[Harp-L] Re: $uzuki US price increases



Suzuki is a great musical instrument company with outstanding customer support. Although everyone has a personal preference as to which brand/model of harps they adore, most of us can agree that Suzuki make a wonderful precision product.  Further, as someone who sells dozens of Suzuki's harmonicas every month, I can share that I have almost ZERO issues with their product.

All of that being said, Suzuki has not had a price increase in, from my recollection, almost two years.  They've had layoffs here, HORRIFIC natural disasters at home, and have suffered through really bad economic times like us, but have not passed the increased cost of doing business to us, until now.  Do I like price increases? Of course not, but to the credit of Suzuki's integrity, they've given everyone advanced warning of it coming.  Unheard of in a retail environment. When is the last time we saw a newpaper or TV add sayng "hey, the prices are going up...buy now"?  Almost never...retail hates bad news. 

Will we have to spend more for Suzuki product come may...Yes. Buy now if your considering any of there product? Of course. But I support them for their outstanding harmonica's AND for the outstanding way they do business. 

Jeff Silverman
http://www.harmonica411.com
http://www.harpmart.com 

----- Original Message -----
From: harp-l-request@xxxxxxxxxx
Date: Wednesday, April 27, 2011 7:39 pm
Subject: Harp-L Digest, Vol 92, Issue 72
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx

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> Today's Topics:
> 
> 1. Meat and Potatoes Harmonica Lesson 34 is up! How the Circle
> of Fifths relates to Positions (michael rubin)
> 2. Fuzzy (jross38@xxxxxxxxxxx)
> 3. Re: Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Harrison Harmonicas - Give Them A
> Break! /Fussy (Garry)
> 4. Re: Fuzzy (Gary Lehmann)
> 5. Gear For Sale (Brian Walker)
> 6. Re: Gear For Sale (Grant Walters)
> 7. Chromatic/diatonic (dmf 273)
> 8. VIDEO-- son of muddy waters performing with a fine blues harp
> player--Mud Morganfield & The Peter Nande Band (Randy Singer)
> 9. Re: Some Chromatic Garageband project in the works.
> (Rick Dempster)
> 10. Fwd: [Harp-L] Re: Fuzzy (Mark)
> 11. RE: Re: Fuzzy (John Sturm)
> 12. Performance setup - hearing and feedback (Sean Murphy)
> 13. Re: $uzuki US price increases (was: Fussy) (Doug H)
> 
> 
> -----------------------------------------------------------------
> -----
> 
> Message: 1
> Date: Wed, 27 Apr 2011 16:11:57 -0500
> From: michael rubin 
> Subject: [Harp-L] Meat and Potatoes Harmonica Lesson 34 is up! 
> How the
> Circle of Fifths relates to Positions
> To: harp-l 
> Message-ID: 
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
> 
> http://youtu.be/vIdCuNzIHs8
> Thanks, enjoy!
> Michael Rubin
> Michaelrubinharmonica.com
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 2
> Date: Wed, 27 Apr 2011 18:13:21 -0300
> From: "jross38@xxxxxxxxxxx" 
> Subject: [Harp-L] Fuzzy
> To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> Message-ID: <7E64D80C-7117-4C10-BF02-F4EB3A11E292@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
> 
> Yes, I'm callous. 
> 
> Harmonicas are inherently gross, worse than most wind 
> instruments, IMO. One should never play someone else's harp 
> without taking it apart and thoroughly cleaning it, and were I a 
> harmonica technician that would automatically be my first step 
> (I know at least one who does that, including the aforementioned 
> ultrasound bath). Given that as a starting point, I don't see 
> how the original level of filth matters all that much.
