Subject: [Harp-L] Harrison Harmonicas
EGS...@aol.com
but ordered two early on. Got both of them, some months apart.
BUT - I already knew I would, since Harrison made it clear they would work
on first one key and then begin work on other keys separately. C's were
first up, and out.
There were only a scarce handful of employees at the most at any point in
time. At the end, Brad Harrison himself was working (by the account of
someone I highly respect who was there and called Brad Harrison the best boss
he'd ever had and his job with the company the best job he'd ever had) 24
hours a day with scarcely a couple of hours' sleep, attempting to fill the
back orders.
>From day one people like me who placed orders were NOT asked for 'payment
in full' as these other customers seem to be alleging. I was asked for a $35
deposit for each harmonica which would then get me $10 off each. I
considered that more than fair since another customizer had already charged me IN
FULL for 4 harps I'd ordered from him and taken many months to deliver. I
consider myself fortunate. I finally received mine a few short months prior
to his very unfortunate and untimely death which, besides being a terrible
loss, left many people without their paid-for harmonicas (not that it
became a priority over his death by any means). Those are the chances one takes
in life, and the customs he made for me were not being made from scratch
but being built from MB's and GM's, far less time-intensive.
Using logical thinking, I extrapolated how much longer it would take to
put together a brand new space-age design with every part (including the
tiniest screws, rivets, brand new and differently milled state of the art reeds)
being manufactured in the US, AND with Brad Harrison having to teach the
people he hired how to build these instruments to his very high and exacting
standards. Despite the delays it made perfect sense FOR the delays given
my prior experience.
All of us wanted THAT harmonica - the B-Radical. Not something thrown
together in the shop by an under-trained apprentice, didn't we? We wanted THE
perfect instrument made by Brad Harrison and it to sound like the prototype
as played by those people we'd already heard. So, I for one was more than
willing to give them the time to build these perfect harps. This made
perfect sense to me, anyway.
MY patience more than paid off. I got first my B-Rad in key of C, and then
a few months later my 2nd in key of Bb, both engraved with my chosen
name/initials as requested. They are both stunningly beautiful and incredibly
responsive instruments - far better than I deserve as a player (I'm a
chromatic player -decidedly still Amateur in status (so I'm not some 'preferred'
or 'star' player put to the head of the list). When my instruments were ready
(two separate occasions), I was informed of such by email - sent my final
payments via PayPal and received my harmonicas in the mail a few days
later, very well wrapped.
To reiterate: I was not 'ripped off'; the company is/was not a 'scam'; and
I am still extremely pleased with my purchases from Harrison. I full intend
to notify the Illinois Attorney General of my experiences and hope other
satisfied customers do so as well. Those of us who got what we paid for need
to at least present another point of view.
What happened as far as I've subsequently learned is that the actual costs
to produce these instruments far exceeded the original set price he was
actually charging us as customers but it was much too late to charge more or
'take it back'. So the $180 per was insufficient to make up the costs for
the succeeding instruments or to pay employees real wages so he had to let
first one then others go. At the end it became a struggle to continue trying
to build them on his own.
ONE person cannot run a customizing harmonica company if there are dozens
of orders still to fill although it looks as if he kept trying. Ask any
customizer how difficult it is to fill their few orders. It's physically
impossible but I believe that's what Harrison was actually attempting to do
towards the end, when his energy finally gave out and he was forced to give up
this lifelong dream and sell to another company who promised to build the
remaining harmonicas to his standards. At least, that's from the information
I've gleaned thus far.
IF Brad Harrison was trying to cheat his customers and 'run off with the
money' he could easily have declared bankruptcy a long time ago without all
the 'wear and tear' which would have ensured that the customers still
waiting would lose their money. He didn't. I don't believe there was money left
to speak of when he sold the company...and he at least tried to ensure that
the back orders would be filled.
I don't think it's fair to try him in public nor to toss around all the
libelous comments I've read until all the facts are in.
None of the people filing their complaints and bashing him on harmonica
blogs seem to have done their homework up front. Many sent in payment in full
from the beginning despite not being asked to do so. Why would anyone do so
if not in an effort to try to expedite their own harmonicas over other
customers? Seems a foolish move when it wasn't required. In fact one blogger
admitted he did so in a move to 'jump the line'.
There are a couple of customers who've written in public that after their
final orders were ready their money was taken and the harps not delivered.
I'm mostly curious about those, because they seem to have fallen during the
same timeline when I received mine, if their accounts are entirely
accurate.
I read this article VERY carefully. It simply states in the end that only
a handful of complaints are being worked on and one has already been
resolved. Customers were told to apply to their credit card companies. That was
the very same advice given to those people talking about this weeks ago on
the facebook harmonica blogs when the discussion was in full swing. Why
wouldn't they already have followed through? It would have been MY first move if
I believed I'd been cheated by any company.
Elizabeth
Happily enjoying my two B-Rads.
Message: 10
Date: Thu, 15 Sep 2011 16:56:41 -0400
From: "J. Howley" <harpc...@gmail.com>
Subject: [Harp-L] Harrison Harmonicas
To: _ha...@harp-l.org_ (mailto:har...@harp-l.org)
Hello Fellow Harpists,
I've been a reader but never posted before. But I just gotta know if any
of
you have seen this? I've been interested in this harmonica, been following
it online, but I guess I'm glad I waited:
<http://www.wifr.com/news/headlines/IL_Attorney_General_Takes_over_Harrison_
Harmonica_Investigation_129849108.html>
http://www.wifr.com/news/headlines/IL_Attorney_General_Takes_over_Harrison_H
armonica_Investigation_129849108.html
Wow.
