[Harp-L] harp price

[mik jagger <harpomatic@xxxxxxxxx>]

Warren, you definitely have a right to enjoy your money any way you see fit (as long as it does not harm others), and I share many of your feelings and reasoning, as well as the dreaded "harmonica acquisition disorder". But I feel that when we signal to manufacturers that we are willing to pay more, or inversely,  willing to accept lesser quality for the lower price (hey, it's just a "$30 junk harp") we should think twice about that. It is great that you have the means to pay more. Ideally we want every living human being to be that secure, that they can indulge in non-necessities of physical survival like you can. This forum is a great way for harp community to communicate with manufacturers, they surely read out posts here. However, they (and us) should not fall into a trap of thinking that the entire multi-million member world-wide community of harp players is represented here. On contrary, most people that play harmonica worldwide do not have access
 to computer, even today. even in our push and plush land of USof A, for many people that buy harmonica, it is often a choice between that and paying their electric bill, or buying a toy for their child. It is great to expect prices to stay where they are (adjusting for inflation would be reasonable, but not more) and get great quality like we expect from any other product that's advertized as fully functioning one. After all, you do not offer to pay $30.00 per pizza slice at your local pizzeria, just because you ate a plate of 6 oysters last night and payed $30.00 for the dish that doesn't even need to be cooked, plus that pizza guy is such a friendly neighbor. There is generousity, and there is an ethical awareness that inflating prices for others with less means is not fair. It reminds me of my uncle once teaching me a lesson: he was always a great tipper at restaurants, and at one time that I invited him for lunch, I wanted to be just as cool, if not
 more and was about to leave a huge tip, like 70% or even 100%, I don't remember exactly. I was a teenager then. He pointed out to me that it was foolish and wrong - leave great tip, but not unreasonable one because you mess it up for other customers, as well as the waiter, if somehow he begins to expect such tips from everyone.