Harrelson Trumpet

jpj6491 · New Member Joined: 30 May 2018 Posts: 3 Location: Virginia

WARNING! I HAVE HAD A HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE WITH HARRELSON TRUMPETS. They sent a defective horn: it has a major ever opening seam and crack along the pipe leading from the valves to the beginning of the bell tubing. Harrelson after multiple efforts refuses to deal with it claiming "It is normal." IT MAY BE SO FOR HARRELSON, BUT NO OTHER TRUMPET I HAVE EVER SEEN HAS A CRACK LIKE THIS. I bought this horn four months ago for $7,000.00 and my only option says Harrelson is to sell it on my own. They refuse to sell a horn unless it is traded in on an improved one. I have attempted multiple times with the owner and he is stubbornly refusing to do anything about the problem. Harrelson initially hid the problem with some kind of filler and it is getting worse and worse. There are two areas that are like deep pits into the center. What other sloppy manufacturing is invisible? When I spent so much money I would expect better from a manufacturer. Those who like the sound of their Summits by Harrrelson...you are lucky. MANY MANY MANY are not. [/quote]

oxleyk · Heavyweight Member Joined: 12 Apr 2006 Posts: 4180

[comment withdrawn]

jimspeedjae · Veteran Member Joined: 05 Apr 2013 Posts: 165

Can you post some pictures - I'd be interested to see what you are referring to?

Thanks,

James

JasonHarrelson · Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2018 4:31 am Post subject:

John, this really does not need to be published on an online forum. The facts are not going to help your case here and I truly do not want you to experience the ridicule of an online forum. I have endured the thoughtless comments and arguments that ensue from such debates on TH and TM. They really do not help anyone in the end.

I've asked you for days to please simply pick up the phone and give me a call so we can discuss your concerns and find an amicable resolution.

Jason
303.657.2747
_________________
Harrelson Trumpets
www.whyharrelson.com

derekthor · Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2018 4:57 am Post subject:

What’s the finish of your horn? When raw brass starts to tarnish the seam in the bell will start to show.

JasonHarrelson · Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2018 4:58 am Post subject:

JasonHarrelson · Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2018 5:07 am Post subject:

I would like to add more information about the small holes that were mentioned by John in one of his most recent emails this morning. He stated there are pin holes "appearing".

The tiny "holes" are spot welds, which initially held the two halves of the bell crook (or tuning slide) together before silver soldering the seam. I flux the entire assembly, hold it together by hand to prevent clamping pressure variations and spot weld it together with a laser welder. All of our crooks are designed very thick when compared to a standard bent tube design. The spot welds are very deep to ensure they weld all the way through the metal. This vaporizes the first thin section of the outer wall because there is a trough underneath where the silver solder pools or fills to ensure an extremely strong joint. We do not fill this area as any filler would discolor over time in raw brass finishes and could compromise the integrity of a plated finish.

Our design and manufacture processes are very different from traditional methods which is why you don't see a seam on any other brand instrument.

Jason
_________________
Harrelson Trumpets
www.whyharrelson.com

TrptSTP · Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2018 1:06 pm Post subject:

This looks like OP did minimal research on this trumpet before shelling out $7k. He should have known about the bell crook. If Jason has proof that the receiver was in perfect shape before leaving his shop, then there is no argument. Where exactly did the plier marks come from between the shop and OP?

JasonHarrelson · Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2018 1:25 pm Post subject:

I've been informed that the OP (John) also has this Harrelson VPS Summit 4/11 trumpet listed for sale on eBay with the following description and photos showing even more marks from the use of pliers.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Trumpet-Harrelson-Silver-Summit-Model-With-Mouthpiece-Customizing-Kit-and-Case/292631755210?hash=item44223639ca%3Ag%3AolkAAOSw1zRbP-1Z&_sacat=0&_nkw=harrelson+trumpet&_from=R40&rt=nc&LH_TitleDesc=0

eBay description:

ABSOLUTELY THE MOST ADVANCED TRUMPET BUILT WITH SCIENTIFIC PRINCIPLES IN MIND, ACOUSTIC SOPHISTICATION, AND MEETING THE NEEDS OF A PLAYER TO CUSTOMIZE HIS OWN INSTRUMENT. BASED ON PLAYING EXPERIENCE, EXPERIMENTATION, AND APPLYING A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT MOUTHPIECE, THROAT, CUP SIZE, GAP AND SHANK, HE OR SHE CAN ASSURE A PERFECT FIT TO PHYSIOLOGY AND SOUND NEEDS. JASON HARRELSON IS A PHENOMENON. HE DESIGNED AND BUILT THIS INSTRUMENT TO ALLOW A PLAYER TO MAXIMIZE PERFORMANCE AND CREATE THE PERSONAL SOUND LIKE NO OTHER TRUMPET CAN. HE IS COPIED AND HIS IDEAS AND DESIGNS STOLEN, BUT HIS SHOP MAKES A PERFECT, BEAUTIFUL, HIGH TECH INSTRUMENT TO LOVE. I AM SELLING IT ONLY BECAUSE OF HEALTH ISSUES. I LOVE THIS INSTRUMENT; I JUST DON'T WANT TO SEE IT IN AN ESTATE SALE, SOLD TO SOMEONE WHO DOES NOT UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF A MASTERFULLY CREATED TRUMPET. RARELY DO FOLKS SELL THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE JUST SO AMAZING. WORTH EVERY PENNY. I PAID OVER $7,000.00 (YES, SEVEN THOUSAND DOLLARS) AND YOU CAN HAVE IT FOR A STEAL. YOU WIN, I LOSE ... I WILL ANSWER ANY AND ALL QUESTIONS HONESTLY ...IT HAS A NUMBER 4 PIPE AND A NUMBER 11 BELL. SEE THE LISTING ON HARRELSON WEBSITE SHOWING $6850.00 PRICE AND PICTURES AND FEATURES.
_________________
Harrelson Trumpets
www.whyharrelson.com