> 
> If you refuse to accept harps that are too filthy, fine. That's 
> your choice. If you loose customers because of that, well, 
> that's also a choice. But as someone who has been quite 
> literally covered from head to toe in thick black soot as part 
> of his job on more than one occasion, I just can't seem to find 
> the sympathy. And I'm neither trolling for sympathy nor 
> complaining--the organ I'm thinking of in that example is one I 
> would gladly work on again. Hell, I have donated some of my 
> time to it. Because it's what I want to do, and those are the 
> sacrifices inherent in the job. If I took pleasure working on 
> fiddly little clockwork mechanism devices like harmonicas, then 
> their inherent filth would be part of that job too.
> 
> And if I sound callous, well, I guess I am. There are a lot of 
> things I can feel a lot of sympathy for with harmonica techs: 
> the ridiculously low profit margin; the incredibly cheap 
> customers; the pressure to do things both right and quickly; 
> unrealistic expectations of performance; customers unable to 
> discern very important differences in quality; etc... But the 
> need to clean the harmonica of the gunk it naturally consumes, 
> no, not so much.
> 
> 
> 
> JR Ross
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 3
> Date: Wed, 27 Apr 2011 17:30:54 -0400
> From: Garry 
> Subject: Re: Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Harrison Harmonicas - Give 
> Them A
> Break! /Fussy
> To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> Message-ID: <4DB88B0E.9020705@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
> 
> On 04/26/2011 12:43 PM, EGS1217@xxxxxxx wrote:
> > As someone who routinely cleans my own harmonicas thoroughly
> 
> me too. i clean each harp every decade, whether it needs it or not.
> 
> anyone in the market for some used harps?
> 
> 
> -- 
> We make a living from what we get,
> but we make a life from what we give.
> - Kathy Moser
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 4
> Date: Wed, 27 Apr 2011 14:29:55 -0700
> From: Gary Lehmann 
> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Fuzzy
> To: "jross38@xxxxxxxxxxx" 
> Cc: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> Message-ID: 
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
> 
> Some chromatic harmonica players feel that their detritus forms 
> a seal that
> makes the instrument more airtight. Thankfully, no one I have 
> had to do a
> repair for has ever made an issue of this ("Go ahead and tune my 
> harp to
> 440, but don't touch my junk")--since cleaning *is* the first 
> thing I do
> before fixing a harp.
> Sometimes cleaning an instrument remedies the issue for which 
> the customer
> returned the unit.
> Diatonics are so much easier to work on and clean that it's 
> enough to make
> you learn to overblow 8)
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 5
> Date: Wed, 27 Apr 2011 14:52:25 -0700 (PDT)
> From: Brian Walker 
> Subject: [Harp-L] Gear For Sale
> To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> Message-ID: <179537.33832.qm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
> 
> I have a really nice Custom Turner 254 shell with really nice 
> chrome grill in 
> Red with screw connector and wired. Fin on Shell has been 
> smoothed off bottom 
> smoothed down and screw connector moved back out of the way. 
> Asking $65 + $6 
> shipping I have another Harp Case for sale dimensions are: 18" 
> wide 10 3/4" tall 
> and 5 1/4" depth these are outside dimensions; case is vintage. 
> Harps are 
> supported vertically and plenty of room for gear. Case comes 
> with two keys - 
> really nice case for harp players. Asking $45 email for pics. 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 6
> Date: Wed, 27 Apr 2011 15:18:23 -0700
> From: Grant Walters 
> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Gear For Sale
> To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> Message-ID: <5C429D62-9B45-4C01-AB02-A387F03C3723@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
> 
> 
> On Apr 27, 2011, at 2:52 PM, Brian Walker wrote:
> 
> > I have a really nice Custom Turner 254 shell with really nice 
> chrome grill in 
> > Red with screw connector and wired. Fin on Shell has been 
> smoothed off bottom 
> > smoothed down and screw connector moved back out of the way. 
> Asking $65 + $6 
> > shipping I have another Harp Case for sale dimensions are: 18" 
> wide 10 3/4" tall 
> > and 5 1/4" depth these are outside dimensions; case is 
> vintage. Harps are 
> > supported vertically and plenty of room for gear. Case comes 
> with two keys - 
> > really nice case for harp players. Asking $45 email for pics. 
