Bb
67 posts
Jun 29, 2009
6:58 PM
|
Me, I have almost a full set of Brad's tweaked Marine Bands. Nice harps.
All I'm saying is, Get good harps – and get in the woodshed. Plus, work with the best musicians you can to make a JOYFUL NOISE!
-Bob
|
ElkRiverHarmonicas
49 posts
Jun 29, 2009
7:48 PM
|
Lip Ripper and Randy G, you guys ever think of talking to the folks you bought them from about those problems. Those things do happen at factories especially when you try to gap tight, etc. If you'd bought it from me, I'd hope you'd tell me about it, then I could fix the gaps, then you're happy cause the gaps are fixed, all are happy.
|
snakes
281 posts
Jun 29, 2009
8:21 PM
|
Bb ,I agree with you completely on everything but one minor thing you mentioned. I think most of us who want to try these harps realize they can buy us no respect . If anything we look the fool if we cannot play them. I think there are a lot of very cool customizers, etc. on this forum and that it would be cool to try as many of their products as possible to help support them and mainly just to see who you like best.
|
snakes
282 posts
Jun 29, 2009
8:24 PM
|
Gotta' also say I really like the Suzuki Firebreath. Never thought I'd like a wood comb. Hmmmmm.
|
Bb
68 posts
Jun 29, 2009
8:24 PM
|
Snakes – cool.
|
harmonicanick
310 posts
Jun 30, 2009
3:25 AM
|
'YOUR SAVING MONEY! YOU NEVER BUY ANOTHER ONE IN THE SAME KEY!'
Are you selling these harps with a lifetime warranty??
How can this be backed up internationally?
|
ElkRiverHarmonicas
52 posts
Jun 30, 2009
4:12 AM
|
Harmonicanick, what he's saying is that the reeds will be individually replaceable and are designed so the average person, with the average stuff he has laying around, can replace individual reeds. Jason told me that they will be made so there is no need of aligning the reed, or any of that other stuff that makes replacement tough for the average Joe.
Thus, each reed can be replaced infinite times.
Last Edited by on Jun 30, 2009 4:13 AM
|
Kingley
141 posts
Jun 30, 2009
4:19 AM
|
Yes that's what I have heard as well.
You will be able to order the reeds individually from Brad direct I would guess as well.
Which would solve the international problem.
You would just have to wait a little for them to arrive.
Jason,
Will "your model" have similar reed replacement features?
|
ZackPomerleau
310 posts
Jun 30, 2009
5:53 AM
|
I'll be interested to see how much the reeds cost. Depending on their price, it may take ten years before you even spend another twenty bucks on a 'new' harp.
|
Philosofy
234 posts
Jun 30, 2009
6:44 AM
|
I heard reeds are $2.
|
MrVerylongusername
372 posts
Jun 30, 2009
8:14 AM
|
for the benefit of any UK players who may have got 6 numbers and the bonus ball last Saturday...
(Using Google conversion rates on 30 June 2009)
B-Radical - $180
Shipping to UK - $42
USPS insurance - $2.75
Total value for purposes of HM Customs - $224.75
Converted to Sterling - £135.51
Duty (musical instrument - woodwind rate) @ 3.2% - £4.34
VAT applied (standard rate) @17.5% - £23.71
Parcel Force minimum handling fee - £8
Total cost £171.56 ($284.55)
If they can sort out a UK distributor (and I'd suggest Pete Blythe at Harmonica's Direct) then maybe... but to buy direct and pay over $100 to get it to my door... crazy money! And it goes without saying that I'll be out when the postman calls and have to collect the bugger from the depot.
Last Edited by on Jun 30, 2009 8:14 AM
|
Kingley
145 posts
Jun 30, 2009
8:24 AM
|
Ah the sweet joy we all have of living in Britain! :)
Jason, I think you better bring us Brits, a couple of dozen suitcases full of them on your next trip! :)
|
ZackPomerleau
311 posts
Jun 30, 2009
8:51 AM
|
Maybe they should consider selling the 4 and 5 draw cheaper since they are blown out more usually?
|
Bluzdude46
69 posts
Jun 30, 2009
9:47 AM
|
A lot of really great points coming out pro & con. I think , for most of us in the colonies (sorry to our Brit Friends who have international considerations in this) I think we would all love to see a Harp built in America, by Americans do well and answer most of the quality questions we have raised.
