Update on orders, price increase for Overblow harps

This post is to let customers know that if you’ve ordered a harp, I haven’t forgotten about you!

However, I am running at least 4-6 weeks behind the estimated schedule that I provided when you ordered your harp.

I have several really good reasons for this, but I’m not here to make excuses. What’s important for you to know is that I’m working hard and you’ll get your harp. I will not rush the work, and once you have it the wait time will only be a memory.

The time I spend on each harp has increased, especially with the full overblow harmonicas. New ideas and techniques were developed with the “Stage IV” (that I no longer offer). Some of these improvements were applied to the Stage I and II harps, improving the entire machine overall, and especially bringing the 2 and 3 hole bends to a new level.

Stage III OB harp setup time increased sharply, in order to keep up with advancing techniques and expectations of some amazing players. It’s reached the point where they’re no longer feasible to build, unless I earn a wage that’s fair to me and my family. The new pricing is posted in the harmonica section.

Matte finish option

You now have a choice between matte or polished finish. The matte combs have the same ultra-smooth face as the polished. The rest of the perimeter has an unpolished, machined surface.

Golden Melodies

I’m now building custom Golden Melodies, with CNC-machined black composite combs to match my Marine Bands.

I don’t offer GM’s on stock combs or other colors. Also, the coverplate openings remain stock.
Pricing is the same as my custom Marine Bands.

B-Rad??

I’m often contacted about my association with HH, and if it’s possible to help someone get their B-Radical or information about it. Here’s the deal.

My status with HH wasn’t as an employee, but as a sublet shop. I set up a number of them, then backed away about a month later to catch up on my own waiting list. I slowed taking orders about that time, planning to do more B-Rads when my own work caught up. That’s where my part of the story ends, as I never really caught up or took on further HH work. I don’t really know any more than what’s been made public, and don’t have any influence to help anyone get their harp.

CNC-machined combs from Richard Sleigh and Joe Spiers

Not long ago, Richard Sleigh and I had a conversation about custom combs. We tossed around some ideas, did some research, and devised a plan to create what we think is just about the perfect comb!

The composite material we chose is non-toxic, non-porous, and has no funny smells.

It’s denseness lends a high-quality balanced feel to a harmonica, similar to aluminum. It also polishes up to a high shine, eliminating the need for us to ever paint or seal a harmonica comb again! This will help keep us productive and happy.

I worked with a production machine shop just up the road from here, so the details could be quickly and personally worked out to our specifications. The combs are CNC-milled on the same state-of-the-art machines which are usually busy making parts for the Kawasaki factory located a little further up the road.

Richard and I are both very pleased with our new product, and I’ve made them standard equipment on my custom Marine Bands.

If you’d like to purchase the comb separately, we’ve decided to make a few of them available. They are a direct replacement for the Hohner Marine Band Deluxe and Crossover combs, and of course will fit the 1896 if you convert it to screws. Please contact Richard Sleigh for more details on how to get yours!

Meet Joe Spiers- the technician

As boys growing up in the ’70s, my brother and I loved to watch Evil Knievel on TV, then go outside and tear the heck out of our bikes! On my 10th birthday, my Dad gave me a new bicycle with this advice: “You’d better take care of this, it’s the last one you’re going to get….” As time went on, I watched him work on his motorcycle and he taught me how to maintain my bike. We’d take it apart and grease bearings, adjust brakes, keep the chain tension optimum, replace tires and tighten spokes. That bike served me well until I got a driver’s license.

In high school, we took some Air Force aptitude tests. I scored better than 99.9% of all other high school students in the USA taking that test, in the area of mechanical aptitude. I thought about accepting the Air Force’s generous offer to go to college on their dime….but I went to Vo-Tech instead, and became an auto mechanic. After a couple years in dealerships, I was hired by my current employer where I’ve been for over 25 years. I’m an ASE certified Master Technician in the medium/heavy truck field.

(Edit: I’ve since resigned from working for the man, and am working for myself!)

I’m somewhat of a workaholic, and for ten years owned a business restoring musclecars, custom painting Harleys, and routine collision repair. I haven’t painted a vehicle in over 5 years, but to this day someone will occasionally try to get me to do it for them. That eye for detail, knowing when a body line is straight, making sure everything looks just right when the customer picks it up, all transferred to my custom harmonicas.

The last car I painted, a 1940 Ford

A good technician understands many different systems and how they all work together. You learn how to closely observe everything when you take it apart, and make mental notes. You learn to apply what you see to a thought process of figuring things out, whether it’s why something failed…. or why something works really well. I’ve figured out much of what matters, and what doesn’t, when it comes to harmonicas. In the future, I plan to write some articles here to educate others about the stuff that matters. It’s easier said than done though, so please be patient as I figure out the best way to do it.