Re: [Harp-L] Re: Harp players gear lists? blah blah longish

["Robert Laughlin" <harmonicaman1968@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

"Okay, so who are these corrupt shills?"

Actually, as I hinted at, the word "shill" was used in jest, though there 
may always be that element, the "company loyalty" element that may cause 
anyone in particular to rep for a particular company through which they are 
paid, or otherwise rewarded for being a public representative of said 
company.

This really isn't much of a stretch. I'm not mentioning names, because I 
certainly can't testify to ANY alleged loyalties, beyond those which are 
based on the merit of the product.

I do believe, as has been said, that the majority of harp players would not 
be dishonest, or callously overlook the welfare of their fellow harp 
enthusiasts, for the sake of financial recompense, but how exactly is one to 
know this? If someone is being paid, or given free instruments, equipment, 
etc., would they not be highly motivated to keep the cash flow alive? To 
what extent this motive affects the ability to give an honest and fair 
assessment of other brands or products, other than their chosen public 
loyalties, only the individual involved can possibly know.

It's simply something to consider, when your typical neophyte, or even 
experienced player comes to a point where he/she wishes to assess the 
validity of recommendations. Obviously, not everyone recommends the same 
equipment, and some are more involved with one particular company than 
others, in their business dealings.

It's been shown here on harp-l that in terms of suppliers, there can 
sometimes be other than transparency, so it follows that one must be aware, 
as well, of the possibility of alterior motives with particular individuals 
who consistently vaunt one provider or brand over another.

,,which then leaves it up to the dogged researcher, the persistent 
inquisitive, people such as myself, who only wish to know the truth of the 
matter, without bias.

No big thing, anyway. I didn't come here to expose, simply to bring up a 
concern I've had after the rash of advertising and such that we get on the 
list, apart from strictly technical issues and social gatherings.

It is not my "agenda" here to expose. Simply to investigate, and filter out 
the noise of merchandising/marketing efforts from paid reps, consciously or 
unconsciously.

I'm no "communist", and I'm not calling for "government regulation". And I 
fully realize that people's incomes and livelihood are involved. Far be it 
from me to keep a man from putting food on the table.

I simply thought it might be useful to, instead of hearing a sales pitch, 
simply know what certain people are using, which information has already 
been helpful to me.

Thanks,
Robert, the finished.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Richard Hunter" <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Robert Laughlin" <harmonicaman1968@xxxxxxxxxxx>; <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, April 13, 2014 2:27 PM
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Re: Harp players gear lists? blah blah longish


> Robert Laughlin wrote:
>
> > "And that brings us to the bigger issue: the implication in this post that
> > pro harp players are shills for gear makers.  The short answer to that
> > implication is that it's all wrong."
> >
> > Actually, that statement sounds as credible as one nation's president
> > stating, recently, that there "wasn't a smidgen of corruption in his
> > administration's tax wing".
>
> Okay, so who are these corrupt shills?  The ones who don't believe what 
> they're saying about the instruments they supposedly use?  The ones who 
> can be bought off with a handful of harmonicas, even harps they don't 
> really like and wouldn't otherwise use?
>
> Pending an answer to that question, I tend to think that the opinions 
> expressed on this list are always the poster's own.  I don't have a good 
> reason to think otherwise.
>
> Regards, Richard Hunter
>
> author, "Jazz Harp" (Oak Publications, NYC)
> Latest mp3s and harmonica blog at http://hunterharp.com
> Vids at http://www.youtube.com/user/lightninrick
> Twitter: lightninrick 


---
This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active.
http://www.avast.com