[Harp-L] FMI and Hohner products

[diac...@comcast.net]

I recently decided to make some changes to the repair/custom business ,Fathead Musical Instruments, mainly to give myself more free time away from the bench. This business is too much like my day job in quality control and production. It has been mentally tiring and depressing lately. I still want to serve my fellow harp players but in a less "hands on" way. I decided to make 3 major changes.
Since it will take me some time to redo my website I'll list some of the updates here.

1) I will no longer be taking orders for custom harps. I will make them when I have free time and don't have the pressure of meeting a deadline (another carry over from the day job), I have some like new CBH's in the shop that I want to do some reed work on. They will probably be the first I offer in a few months. I think I can build a better product given the stress free time to do it right.

2) I'm going to open my entire NOS and New parts inventory for sale to players that want to fix or build their own Hohner chromatics.
I have more then I will ever need to run a repair/custom shop. (Sorry, no prewar 280 slides in stock).
I have no plans to sell used parts at this time.

3)While I've had wholesale account to buy harps for retail sale I rarely used it to buy stock harps for customers. That will change. In light of Hohner's recent price hikes I felt it was time to help the semi-pro players who don't have Hohner endorsee deals or don't want to play the cheap harps coming out of Asia or Brazil. I don't plan on going head to head with the other online harp dealers product for product. They deserve to make a living too. I only plan on stocking harps that I can later service if necessary. That being Hohner chromatics and handmade diatonics.

I plan on marketing Hohner chromatics at an affordable price as well as other pro gear. I have several wholesale suppliers of pro live and recording mics, cd recorders, mixers, student band gear, cables, tubes for amps, practice amps. I can't afford to stock all of it at this time but I can special order it until I have more capital to spend.

Here are some current prices on items I have in stock.

Hohner Super Chromonica 270-C $113.00 9 in stock.
Hohner Pro64 280 $151.00 2 in stock
Hohner Service Kit (for reeds and valves) $61 2 in stock.
Hohner Marine Band $22 small supply in various keys. some low and high tuned.
Hohner Golden Melody in C,A and Bb $26. only a few in stock.

Email me offlist. first come first serve.
My pricing is simple and business philosophy is simple.
If Hohner raises it's prices mine will not raise until I need to reorder at the higher price.
Currently one of my suppliers is holding the line on increases until they need to reorder from Hohner. This means you may still be able to beat the price increase on some Hohner products.
Orchestral players. Check with me on prices. I have only one markup price on ALL products with a wholesale price over $100. I make the same whether I sell you a $150 or $1,500 harmonica.

Peace and long live Hohner
Mike

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[john]

I play a modified (re-tuned) Koch 10-hole. I had it in a belt holder
when the button caught on something and was torn off and lost,
leaving the slide itself sheared off and slightly bent where it used
to emerge from the button. I've got to rehearse tomorrow and
Monday, play a TV spot Thursday and a gig Friday, using this
instrument on 2 songs. Can someone recommend a quick
replacement for the usual button and a way to affix it?

Thanks

[john]

OK, got it. I just built up a bead of hot glue. Seems to work for now. Thanks. -John

[David Payne]

Quick fix, you can get one of those little bouncy balls, not the big ones that you get from the 25 cent machines as you walk out of the grocery store. Puncture a place for the slide to go in, put the slide in there and see how it fits. Then, get some toothpicks and epoxy, use the toothpicks to work the epoxy inside the ball, stick the slide in there and let it dry. You could also take one of the new wine synthetic corks and whittle it down some if you can't find a small enough ball.
I think I have a 10-hole Koch slide laying around, give me your address offlist and I can send it to you Monday, it should get to you in time so you aren't on TV with a bouncy ball affixed to your harp.

Dave
_____________________________
Dave Payne Sr.
Elk River Harmonicas
www.elkriverharmonicas.com

[john]

Thanks Dave. My hot glue fix worked, but the bend in the slide causes some sticking. I'll write. -John

======= At 2008-05-03, 17:50:49 you wrote: =======

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Best regards.
john
jjth...@flash.net
2008-05-03

[john]

======= At 2008-05-07, 01:51:56 Neil <KENNE...@aol.com> wrote: =======
>Here' a really quick fix that worked for me, and it's permanent too.

Thanks for the tip. a complication with my situation is that the tip of the slide
broke off and was lost with the original button. That can be seen in one of the
photos here
http://www.flickr.com/photos/26285829@N05/.
Those photos show that I was able to straighten the slide (by a method suggested
by SmoJoe), and also an unsatisfactory hot-glue button. Fortunately, thanks to
Dave Payne, I am expecting a replacement slide with button in the mail tonight,
in time for my TV spot tomorrow morning and the CD release party Friday
Thanks all on Harp-L and Slidemeister for your advice!
-John Thaden (ublokr)
http://www.mikedollins.biz/Show