Gnarly
733 posts
Oct 23, 2013
12:24 PM
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Can this be true?
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HarveyHarp
534 posts
Oct 23, 2013
12:31 PM
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Mark, is this true. If so, we will miss you. On the other hand, if I lived in Hawaii, I certainly would not stay inside all day long, and probably all night long working on harps for $12.50 each. I would be out enjoying where I lived, and playing music.
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HarveyHarp
Last Edited by HarveyHarp on Oct 23, 2013 12:31 PM
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Gnarly
734 posts
Oct 23, 2013
1:55 PM
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Harvey, you don't live in Hawaii and that's what you do anyway!
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MP
2972 posts
Oct 23, 2013
2:22 PM
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Good morning Garly! and thank you Harvey!
Actually, i don't work a lot so i'm not indoors all day. At present i have absolutely no customers. Besides, i'll be around and folks can still hit me up to see if i have what they need.
it is no secret that i recycle reed plates. As we know,there is only one five draw reed on a used plate. sometimes it works. If not, find a matching reed from another plate or tune a five blow to pitch. after that you have to cut reeds or buy them from Hohner.
I've fixed, tuned, and adjusted well over a thousand harps. i think it was a good run. i'm not really up to hunting down lots of used plates anymore. Nor am i all that hot on buying new reeds from Hohner.
If i did buy from Hohner i'd need to buy lots of reeds,rivet sticks, and more screws. I'd be forced to pass these costs on to the customer.
Besides, i would have to change my method and it would take me much longer. I already spend most of my repair time just tuning the harp.
I'm not complaining,far from it. it's been enjoyable. i'm just explaining that i don't feel inclined to invest the time,energy, and money necessary to keep the beast afloat.
There is a whole list of people more than willing to fix your harps.
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i still have a little Hohner stock for reed replacement in three common keys.
when these are gone i'm out of the biz.
click MP for my e-mail address and more info.
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arzajac
1188 posts
Oct 23, 2013
2:35 PM
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You will always be the reason I started servicing harps!
To replace reeds is not enough! Pumping a harp full of mojo has the crowds going wild! It's greater than the sum of it's parts. It doesn't cost an arm and a leg (why not buy a new harp, then? Why profit from the misfortune of others?) - All your idea! A model to live up to....
You're the man. You set the bar. Thanks for that.
Andrew
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Custom overblow harps. Harmonica service and repair.
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Gnarly
735 posts
Oct 23, 2013
2:57 PM
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I am less enthusiastic than both of you.
You can spend a lot of time working on a harmonica.
"they found his remains with the harmonica clutched in his hand"
Mark, thanks for your investment in our community.
Andrew, keep having fun!
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HarveyHarp
535 posts
Oct 23, 2013
3:02 PM
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Gnarly. You hit the nail on the head. However, I am 68 years old, and am slowing down a lot. I used to go out 5 days a week, now its just once or twice, unless a traveling harp player comes in town, and then we let it all hang out.
MP. I know exactly where you are coming from. I rejoice every time I get caught up. To be honest, by the time you clean a harp, replace a reed, do a couple of easy Lagniappes (a New Orleans term) and tune the thing, the job is worth $20.
I still do repairs, but when I get caught up, I work on my own harps, and learn new techniques, which I what I am doing now.
And, MP, your emails does not come up when you click your name, unless I am crazy, which is a distinct possibility.
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HarveyHarp
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Gnarly
736 posts
Oct 23, 2013
3:37 PM
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@Harvey Mark's email address is still in his user profile
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smwoerner
227 posts
Oct 23, 2013
4:23 PM
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Mark, a sad day it is but, as other have said you've done a lot for the harp community. You've saved a lot of folks a lot of money, and have proved that in the right hands it doesn't take a lot fancy custom work to really elevate a harps performance.
Your service will be greatly missed. I don't think there are as many people willing to do what you were doing as you think. I've cut back on my repair work substantially as repairs seem to just be too timely. It's hard to just replace a reed and tune without going through and adjusting the playability of the entire harp. With each of these steps the time really adds up.
Mostly though, as Andrew stated…It’s the Extra Mojo you’ve added to the harp world that will be missed most of all.
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Purveyor of Optimized New and Refurbished Harmonicas.
scott@scottwoerner.com
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Gnarly
737 posts
Oct 23, 2013
5:13 PM
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Yeah, I don't mind sinking a bunch of time into a harp when I'm working at Suzuki, but doing private repairs, I have to be more practical.
$12.50 for reed replacement!?!
Last Edited by Gnarly on Oct 23, 2013 5:14 PM
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SuperBee
1488 posts
Oct 23, 2013
5:18 PM
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Thanks Mark, I'm glad you sorted out my bunch, and inspired me to learn to repair my own. Good on you!