JasonHarrelson · Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2018 1:27 pm Post subject:

And the original listing on our website shows the condition of this horn before it was shipped.

http://www.whyharrelson.com/store/p256/Harrelson_VPS_Summit_4%2F11_in_Silver.html
_________________
Harrelson Trumpets
www.whyharrelson.com

TrptSTP · Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2018 1:28 pm Post subject:

Crazy Finn · Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2018 5:09 pm Post subject:

Brad361 · Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2018 10:28 am Post subject:

Man.

I certainly don’t know the true and accurate details of this dispute beyond what has been discussed in this thread, but I seriously doubt that Jason Harrelson would do what the OP is accusing him of. I hope that he communicates with Jason and resolves the problem, if in fact there is one that he’s responsible for.
The pics look to me like simply seams, certainly not “cracks”, and the marks on the receiver certainly look like “pliers jobs.”

My guess is that the OP is dealing with a case of buyer’s remorse....and that’s certainly not Jason’s fault.

And I don’t believe that anyone who reads through this and looks at those pictures are going to believe the OP’s claims; I suspect that Jason’s reputation won’t take a hit on this.

Brad
_________________
When asked if he always sounds great:
"I always try, but not always, because the horn is merciless, unpredictable and traitorous." - Arturo Sandoval

HaveTrumpetWillTravel · Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2018 5:14 pm Post subject:

The trumpet really is beautiful. It's a genre/pricepoint beyond what most of us will pay and I definitely learned something about higher level trumpets from this forum. A lot of us are used to unlimited returns for 90 or 180 days for consumer products and I could see the OP missing the Harrelson policy, which is that basically you can trade up for 12 months or trade in the purchase value towards a new instrument in the future (I have no idea how other similar trumpet makers do this). This make sense for a piece of art, but is probably different from what you'd get with regular manufacturers.

From the website pictures, you can't really see the seams. One message for me from this forum is to stop buying trumpets I haven't seen in person.

If I were Jason (who seems like a decent person) I'd probably offer to take the trumpet back minus shipping and a fee to replace the receiver/mouthpiece. If I were the OP, I'd probably call in and try to talk through what happened (this may also be the type of trumpet where if the mouthpiece stuck a local shop wouldn't necessarily know how to pull it).

On the one hand, it's a little unseemly to post this here, but on the other hand, many of us probably wouldn't know how/whether to order an instrument like this and hopefully folk will learn from it.

LittleRusty · Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2018 5:26 pm Post subject:

Actually I think I *can* see what the OP mentions in the JH website pictures. And I think Jason has explained why they are there. (I do not want to start a flame war, we need innovators like Jason. Nor do I want to impugn the OP)

And I think you are mixing up retailers with trumpet manufacturers when you talk about return policies.

At least the threads discussing returns I read on here often involve places like wwbw or ACB which have generous return policies. Not Bach, Schilke, Kanstul, etc.

HaveTrumpetWillTravel · Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2018 5:37 pm Post subject:

I probably am mixing them up (return policies for retailers vs manufacturers). I assume Harrelson only sells directly. The closest analogy I can think of would be luthiers. I don't know what violin makers do if someone commissions a violin and then doesn't like the trumpet (or doesn't like it and also manages to bust up the pegbox).

LittleRusty · Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2018 6:03 pm Post subject:

Heim · Veteran Member Joined: 14 Dec 2013 Posts: 181

LittleRusty · Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2018 7:01 pm Post subject:

Brad361 · Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2018 7:23 pm Post subject:

If I had taken a 7000.00 custom horn to a local music store for a stuck mouthpiece, and they did THAT....on second thought, I would not TAKE a 7k horn to a local music store.

I’m making a lot of unfounded assumptions here, but whoever gouged up that receiver should be held responsible. Even (especially) if it was the OP.

Brad
_________________
When asked if he always sounds great:
"I always try, but not always, because the horn is merciless, unpredictable and traitorous." - Arturo Sandoval