> > 
> 
> 
> While I don't need any of the items here, I appreciate the 
> offering to Harp-l
> prior to telling us it is on ebay...I hate going to ebay / but 
> would give you 
> a fair price right here among friends...if I wanted these items...
> I have a small collection for the Turner fin mics...very cool.
> 
> thanks
> Grant
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 7
> Date: Wed, 27 Apr 2011 15:40:38 -0700
> From: dmf 273 
> Subject: [Harp-L] Chromatic/diatonic
> To: "Harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx" 
> Message-ID: 
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
> 
> Of course we harmonica players are not alone in our Quixotic 
> pursuits of
> chromaticity on diatonic instruments that were never intended 
> for such
> sophisticated use. For a good chuckle try Googling 
> "Pennywhistle Jazz" and
> be sure to read the article on John Coltrane's legendary PW 
> Tapes. If you
> need more company for your overblown misery, also Google 
> "Dulcimer Jazz",
> "Ukelele Jazz", "Recorder jazz" and "Jaw Harp jazz" (by the 
> way, I once saw
> Dizzy Gillespie mesmerize a crowd with his jaw harp chops!) We are
> definitely not the only ones trying play jazz on "toy" 
> instruments. (But
> I'm not sure if we really want to be lumped in with some of 
> those guys!)
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 8
> Date: Wed, 27 Apr 2011 18:44:14 -0400
> From: Randy Singer 
> Subject: [Harp-L] VIDEO-- son of muddy waters performing with a fine
> blues harp player--Mud Morganfield & The Peter Nande Band
> To: "harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx" 
> Message-ID: 
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
> 
> as the music director of several venues in miami beach, i get a 
> lot of packages and submissions.
> 
> this one really caught my eye.
> 
> check it out--he sounds like a young muddy......incredible......
> 
> Mud Morganfield & The Peter Nande Band
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d58PMIjMeGI&feature=player_embedded
> 
> randy singer
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 9
> Date: Thu, 28 Apr 2011 09:58:46 +1000
> From: "Rick Dempster" 
> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Some Chromatic Garageband project in the works.
> To: , "ray navarrette" 
> Message-ID: <4DB93A56.7C8A.0066.0@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
> 
> Lovely playing Ray.
> Cheers,
> RD
> 
> >>> ray navarrette 27/04/2011 2:25 >>>
> Hi All,
> Just wanted to share a couple of my newest Garageband projects .
> They're still in the works so be kind. On " Love Will Find You " the
> bulk of my playing is around the end. And yes, I know , to much 
> reverb.Anyway,Thanks
> 
> 
> Greg Karukas ïïï Key Witness: ïïï 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9puUmdlWcXI 
> 
> Peter Whiteïïïs ïïï
> Love Will Find You Version 1 ïïï 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eSMz97S_mg&feature=related 
> 
> Peter Whiteïïïs ïïï Love Will Find You version 2 ïïï
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OtQsTLV9ik&feature=related 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ray L.Navarrette
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 10
> Date: Wed, 27 Apr 2011 20:04:27 -0400 (EDT)
> From: Mark 
> Subject: Fwd: [Harp-L] Re: Fuzzy
> To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> Message-ID: <8CDD34EF95127A0-FB0-19B2B@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Regards
> Mark
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mark 
> To: ""\"harp-l 
> Sent: Wed, Apr 27, 2011 8:00 pm
> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Re: Fuzzy
> 
> 
> Everyone is talking about nasty clients, most people are pigs 
> anyway, but
> no mention of nasty dealers that when selling harps let people 
> play them
> i/e test them. not just illegal in many places but just plain 
> disgusting and NEEDS
> to stop! i do not care if they use alcohol wipes! deadly 
> diseases can be to easy
> transmitted these days.
> I try to get my harps factory sealed 
> 
> 
> 
> Regards
> Mark
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Michael Easton 
> Cc: harp-l 
> Sent: Wed, Apr 27, 2011 4:32 pm
> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Re: Fuzzy
> 
> 
> Gary,
> I don't expect customers to make them perfect. I will still 
> dismantle 
> a chrome and clean it if it looked showroom new.
