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From: Steve & Anne Price
Date: Tue, 8 Oct 1996 13:47:52 -0500 (CDT)
Subject: Re: blues tools rack mania

I am taken to task for my recent comments about the blues tools
harmonica rack. I apologize if my critique sounded mean spirited.

I have repeatedly described it as the best of its sort. I
continue to consider it the best commercially produced harmonica rack.
The frustrations I have had with it are genuine, but I intended no
offense to anyone, least of all the producer of the product. I had hoped
to give as best I could a description of both the terrific aspects of it
that make it the best harmonica rack, and what I thought were the
limitations that have made it frustrating for me to use so that others
might understand the nature of the rack. I apologize if in my
frustration I sounded like I was slamming either Mark or the product. It
is, I repeat, the best on the market.


On Tue, 8 Oct 1996 JfGindi~ol.com wrote:

> Before buying my harp rack, I talked to Mark on the phone. He
> told me I could give the rack a try, and if I didn't like it, I could return
> it.

I bought mine from Kevin, who charges more for it and offers no refund.
Particularly since Kevin offers no refund I thought it important to
discuss the nature of the design of the rack. I dealt with Kevin
because his catalogue is the only place I've seen it advertised.

Moreover, by publishing to the list I got to find out that I'm indeed not
the only one whose playing technique affects use of the rack. I'm sorry
if my on-list discussion with Harmonica John was offensive. I was
sincerely interested in sharing my attempts at trying to adapt the rack
(I'm genuinely lousy with tools) with someone trying the same and to
share the information with harp players who might be interested.


> [Mark] He was not arrogant in the least. (I did not return the rack) By
> the same

I didn't think anything either John or I said implied that Mark is
arrogant. If I did, I apologize because I never intended to suggest
it.


> token, he asked Harp-L for its preferences on a harp case, and in return his
> rack has received a somewhat public flaggellation by my two good friends HJ
> and Steve Price that makes it sound as though the blues tool is essentially
> unusable.

I wrote that even if I cannot make it adjust to the way it would work
best for me, I still think it works better than any other rack on the
market and that I'll continue to use it because the benefits outweigh the
limitations. I'm sorry if in my frustration I made it sound unusable.

I also said that my tone is noticeably better on this rack than on my
old rack because of how solid it is and how substantial.


> As a person who creates and sells products for a living, I would be
> extremely upset at this treatment.

Then I apologize to all on the list and to Mark. It was not my intention
to upset anyone, or to be so insensitive. I appreciate having it pointed
out to me that I have come across this way. I'm sorry.


> For the record, for anyone thinking of
> getting this rack, I think it is a fine rack, easily the best on the market.

Easily.


> For me to play it, it does not need to be adjusted, but can be. Rack playing
> is essentially an inconvenient, screwy thing to do, and the perfect rack for
> everyone does not, cannot exist. My attitude is that you have to adjust to
> the rack. Mark has tried to address this problem with a rack that to some
> extent, can adjust to you, and as a 25 year rack player, I think he's created
> a pretty good product.

If I can get the adjustment I'm trying for, I won't have to completely or
even partially change my emboucher. The difference is dramatic for me.
Getting that adjustment will make this rack considerably more useful and
valuable to me.


> It's true that I still mostly use my old
> spit-encrusted Elton rack from the 60's when my name was Bob Dylan and the
> world was a better place, , but the Bluestool would and will be my main rack
> should the old Elton break someday. Sorry HJ and Steve to take you to task
> here but I disagree with what you're and publishing and publicizing about the
> BluesTool, a product that took a lot of commitment and money (I'm quite sure)
> to create and is, as Steve notes, an improvement over the Oskar and Hohner
> racks. By the way, I have no connection with the BluesTool folks at all. Jon
>

It was partly that discussion of the development of a Blues Tools
harmonica case that led me to to make public my thoughts on the Blues
Tools rack, because so many different players had so many different
needs. Once again I apologize to Mark and all.

Steve Price