I'm kind of flummoxed--I've seen several threads here over the years where it gets mentioned that it would be cool to have a device that would help with the tuning of harmonicas. All during those years I was secretly working on my harp hookah, which I introduced several weeks ago. I think this device solves a lot of the problems of tuning--but of course, that's just my viewpoint.
Anyway, several people said it was a great idea and a couple of people said they'd buy it "when they got the money," but I haven't had any orders for it--or even any nibbles.
So I'm wondering--what is the problem? Is it just too much money? Is the whole idea of a hookah just crazy? Or is it just the down economy and nobody can afford anything these days?
I would appreciate it very much if you could just take a minute or two and let me know--it would help me out a lot to know if this is just a nutty solution to an imagined problem, or something that might be marketable in a better economy.
Be as brutal as you like--I would appreciate some feedback on this. In case you missed the release video, here it is again:
sad to hear sales are down....hold firm with that price, that barely covers cost. I know, plus..the market is bad,too. alot of people are holding on dearly to what little disposable cash they have, for sure.. Wanting is greater than having, I'm sure alot of tuners like you guys, would want one, they are incredibly useful, but actually having one is another thing. Patience my friend. Hohner will approach you, or copy you. That's when it will bear fruit. In the form of an infringement law suit, or a buy out of your patent. Ha! If I was a customizer/tuner and had the money, I'd get one for the novelty sake alone...it's a genius idea! Are there any out there for testimonials? But then again, the video is enough, maybe. Do a contest, essay, or something...and winner gets one, do some sort of marketing angle, to get em out there!
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Last Edited by on Oct 09, 2011 3:21 PM
if folks are into tuning, they probably already have a standard procedure. if they are getting into tuning, most would go with the way it is usually done. especially if they are just working on their own harps. i aint sure where you posted this, but you are gearing a specialized piece of equipment to a very small market. you are working against decades of standard practice. you got a machine that is odd looking. looking at you vid as a commercial- it is dry and boring. i agree with mojo. you need to give a couple away to some folks to try it out and give some real feedback. folks like chromaticblues might be a good one to see if he would try it out. but then that takes away even 1 more person (of the limited field) from your possible clientele.
oldwailer: You are a very creative guy with gizmozs. I have found the net forums to have a freebee mentality. They are use to getting most of what they want for free-videos, song/album downloads, lessons, advice, etc. You would probably be better off selling the rights and or manufacturing it for a major harp company and let them slick up the marketing. They have a ton more paying customers than you will find on these forums. Walter ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
You're marketing a niche item to a niche of a niche. Unfortunately, harp players can be charcterized as cheap anyways. That doesn't mean your product is expensive, because it isn't.
I don't know if you've marketed it elsewhere, but this forum tends to be thrifty. There are also a lot of diy people here looking at cost vs efficiency. ---------- Mike Quicksilver Custom Harmonicas
Personally, I think the number of people who mess around playing harp is vastly greater than the number of people who want to mess around tinkering with their harps, whether it be tuning, customizing or even simple reed replacing.
I know I'm that way. As much as I love listening to and messing around playing harp, I haven't so much as opened up a single harp. When I blow out a reed a buy a new harp. Just under $30. All I play is special 20s. I'm definitely not rich, but it works for me. When I get enough harps in the boneyard, I'll probably look into reed replacement with the service that member MP offers (if he's still doing that).
I'm the same way with all the seemingly infinite permutations of materials, set-ups, combs, covers, reeds, leaky, not leaky, semi-leaky, pearwood, woodwood whatever, that's discussed on here. One of the things that cracks me up is all the attention paid to how the harp looks. No one can even see the damn thing while you're playing it, unlike the ubiquitous visuals a beautiful guitar presents.
I usually remain silent on these issues because I realize many of the forum members will completely disagree with this perspective, and good for them (I already anticipate the invective headed my way after posting this). If your into that sort of thing, all the more power to you. But you said be as brutal as you want.
I guess I'm agreeing with eharp's statement that it's a specialized piece of equipment for a very small market. I'm sure it solves the problem you intended it to solve.
Good luck with it anyway, wailer..I always enjoy your posts here.
I gotta agree with the rest of the replies here. My own personal reasoning for not jumping on one is purely financial. I really don't do a lot of work on my harps, and for lack of devices like the harp hookah or embossers, I am that much more intimidated in trying to do harp work. I think the machines are great, I can see the benefit in purpose. Being unemployed keeps me from being able to buy things like this.
