[Harp-L] low F #

[Mick Zaklan]

   I don't like to play anything higher than a G diatonic.  I used to be
able to come to the convention and deal directly with Hohner people.  I
used to stock up on the very reasonably priced low keyed Big River
diatonics.  Last year, the Hohner people told me the Big Rivers had been
discontinued and made me deal with some outfit called Alamo Music.  I wound
up paying three times what I would have for a Big River harp, purchasing
something that looked like a bathtub toy.  I think it was called a
"Rocket".  Apparently Hohner doesn't make a low F# diatonic or an F#
chromatic anymore.  I use an F# quite often for blues in the key of Bb.
And F.
   I'm not a happy camper about this.  You're the world's largest harmonica
manufacturer and you're: 1) penalizing people for playing low keyed
instruments by forcing them to pay 3-5 times what you used to charge them;
and 2) don't appear to be making a full line of instruments for your
customers.  Imagine if a leading golf club manufacturer decided not to make
all the clubs.  Yeah, I own Seydels and like them.  But the Big Rivers had
a brighter, crisper sound.  I can't even get my  Big Rivers repaired.  So
far nobody wants to work on them.  Hohner never even responded to my email
and I get the feeling customizers consider the harp too cheap to bother
with.
   Again, not a happy camper.

Mick Zaklan