I went on a rant about this very issue not long ago. As for the issue of will it be as good as a customized harp, perhaps not, I didn't ask for a mass produced harp as good as a customized harp, and yes I've ordered custom harps to at least see for myself. Are they going to be the best production line harps? yes if the QC is what it should be. Would we like to see it more affordable? Sure we would, but thats the trick to business, reduce your costs without giving up quality. Buying materials better, Marketing more efficiently, organizing your QC,Sales, Admin and accounting practices to maximize profits and reduce costs to the consumer to better compete is basic business skills and we all hope these guys surprise us and knock it out of the park. Good luck to Brad, Jason, Brady Ect. We know there's a market. However much of that market you guys grab is up to you. I will buy a B-Radical. If what has been said is true I will wind up buying more then one. If they manage to pay off debt and reduce costs without giving up quality my box will be filled with them. It really is that simple.
|
nacoran
94 posts
Jun 30, 2009
9:49 AM
|
Bb- as to harp players not getting any respect because one out of ten people claims to be a harmonica player... most people, even guitar players can't tell a good harp player from a bad harp player unless they hear a really good harp player a few times. (That's why I don't show my friends any YouTube videos of Jason playing!!!) I think maybe we have an inferiority complex, especially if we don't bother learning theory. I can't watch a guitar player and tell what key he is in, so I have to ask him or figure it out on the fly. That puts me in a situation where I'm asking him for information=inferiority complex. Just remember, there are lots of guitar players out there who can't tell you what key they are in. They learned power chords and one key and they never knew what a key was. Usually they sing pretty good and get by on that. Harmonica players, well, we need to learn our theory and learn enough guitar so that when we tell them what key WE are playing in and they look at us blankly we can tell them what chords to play! If they can't figure it out we need to encourage them to learn a little more.
(Sorry about the rant. I can only jam with one of my bands guitar players because the other ones and the bass player refuse to learn keys.)
|
mr_so&so
145 posts
Jun 30, 2009
10:14 AM
|
Just spent my lunch hour reading through this topic. Squabbles aside, it has been very interesting. To me a big selling point of this harp is the replaceable reeds. Dave Payne has sold me on his idea of a kit with some differently tuned reeds to allow easy conversion to, e.g., Paddy Richter tuning or other tunings. That was an oustanding post, by the way, Dave. Jason and Brad take note.
Once I see that the initial reviews of the actual product are positive, I'm ready to shell out for at least one.
As for the various arguments of custom versus off-the-line harps, if this harp can set a new standard, and people see it's value, the the harp world will change, and everyone making money from harps will just have to adapt. That is business; it's not personal, as they say.
|
jonsparrow
563 posts
Jun 30, 2009
10:33 AM
|
nacoran i know exactly what you mean. i know people who play guitar an i tell them what key so we can jam along an they have no idea what key they play in so its up to my to rummage through my harps to find the right key.
|
Philosofy
236 posts
Jun 30, 2009
11:35 AM
|
I don't think changing the tuning on a B Rad would be very easy. The reedplates are machined for a certain size reed, and a reed of a different note might not match the slot its going to play in. Of course I could be wrong.
|
Tryharp
223 posts
Jun 30, 2009
8:58 PM
|
At the pricing point they are talking, I think it would be a nice sweetener to provide a set of replacement reeds with the harp or even just the common blow outs. I believe the cost of doing this would be minimal, and really reinforce the notion that you are buying a lifetime harp.
Of the $2 or so expected for the price of an individual reed, I bet most of that is in handling, markup etc. The price to manufacture that reed is maybe a couple of cents. I dont think these guys are going to make there millions selling replacement reeds into the future either, and selling them would be more of a nuisance, so why not thro some into the deal, so when one fails in the future, you dont have to track one down, buy it at inflated price. You feel comfortable knowing that youve got it on hand if and when one blows out.
Tryharp
|
Ray Cornett
1 post
Jun 30, 2009
9:58 PM
|
I might.
I like the American made aspect and I am sure they have better warrantees than a custom maker.
The replace a single reed as needed aspect is nice,too.
|
sorin
2 posts
Jul 17, 2009
6:25 AM
|
I have to dig out this topic to ask this question: what kind of reeds , this harmonica will use, short slot reeds or long slot reeds ?
|
Randy G. Blues
38 posts
Jul 17, 2009
12:29 PM
|
I am contemplating getting two, but will wait for reviews and for a time when I know they are available to ship. Not too fond of "non-refundable" deposits. I would also like to see some photos of the internals and more technical details than advertising hype... Not inferring that the harp isn't all they say.. just want to see some reviews from neutral sources to prove it is.
|