J. H.
------------------------------
Eric Nielsen
imagining such a beautiful instrument--made from scratch--could ever have
been part of a scam. Why bother to produce something so good if you're
planning to leave custmers hanging.
I have one (only one, unfortunately), but it is clearly the product of a
dream, hard work, and excellent craftsmanship. What bothers me most about
the whole affair (besides the fact that a visionary talent such as Brad has
been slammed on so many fronts) is that I may never get another instrument
as fine as this in my lifetime.
Eric
Zack
defending. A great amount of people ordered early on and never received. You
were lucky.
The Iceman
until you know the whole story, don't assume the worst.
david robbins
makes sense regarding brad harrison, w/o ramblin on and on and on.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Zack" <zack.po...@gmail.com>
To: <EGS...@aol.com>
Cc: <har...@harp-l.com>
Sent: Friday, September 16, 2011 10:17 PM
Subject: Re: Subject: [Harp-L] Harrison Harmonicas
The Iceman
please share with all of us...
-----Original Message-----
From: david robbins <drobbi...@sbcglobal.net>
To: The Iceman <icem...@aol.com>
Sent: Sat, Sep 17, 2011 8:37 am
Subject: Re: Subject: [Harp-L] Harrison Harmonicas
c'mon man. stop defending a bad business person.
Paul Field
Any news on that front?
Paul
Winslow Yerxa
What I was told, by a reliable source who was peripherally involved with Harrison but who has no stake in the outcome, was that one of Harrison's creditors (one of their suppliers, that is) took possession of the company to satisfy the debt owed. Brad was removed from both owning and running the company, but will remain as an employee. The new company fully intends to continue producing harmonicas using Harrison's technology and does intend to fill all standing orders.
===WHAT I'M GUESSING ABOUT
At this point, if all the above is true (and I believe that it is), then legal action may be counterproductive, as it will only subject the new owner to additional stresses, time spent, and expenditures and thereby delay the remedy sought.
Also, as the ownership of the company has changed hands, it i possible that the new owner might not be liable for promises made by the old owner, in which so legal action would not even be possible.
More communication would certainly help, but it may be too soon, again for legal reasons, to say anything in public.
Winslow
Winslow Yerxa
Author, Harmonica For Dummies ISBN 978-0-470-33729-5
Harmonica instructor, The Jazzschool for Music Study and Performance
Resident expert, bluesharmonica.com
Columnist, harmonicasessions.com
________________________________
From: Paul Field <pa...@fieldy.co.uk>
To: "har...@harp-l.org" <har...@harp-l.org>
Sent: Saturday, September 17, 2011 4:18 PM
Subject: Re: Subject: [Harp-L] Harrison Harmonicas
The subject of fraud and credit card refunds aside, isn't there meant to be a company that has bought Harrison Harmonicas and has the intention of carrying on trading and fulfilling orders?
Bob Cohen
On Sep 16, 2011, at 12:38 PM, EGS...@aol.com wrote:
> None of the people filing their complaints and bashing him on harmonica
> blogs seem to have done their homework up front. Many sent in payment in full
> from the beginning despite not being asked to do so. Why would anyone do so
> if not in an effort to try to expedite their own harmonicas over other
> customers? Seems a foolish move when it wasn't required. In fact one blogger
> admitted he did so in a move to 'jump the line'.
Sorry in the advance for the lack of explicit harmonica content. If that offends, hit the delete button now.
Kudos to Elizabeth for doing her homework and for being lucky enough to get what she paid for. However, the CAVEAT EMPTOR argument left me feeling very upset. That dusty old trope shifts blame from the victimizer to the victim. It says, careless or incapable people deserve what they get.
Boiling the situation down to its most basic elements, the B-Radical company took money from its customers and failed to deliver on its promise. To be sure, those "lucky" enough to get what they paid for have a treasure worth more than they expected. Those who paid their money in good faith, but who did not receive the goods, deserve our compassion, not an apologia for the failed business man.
There's another dusty old trope that comes to mind. "The road to hell is paved with good intentions." That, my friends, is the sad truth here.
Does the owner deserve compassion? Sure. The poor guy currently occupying a seat on the River Styxx, II on his way to the other shore must be very sad. Personally, I fee bad for him. To me broken dreams and failed potential number very high on the list of human tragedies.
Nevertheless, we need to stop blaming the victims and stop apologizing for the perpetrators. As folks say on radio call-in shows, "I'll take my comments off the air."
Cheers,
Bob
Mund...@aol.com
Will the Harrison Harmonica be resurrected from the mess?
IS another company taking the company over?
John "Whiteboy" Walden
Just now, in England.
The Iceman
there is hope on the horizon. I've been given a glimpse of the promised land....(confidentiality prevents me from saying anything more)
don't assume the worst just because no news has been immediately forthcoming.
patience....
-----Original Message-----
From: MundHarp <Mund...@aol.com>
To: EGS1217 <EGS...@aol.com>
Cc: harp-l <har...@harp-l.org>
Sent: Sat, Sep 24, 2011 5:31 am
Subject: Re: Subject: [Harp-L] Harrison Harmonicas
The Iceman
it has not really been too long since the announcement of closing and restructuring was made. you can not hurry the process by complaining about it.
-----Original Message-----
From: george sanders <georgeg...@yahoo.com>
To: The Iceman <icem...@aol.com>
Sent: Sat, Sep 24, 2011 8:11 am
Subject: Re: Subject: [Harp-L] Harrison Harmonicas
You guys are unbelievable, like politicians. If this company is going to be saved somebody needs to speak up about who and how, the more time passes by the less credible the who that is involved becomes.
I have a B Rad, the only way I would consider another one is if Seydel starts making them. My experience waiting a year and a half for a harp was pure bullshit. Oh yeah, I ordered 2 got 1.
George