Cross tuned vs. straight tuned
>> 
>> -- Different slide
>> 
>> -- Different mouthpiece with screw holes in a different place
>> 
>> -- 2-piece slide assembly (back ing plate and slide) vs. 3-piece slide assembly (backplate, slide, cage aka U-channel)
>> 
>> And the recent (2005 and later) reeds are different as well.
>> 
>> Again, no manufacturer is going to stock parts for something they stopped making over 60 years ago. That's where custom repair guys (like you) fill the void.
>> 
>> During the 1960s if you sent a wood-combed 280 to Hohner for repair, they would just throw it away and send you a new plastic-combed 280.
>> 
>> Winslow
> 
> Take Care
> Mike
> www.harmonicarepair.com
> 
> 
> 
>