> 
> It the matter of the customer having the courtesy to keep them 
> looking 
> somewhat sanitary.
> 
> I always make sure I brush my teeth before visiting the dentist 
> and 
> take a shower before a doctor visit. It's just respect for the 
> person 
> who is there to help me.
> 
> 
> On Apr 27, 2011, at 4:15 PM, Gary Lehmann wrote:
> 
> Mike's work speaks for itself and he is entitled to run his 
> business 
> the way he wants. I for one will continue to have him help me 
> when I 
> get stuck--he knows a lot more about harps than I do, and I 
> appreciate 
> his good work.
> In the future, I will take pains to clean up whatever I send to 
> him, 
> that's for sure!
> I wonder if I can start charging more to repair dirty 
> instruments? Or 
> if that is considered covered under the standard Suzuki warranty 
> . . .
> This is an interesting thread (we DO run out of stuff to talk 
> about) 
> and I for one am glad I stuck my foot in my mouth (again) . . .
> 
> Michael Easton
> www.harmonicarepair.com
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 11
> Date: Wed, 27 Apr 2011 20:20:32 -0400
> From: John Sturm 
> Subject: RE: [Harp-L] Re: Fuzzy
> To: 
> Message-ID: 
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
> 
> I have owned a music store for nine years(recently sold it but 
> staying with the new owner as an employee) we would NEVER let a 
> customer blow a harp(or kazoo) and give it back to us. The rule 
> is simple, if it touches your lips, you bought it. Now if there 
> is an issue such as a bad reed we will take a return but 
> basically "you blow it , you buy it"
> 
> > To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> > Subject: Fwd: [Harp-L] Re: Fuzzy
> > From: cahebayx@xxxxxxx
> > Date: Wed, 27 Apr 2011 20:04:27 -0400
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > Regards
> > Mark
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Mark 
> > To: ""\"harp-l 
> > Sent: Wed, Apr 27, 2011 8:00 pm
> > Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Re: Fuzzy
> > 
> > 
> > Everyone is talking about nasty clients, most people are pigs 
> anyway, but
> > no mention of nasty dealers that when selling harps let people 
> play them
> > i/e test them. not just illegal in many places but just plain 
> disgusting and NEEDS
> > to stop! i do not care if they use alcohol wipes! deadly 
> diseases can be to easy
> > transmitted these days.
> > I try to get my harps factory sealed 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > Regards
> > Mark
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Michael Easton 
> > Cc: harp-l 
> > Sent: Wed, Apr 27, 2011 4:32 pm
> > Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Re: Fuzzy
> > 
> > 
> > Gary,
> > I don't expect customers to make them perfect. I will still 
> dismantle 
> > a chrome and clean it if it looked showroom new.
> > 
> > It the matter of the customer having the courtesy to keep them 
> looking 
> > somewhat sanitary.
> > 
> > I always make sure I brush my teeth before visiting the 
> dentist and 
> > take a shower before a doctor visit. It's just respect for 
> the person 
> > who is there to help me.
> > 
> > 
> > On Apr 27, 2011, at 4:15 PM, Gary Lehmann wrote:
> > 
> > Mike's work speaks for itself and he is entitled to run his 
> business 
> > the way he wants. I for one will continue to have him help me 
> when I 
> > get stuck--he knows a lot more about harps than I do, and I 
> appreciate 
> > his good work.
> > In the future, I will take pains to clean up whatever I send 
> to him, 
> > that's for sure!
> > I wonder if I can start charging more to repair dirty 
> instruments? Or 
> > if that is considered covered under the standard Suzuki 
> warranty . . .
> > This is an interesting thread (we DO run out of stuff to talk 
> about) 
> > and I for one am glad I stuck my foot in my mouth (again) . . .
