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Partners
in tune with instrument
June
2007
A
new-style harmonica designed and marketed by a North-East company
is set to breathe fresh life into the historic instrument.
Tribal
Planet from Birtley, led by business partners David Wright and
Philip Sutcliffe, expects to secure at least 5% of the world
market - over £1m turnover - inside three years.
The
company says its Planetone harmonicas, made in China, will revolutionise
the market like James Dyson did with the vacuum cleaner.
Tribal
Planet say the new instrument represents the first thorough
re-design of the harmonica in 100 years, and will capture sales
from market leader Hohner.
Mr
Wright and Mr Sutcliffe, who have both worked for Hohner in
the past, have spent three years developing their new style
of instrument with legendary harmonica player Johnny Mars.
The
bluesman has played with some of the biggest names in music,
including BB King and Robert Cray. One of the Planetone harmonicas
features several design innovations including round holes rather
than square, numbers featured on the front of the instrument
rather than the back, and a textured surface to help novice
players feel what notes they are playing.
The
instruments will also come in a range of different colours.
"It's
a Dyson for the world of harmonicas," says Mr Wright.
Mr
Wright, director of international sales, said: "There is a demand
in the market for an improved harmonica, and we have a full
range of harmonicas that suits both beginners and serious players.
"We
know that the beginner has a much better chance of learning
with a better quality instrument and we expect to grow the market
by converting more starters into serious players."
Mr
Wright said there was a gap in the market as Hohner, with 80%
of the world market, had become complacent. He said: "They have
not thought of making any changes. When I worked for them I
was constantly made aware of shortcomings of the harmonicas,
but the company was not interested. Their main comment was to
say, `But we're Hohner!'
"Johnny
Mars has been unhappy with the harmonica he's been playing for
years."
Tribal
Planet is best known for its innovative gig bags, which are
sold around the world to musicians to carry their instruments,
and has plans for a percussion product, too.
Mr
Wright said he was confident Tribal Planet, which already boasts
a seven-figure turnover through the gig bag business, would
soon capture a significant slice of the world harmonica market.
He
said: "The global market is worth about $45m and we expect to
get 5% pretty quickly - in two to three years.
"We
already have a distributor network worldwide for our guitar
bags and we've designed a point of purchase display to attract
people's attention."
The
harmonica
The
harmonica is known by many names, especially in the world of
blues music. These include: mouth organ, blow-tube, Indiana
Mating Call, mouth harp, Hobo Harp, French harp, Reckless Tram,
harpoon, tin sandwich, blues harp or Mississippi saxophone.
Shortly
after Matthias Hohner, a German, began manufacturing harmonicas
in 1857, he shipped some to relatives who had emigrated to the
United States and the instrument rapidly became popular. President
Abraham Lincoln is said to have carried a harmonica in his pocket,
and frontiersmen Wyatt Earp and Billy the Kid are also believed
to have played the instrument.
The
first recordings of harmonica were made in the US in the 1920s
and since then the instrument has entered the main- stream of
popular music.
Well
known players have included such diverse names as Larry Adler,
Bono, Captain Beefheart, Bob Dylan, Roger Daltrey, Woody Guthrie,
Mick Jagger, Billy Joel, Van Morrison, Stevie Wonder and Neil
Young.
Playing
the harmonica can help develop a strong diaphragm and deep breathing
using the entire lung volume. Pulmonary specialists have noted
that playing the harmonica resembles the kind of exercise used
to rehabilitate COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
patients. Many pulmonary rehabilitation programmes have begun
to incorporate the harmonica.Source: Wikipedia
For
more information about Tribal Planet, log on to www.tribalplanet.com.
Media
Contact: Gayle Tomlinson Communications gayle.tomlinson@blueyonder.co.uk
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Bag Sets Off Floral Note
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Lightweight
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and Large Harmonicas Launched by Tribal Planet
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bag designers and manufacturers Tribal Planet has unveiled
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6
September 2007 A NEW harmonica designed in the North East
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25th
July 2007 A NEW range of harmonicas is now available to buy
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Planet Signs New UK Distributor
30th
April 2007 Music industry experts Tribal Planet have signed
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Media
Invite
20th
March 2007 MUSIC specialist Tribal Planet is inviting journalists
to view its latest innovations at the International Musikmesse
in Frankfurt.
Tribal
Planet Signed By Fender!
18th
January 2007 Gig bag experts Tribal Planet are pleased to
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more accessible.
New
Range Spells Elegance for Tribal Planet
18th
January 2007 GIG bag experts Tribal Planet are bringing a
touch of elegance to their range with their best guitar bag
yet.
Tribal
Planet Make New Tunes with Harmonica Business
August
2007 MUSIC accessories experts, Tribal Planet, have today
announced plans to begin selling harmonicas to the world-wide
market.
Partners
in tune with instrument
June
2007 A new-style harmonica designed and marketed by a North-East
company is set to breathe fresh life into the historic instrument.
Former
Hohner Men Launch New Harmonica Company
9th
February 2007 A NEW brand of harmonica is being launched to
fill a gap in the market for a high quality range at attainable
prices.
Fender
Distributes Tribal Planet Gigbags in the USA
31st
January 2006 Tribal Planet has appointed Fender’s new FMI
Wholesale Division as Sole US Distributor of Tribal Planet’s
unique range of reinforced super strong and super lightweight
Guitar cases and Gigbags.
Case
study
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January 2005 The founders of Tribal Planet have come up against
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kept things well intact.
Tribal
Planet: Carrying Design to the limit, and beyond
1st
November 2004 This great little story began not long after
David Wright’s departure from Martin Petermichl’s company,
Ritt
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