It comes down to money for me. I'm dirt poor. I own 1 chromatic, 1 minor tuned, 3 tremolos, a LLF, a LF and 1 set of major tuned harps in the 12 normal keys, including a Piedmont in F. I only have 1 key where I've been able to afford more than one 'good' harp, and I only did that because I blew out a reed in my SP20 A.
I'd love to be able to afford it, and for what it is I think you are in the right price range, and maybe some holiday season I'll be able to put it on my wish list, but I'm driving a '87 Nissan, my keyboard and mouse are dying, my sneakers are dying and my emergency fund is running low. Every time I think I'm going to get ahead far enough to buy some harp stuff something else breaks. :(
I envy your inventivness and think the Harp Hooka is great. I think Harpninja summed the situation perfectly with the "niche item for a niche for a niche". In this situation, if I may be so bold, I think you need to expand your prospective customer base. The most obvious area that springs to my mind is harmonica retail establishments. If the Hooka could be adapted to take an assembled harp and play individual notes in the same way how much better would that be than the bellows affair that is generally offered? I wish you every success, you certainly deserve it.
You should take a bow OldWailer, very cool inventions, pure Yankee ingenuity. Yes the economy is bad. You have great products that in my opinion, are low on the list of 'must haves' for the majority of harp enthusiasts. Agreeing with Honkin on Bobo, I would also presume that most harp players aren't customizing harps to the extent that your machines are designed for. For the general playing public, the price point seems too high for the benefit they'll receive. Harp ninja and eharp have pegged your current target market, those who customize more than their own personal harps. If you want to sell a bunch of these you'll have to figure out how to produce them cheaply, and then market them properly. I am looking at my William C Romel Rivet tool and I'm thinking it was recommended by a pro, useful, and it certainly fit my budget. When you get all three of those down they will come looking for Hookahs.
Thanks to everybody for taking the time to comment on this. You have all come up with good feedback and I appreciate it.
I never expected a landslide of interest in something like this--but I would have thought there would be an occasional order. I originally just built it for myself anyway--and now I have one and I get to use it. I've been getting interested in making harps with alternate tunings, and my hookah is invaluable to me for doing re-tunings.
Anyway, I now have a shop set up with cutting edge customization tools (some that I will never even release)--so don't be too surprised to see an occasional optimized Oldwailer harp in the For Sale thread. . .
Oldwailer. Have you advertised your kit anywhere else other than on here? It's really hard to get the word out to those that may be interested. ----------
I am not too interested in tuning (because I just started), but it looks like it would be fun.
Not to tune the reeds, but to play them on the tuner. Thing of all the possibilities... it is almost like another instrument. Actually... it is kinda like a melodica, methinks. Is there a way to test bends on it?
I like your invention, and would likely buy it if I had the spare cash. I see no problem with the price you're asking, I'm just broke.
But, here's the thing with me that makes your device not as much of a necessity for me.... I don't tune my harps with the plates off of the comb, then put them back on, etc. I assemble the reed plates to the comb and tune the blow reeds on the side that's facing up. Because of this, tuning my harps is not much of a hassle. I also use an engraving tool with a diamond cutter to tune, so it cuts my time in half. I know some may say that this is incorrect, bad for the reeds, etc., but I've done this for almost 20 years now and it's always worked fine with no problems. I originally starting tuning this way as a young teenager, following the advice of Sissy at Hohner, so if I got bad advice, I was just kid - I didn't know any better.
With the reed plates assembled to the comb, I can also quickly check octaves, etc. Since this is the way I will be playing octaves, using tongue-blocking with the harp assembled, this seems like the best way for me to tune. Yes, things like breath pressure and embouchure can change, but these things can also change while playing, so as I tune I experiment with blowing harder, softer, etc. Even after tuning with the Harp Hookah, I guess the final test is gonna be how in tune it is once the harp is assembled. This is not to say that your machine isn't a fine invention, because it certainly is. As I said, if I had the extra cash I'd still likely buy one.
I know it sounds crazy, but tuning is one of my favorite things to do when it comes to working on my own harps.
The one thing that I would love to see are more options, and perhaps easier ways, to replace individual reeds.
Hope this helps.
P.S. Did anyone else see the "Up Next" video suggestion after oldwailer's video ends? LOL!!!
would it be possible to make an attachment, medical hose' or hoses for octaves, each with a little plug on the end. Which can be blocked or opened up. This plug fits snug in the hole of the comb, enabling the tuner who prefers to tune with the plates on...or even a one whole covering with adjustable plugs...plugs are replaceable and inexpensive, I hope. Ha! Like I said, earlier, I don't tune, and only took an interest in Todd Parrots comments. My suggestion may not be possible...
---------- Why is it that we all just can't get along?<