> > 
> > Michael Easton
> > www.harmonicarepair.com
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 12
> Date: Wed, 27 Apr 2011 19:29:53 -0500
> From: Sean Murphy 
> Subject: [Harp-L] Performance setup - hearing and feedback
> To: Harp-l Mailing List 
> Message-ID: 
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
> 
> I've been taking lessons for about a year and a half now, and 
> have been
> asked by a friend to sit in with his band a couple of times for 
> gigs. I've
> encountered some issues I'd love to get everyone's thoughts on!
> 
> The first time I played, I ran my bullet mic right into the PA, 
> which had
> some monitors at the front of the "stage". I could hear myself 
> okay when I
> was really cutting loose on solo-like bits, but when I was 
> trying to just
> provide backup I found that I couldn't hear myself hardly at 
> all! I hadn't
> practiced with the band and consider myself to be still at a 
> beginner level,
> so I didn't want to stink up my friend's band's music so I did a 
> lot of just
> standing around, but I would love to have been able to provide 
> some backing
> accompaniment.
> 
> The same friend asked me to sit in with them again recently, and 
> this time I
> brought an amp (my fender guitar amp - not ideal, but it's 
> something); I
> figured I could set that up behind me and mic it, and have it 
> function as
> more of a monitor so that perhaps I could hear myself better. It 
> worked to
> some extent but I then found that I was getting huge amounts of 
> feedback out
> of the amp! I ended up having to turn the mic down so far that I found
> myself back in the same situation - once the band started really 
> thumpingalong I really couldn't hear myself except when I was 
> really cutting loose!
> 
> So I wanted to poll the list - I'd love to hear suggestions, 
> observations,etc. on how to set up right, mic'ing an amp, etc. - 
> any random thoughts or
> pointers are appreciated!
> 
> Thanks!
> Sean
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 13
> Date: Wed, 27 Apr 2011 18:35:22 -0600
> From: "Doug H" 
> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] $uzuki US price increases (was: Fussy)
> To: "Arthur Jennings" , 
> Cc: Harp-l 
> Message-ID: 
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
> 
> The American dollar has been drifting downward against the Yen 
> and the Canadian dollar (the graph is pretty rough but I'd 
> estimate about 6% in the last few months). So importing a 
> Suzuki harmonica into the US is going to cost more in dollars, 
> which is probably the main reason for the price increase by the 
> US distibutor. 
> 
> Since the Canadian dollar has maintained against the Yen it's 
> possible that our prices would not increase. However if our 
> Suzuki's come through the same US distributor we'll probably end 
> up with a similar increase, regardless.
> 
> Doug H
> (in Calgary)
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: Arthur Jennings 
> To: gnarlyheman@xxxxxxxxx 
> Cc: Harp-l 
> Sent: Wednesday, April 27, 2011 3:04 PM
> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] $uzuki US price increases (was: Fussy)
> 
> 
> Hi Gary,
> 
> Do you know if that'll apply to Canada, too?
> 
> Thanks,
> Arthur
> 
> On Wed, Apr 27, 2011 at 1:19 PM, wrote:
> 
> > It's not Suzuki Japan, it's the US company that distributes them.
> > And these harps are still worth it!
> > G
> > ------Original Message------
> > From: sheltraw@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> > Sender: harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx
> > To: Harp-l
> > Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Fussy
> > Sent: Apr 27, 2011 1:10 PM
> >
> > Suzuki is raising prices 10%? During a international 
> recession with high
> > unemployment, the Paradox of thrift in full swing, and a 
> Chinese housing
> > bubble ready to burst that sounds like a prescription for a 
> bad negative
> > feedback business loop. Still, maybe it's a question of long 
> term survival
> > versus short term profits.
> >
> > Discuss.
> >
> > Please, everyone, do not turn this into a political 
> discussion. Please.
> >
> > Cheers!
> >
> >
> >
> > Sent on the Sprintï Now Network from my BlackBerryï
> >
> >
> 
> End of Harp-L Digest, Vol 92, Issue 72
> **************************************
>



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