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JellyShakersFacebookPage
JellyShakersTipJar
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groyster1
2450 posts
Oct 23, 2013
10:35 PM
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appreciate marks help so much...life is short...enjoy it mark....
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arzajac
1189 posts
Oct 24, 2013
4:30 AM
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$12.50 is a lot of money.
It adds up! 5 harps with blown reeds comes to over $60. Plus shipping. Nothing to scoff at. That's smart business.
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Custom overblow harps. Harmonica service and repair.
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Gnarly
738 posts
Oct 24, 2013
7:24 AM
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I don't make money on shipping--do you?
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arzajac
1190 posts
Oct 24, 2013
7:48 AM
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I lose money on shipping.
By that, I mean the time I spend making sure the correct harps go into the correct box, packaging the harps, calculating shipping, contacting the customer, billing them the correct amount, and getting the harps to the carrier (Post office or courier) is free. I usually round up the exact shipping cost (say $10.11 to $11). But there are times where shipping ends up being a little more than I calculated, so it all evens out.
I re-purpose cardboard or reuse the envelope/box that the harps were shipped to me so that the only material I use is paper to print the label and tape.
The time adds up! That's easily over an hour per week that I could be spending working on harps.
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Custom overblow harps. Harmonica service and repair.
Last Edited by arzajac on Oct 24, 2013 7:49 AM
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florida-trader
383 posts
Oct 24, 2013
9:03 AM
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I’ve been involved in some aspect of the harmonica business world for about 3 years so I feel fairly qualified to offer some thoughts. There is a very close parallel between the percentage of PLAYERS who can earn a full time living from the harmonica and the percentage of REPAIR/TECH/AFTER-MARKET PARTS MAKERS/CUSTOMIZERS who can earn a full time living by working on harps. The overwhelming majority of harmonica enthusiasts make no money at all from playing the harmonica. We play for own own personal enjoyment. There are lots of guys who play in bands and gig on the weekend but also have a “real job” which pays the bills. Guys like this, as often as not, invest everything they make from playing in new gear – harps, mics, amps, etc. It is a very small percentage indeed that can actually earn a good living strictly from playing and it is a safe bet they spend a lot of time away from home to do it.
Likewise, the overwhelming majority of people who work on harps in some way, shape or fashion make zero money and do it make their own harps play better or perhaps to help out a fellow harp player. There are lots of guys who do repair work and/or customization but very few are able to make it their sole source of income. Teaching is a separate category but we can certainly throw that into the mix. And there is often an overlap with playing/teaching or customization/teaching or on occasion – all three.
Much has been written on this forum about the economics of the harmonica business. The bottom line is that most do it purely out of a love for the instrument and the music. Actually making a profit at it is more a testament of business skills than mechanical or technical skills. Sure, you have to have a good product or service, but you have to be able to produce and deliver that product/service at cost that is lower than what people are willing pay for it. Otherwise there is no profit and ultimately burn-out is inevitable.
Guys like Mark and others are torch bearers who carried the flame for a period of time and inspired others to get into the game (like Andrew). Techniques and/or “trade secrets” for embossing, tuning, reed profiling, etc. have been passed on but information about how to run a successful business is a critical element that also must be shared. Mark about summed it up. As long as spare parts were cheap and plentiful he could justify his work because, for the most part, his only real cost was his time. As soon as the source of inexpensive parts dried up the business model no longer made sense. I stopped dealing in used harps at the end of last year because just finding them to replenish my inventory was becoming a full time job. It is so much easier to just buy new harps in the exact models and keys when you need them. I was forced to become more efficient.
I’ve been hanging out on the harmonica forums for about the past five years. Perhaps it is just me but it seems that the amount of information available and the willingness to share has made huge advancements. That combined with the quality of OOTB harps has changed the landscape for the better. But it has made it tougher for guys like Mark to compete – and clearly he was one of the best.
Thanks Mark. We all owe you some thanks for your contribution to the cause.
Just my two cents on the subject.
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Tom Halchak
www.BlueMoonHarmonicas.com
Last Edited by florida-trader on Oct 25, 2013 6:38 PM
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Thievin' Heathen
263 posts
Oct 24, 2013
10:28 AM
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Why do I feel like this is the end of an era? Dang it Mark, I never even got around to sending you any of my messed up harps.
I never saw Lynard Skynard, and now this. Well, at least I saw Mojo Hand.
Last Edited by Thievin' Heathen on Oct 24, 2013 10:28 AM
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arzajac
1191 posts
Oct 24, 2013
2:28 PM
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Tom, I feel you have it wrong about a couple of things. I strongly disagree with you that MP's business model failed.
