It’s a serious question and could be translated to ‘How many harmonicas are bought for their name?’ It’s something I’m genuinely interested in. Undoubtedly some harmonica reviews are either company PR or by paid professionals, others are by those relatively new to harmonicas whose opinions are colored by justifying to themselves (or their significant others) for their most recent choice and some are by genuine enthusiasts. It has been said that asking 100 people for an opinion is likely to result in 120 answers but humor me ‘If Lamborghini sold harmonicas would you buy one?’ Jay1
No – not just because of the name. Unless it sounds good and plays well, then I’m not interested.
– Slim 
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Hi @Slim But how would you know? We so often have to rely on the opinions of others because we can’t test harps before we buy and opinions vary or are colored, sometimes by commercial interests. It was a bit of a tongue in cheek question but it does have a serious side. We probably wouldn’t buy almost any other instrument without trying it so how can we ‘test drive’ a harp? There must be a way but I don’t know the answer. Jay1
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Not me I like to make the best of what I’ve got. I’m not big on designer anything except my sunglasses ( I had no choice with those I wanted good ones that would last. Harps are a different thing they are only as good as their reeds Lamborghini might lend a name to it would the quality be any different to a seydel or a cross harp.
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Probably not… they sell cars and I bought a Ram truck — What do you drive?
I’m sure a harmonica playing, Lamborghini car owner would consider buying the Lamborghini harmonica simply out of brand loyalty.
I guess my question would be, how many people in this forum drive Lamborghini’s?
My guess is very few… which leads to the conclusion that just because the name Lamborghini is on a product, doesn’t make people buy it - if it did I think we’d see a lot Lamborghini cars more on the road.
Fun question tho…
Mike
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I drive a Caterham for fun but if they made harmonicas I wouldn’t buy one because it would probably have lots of sharp edges that hurt and the cover plates would fall off.
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@cloves-fibs0f Hi Mike the point of the question was how many of us buy harmonicas because of the brand, I just used Lamborghini as an example of a high end brand name that is in reality now just an Audi but with Lamborghini on the ‘cover plates’. So what I was questioning is do we buy harmonicas because of the name on the cover plates? If you’re really interested I own several cars but my Lamborghini is a 1950’s Lamborghini tractor with its original 6 cylinder Morris diesel engine rescued from a farm machinery sale. Jay1
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Yeah I understood the point - just adding a perspective - the point of that perspective seems to have been missed.
And that is bad ass never knew Lamborghini made a tractor. Very cool brother. Learn something everyday.
Mike
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Lamborghini started out as tractor manufacturers. Lamborghini originally went to Ferrari to ask if he could buy one of his cars but Enzo Ferrari refused him (can’t remember why) so Lamborghini said “ok, i’ll make my own and make it better than Ferrari” which he did (whether it was better than Ferrari is a matter of opinion), and thus Lamborghini became car makers.
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@chris3 & @cloves-fibs0f If as petrol/diesel heads we are going onto tractors or cars we’d better move to the Lounge. No Mike the point of your perspective wasn’t missed. Jay1
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It would be too pointy and cut your mouth, have you seen the shape of their cars 
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Plus people would think you’re over compensating for something 
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Next time you’re driving at 15 MPH for miles down winding country lanes you could be stuck behind my Lamborghini tractor, I don’t know if it’s over compensating steam from the ears of the driver or from vapes coming out car windows 
Mind you It’s not so much fun when I’m driving the Discovery 
following someone else with a tractor and to find they are sitting there not even playing a harp. Jay1
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You can get Lamborghini branded aftershave. Is it good aftershave? I’ve no idea.
I’d guess brand and model reputation count for something, especially amongst newer players who are figuring out what they actully like or need, but as experience grows I think most players would settle on a style or brand or model they like after trying a few.
If the question is would you buy an exotic harmonica just because it’s percieved to be exotic, I guess enough folks do to make it worthwhile. On the other hand £200 for an unneccessary luxury is easier to digest than £200,000 for an unneccessary luxury (says the driver of a 15 year old diesel VW estate car/station wagon)
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Surely say all ‘luxuries’ are unneccessary by definition but that is what can make them desirable (or not dependent on your outlook).
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Yes, good point, I don’t know what a neccessary luxury is. Perhaps indulgence would’ve been the word for it, but hopefully you got what i meant.
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@Piglet & @chris3 Piglet you’ve hit the nail on the head, it’s those who are relatively new players that think indulging in named branded instruments will make them better players. More experienced players might get or feel they get something more out of a professionally customised harmonica, I wouldn’t know never having tried one. Perhaps it’s up to more experienced players on the forum to help dispel the myth, if it is a myth. I didn’t know about the aftershave, I’ve a full set beard so it would be an unnecessary indulgence. My Lamborghini tractor, in rough(ish) condition cost £2,600 ($3,410 US) at an agricultural machinery sale bought as the lowest priced on sale when we needed another tractor, Jay1
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Love this thread!!
So many different opinions, for so many different reasons, all valid in their own way.
I drive a Mazda double cabin 4x4 pick-up truck and a Mazda 3. All I can say is that both of my cars are of this century, but not by much!!
I wouldn’t buy a Lamborghini car or harmonica but understand those who do.
@cloves-fibs0f here says in effect that probably only somebody who would buy a Lamborghini would buy a Lamborghini harmonica, which seems to be right on point, This would definitely include @Jay1 as a potential buyer based on his purchase 
.
I’m willing to bet that if Lamborghini came out with a TRACTOR VERSION of a harmonica, at a comparable price in real terms to his tractor, @Jay1 would be all over it!
And that’s the point, which others here have also indicated in their own ways. There is a market for just about anything, it just takes the right person to buy it!
Can we say that the quality of a Lamborghini, or a Ferrari, or any car for that matter, is worth the exorbitant amount of money paid for them?
For those who do buy them, the answer is a resounding yes, otherwise they wouldn’t do it.
Would I pay hundreds or thousands of dollars for a customized harp?
Probably not, but I understand those who do.
Different strokes for different folks!
Now, if someone wants to give me one, or take it for a test ride, I’m all in!
Think about it. Wouldn’t it be amazing to be riding down the highway in a Lamborghini, playing a harmonica with the same color scheme as the car?
Sounds like a good story for one of the chapters in the book I’m writing now, and one of the main characters has the wherewithal to ask Lamborghini to make a harp for him and pay them whatever they ask. 
Thanks for the idea @Jay1 !!
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Imagine what it would cost. If a chevy sedan cost $50,000 and a Lamb cost 1 million then $50 for standard harmonica would turn out to be $1000 for the Lamborghini. Times 12. You’d have to hire armed guards to go to a gig.
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@HarpinBobbyMcB @Andy2 @ingog Hi all, this is short because I’m in the middle of doing a complex legal case, but as some may already know I don’t play massively expensive harmonicas but I do customise my own East:Top forerunners 1 & 2 and my East:Top 10/40 chromatics, probably the least expensive chromatics on the market. Jay1
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