MP's plan is to deliver excellent service at a reasonable rate on his terms. That's the plan. I doubt he ever for a second envisioned doing this full-time for a living, let alone have that as a goal.
He often delivered more than he promised and that paid off. And when something went wrong, he absorbed the cost and moved on (like paying out-of-pocket for a shattered Corian comb.) That's his choice. That's sound business. That's a sure-fire way to success.
You are wrong in saying that the source of inexpensive raw materials has dried up. Bartering is an opportunity for both parties to walk away feeling they got a bargain. It's pretty easy for a guy like MP to spend a few hours making a few stellar harps for someone in exchange for their stockpile of useless(?) reedplates.
You say that it's harder for him to compete these days. But with his skills and his reputation, he has a killer advantage.
The fact is, MP is choosing not to continue.
This is indeed the end of an era. He started it and he is ending it - on his own terms.
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Custom overblow harps. Harmonica service and repair.
Last Edited by arzajac on Oct 24, 2013 2:31 PM
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florida-trader
384 posts
Oct 24, 2013
3:45 PM
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Andrew. You have completely misinterpreted what I wrote. I never used the word “fail”. You are putting words in my mouth. The entire point of my message was the last point that you made. Clearly Mark was not forced out by failure. He made a simple decision to get out of the business.
With the millions and millions of harmonicas in circulation it is obvious that donor reed plates can be found. However the way I read Mark’s post was that he stayed in the game until he had used up the last of the replacement reeds that he had on hand. One of the options he considered was buying replacement reeds from Hohner. This would have added to his cost which he would then have to pass on to his customers - something he evidently did not want to do. So I stand by my statement that without the availability of inexpensive parts, the business model of repairing harps for $15.00 was no longer feasible.
Bartering is indeed a great way to create a win-win transaction between someone who has a box of broken harps and someone who has the skills to fix them. I don’t know whether or not Mark bartered. He didn’t say. Apparently if he did, he has decided to no longer engage in that practice.
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Tom Halchak
www.BlueMoonHarmonicas.com
Last Edited by florida-trader on Oct 24, 2013 3:49 PM
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harp-er
470 posts
Oct 25, 2013
5:37 AM
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Hey Mark,
as someone who's benefitted from your service and care, and learned a little Hawaiian in the process, THANKS! And of course be well in all you do.
Mahalo nui loa, baby.
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chromaticblues
1491 posts
Oct 25, 2013
7:57 AM
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See what you've started MP!
If the stock market crashed I'm blaming you!
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HarpNinja
3552 posts
Oct 25, 2013
10:56 AM
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If you offer people X, then give them Y, they you aren't really selling X.
$10 for reed replacement, cleaning, gapping, and tuning is not the same as $10 for reed replacement.
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Mantra Customized Harmonicas
My Website
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Gnarly
741 posts
Oct 25, 2013
3:17 PM
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Right you are, Mike, my prices are $15 to replace a reed.
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Frank
3091 posts
Oct 25, 2013
3:21 PM
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Did'nt Michael Jordan come out of retirement, just sayin :)
I'm retired...
I was tired yesterday and I'm tired again today, re-tired.
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Gnarly
742 posts
Oct 25, 2013
4:11 PM
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Leaving OK--I am so beat up . . .
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MP
2973 posts
Oct 25, 2013
4:15 PM
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Good morning everyone!
Thanks for all of the kind words. i really don't deserve most of them. i'm sorry if i don't acknowledge you by name.
Well, here is the long and short of it...
if you have a good harp, or maybe an expensive harp like a Crossover w/ a broken reed, you are not a happy camper.
You've broken a reed, so what do you do? we all know the several answers to this question.
I was one alternative.
OT-@ chro heh, heh.
chromaticblues supplied me w/ two huge boxes of parts. gotta give him a big shout. Mahalo and Aloha!
Ok ,i'm back
i'm just a bit tired of tuning harmonicas and looking for parts. that's all. no big deal. it really isn't.
like i said. i've done at least a thousand of these. most of my time was spent tuning. i can replace a reed in a minute or so. Several minutes if i use a screw and nut. it depends how long it take to disassemble and find a good donor reed.
Sure, i can find donor parts, but as Tom H. pointed out in so many words. it's a PITA.
if you have a broken harp just e-mail me the key of the harp and which reed is dead. i may have what you need....but not for long. sorry.
have a good day. Aloha, Mark PS, Garly, it $12.50 plus shipping.
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i still have a little Hohner stock for reed replacement in three common keys.
when these are gone i'm out of the biz.
click MP for my e-mail address and more info.
Last Edited by MP on Oct 25, 2013 4:17 PM
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