"The Harmonicaster is proudly "Made in the Motor City" from domestic and imported components. As mentioned, our harmonica components are made in Germany by Seydel. The pickups start out as aluminum blanks laser cut in Reno, Nevada. We form them into shape, laser cut and install the magnets at our own shop here in the Detroit area, and then send them out to Lace in southern California, for them to add their Alumitone magic. Our circuit boards are made in China by JLCPCB, one of the world's largest PCB makers with surface mount operations done in Asia and through-hole components added here in our location in Michigan. Final assembly of the Harmonicaster is done in our shop where we 3D print and finish the other parts.:
And this after I specifically used German thread on your caps. Harrumph!
Did you know that it's a mitzvah for a married couple to have sexual congress and that it's particularly praiseworthy to do it on Friday night, on the Sabbath?
To be honest, I can't see that any significant savings could be achieved by making it somewhere else. The critical and costly components are German and American and not available anywhere else.
If I needed to switch from 3D printing parts to injection molding the other parts, I suppose the molds would be cheaper to have made offshore but I'm guessing that after shipping from China the price per part wouldn't be that much cheaper than having them molded here.
Actual labor probably is less than an hour per unit, including what I do to make the parts and then assemble them.
Mayhew too. Similar product offerings. Can’t go wrong with either. Mayhew punches are sold at TSC and you can get Wilde pry bars from Walmart with Hyper Tough branding. Also Trusty Cook deadblow hammers.
US-based OEMs of tool truck tools could be an entire lost until itself.
If anyone's into sport pistol shooting the Captains of Crush grip trainers are a must have. I firmly believe nearly half of my gains as a competitive shooter came from grip strength improvement, the rest from training. You won't find a Master or GM competitor without impressive grip strength. Happy Thanksgiving, all!
I have a kershaw otf automatic with carbon fiver handles. It’s usa made and better than a fidget spinner. It is pricey. The non carbon fiber one is about $240. Not cheap for a knife but not bad for an automatic
Yes actually. They’re still doing USA screwdrivers, combination wrenches, and pliers. Recently they added crowfoot wrenches to that. The tool organization is still all Ernst. Trusty Cook for hammers. Wilde or Mayhew for pry bars and punches.
Affirmative, but he has stepped away from the Cal. 1003 USA movement for all but a couple of limited editions -- also, he now charges almost 3x as much for a watch as he did before he got famous.
Does anybody have a recommendation for American made motorcycle boots with Alpinestars-like features? Zip with velcro are easier to deal with going through airports than laces.
I’m not aware of any. For street riding, I have a couple pairs of discontinued Allen Edmonds Sturgis which are not at all what you want. I do have an A-stars boot that is made in Slovenia, I think. So definitely a step up from China, if you simply want to avoid that.
I’ve got a pair of AE Normandy boots, and when it’s time for recrafting and upgrading them, I’m going to use these NC craftsmen. Their work is a big improvement over AE and its sub optimal workmanship. Great videos from these cobblers on their boot recrafting process. https://wyattanddad.com/
I have a number of flags that I rotate. The 50 star, 48 star, and Betsy Ross go on the tall pole, while Gadsen, Appeal to Heaven, and Israeli flags go on the short pole.
I was a little disappointed in the Israel flag that I got from Annin. I think the color is more of a Carolina blue than the royal blue it should be.
JHS pedals are made in Kansas City. The Morning Glory v4 is a lovely boost /light overdrive. It’s out of production but I also quite like the Lucky Cat delay.
I can vouch for BGreen, American Giant, and Darn Tough socks. All of it is excellent.
Add Runyon apparel for running and workout gear. Made in Los Angeles and high quality.
Oh, add the Trayvax minimalist wallet.
I’ll second the tools from Chapman and Wright. The Wright half inch drive breaker bar I bought can double as a very effective melee weapon.
Bloodroot Blades in Georgia for high end kitchen knives.
Most of the Benchmark Media Systems (high end home audio) product line is made in USA and punches well above its weight. The DAC3 line is one of the best bargains in all of home audio.
When I saw "music," my mind went a different way since I don't play, only listen...which is why I'll mention that my Emotiva pre-amp was built in Tennessee, though not all of their products are.
All other issues aside, I had to unsubscribe from the emails some years ago.
Oddly, outside of DTC mini brands who have to (sorta) do it to survive, when a larger and more established manufacturer sends daily emails, IMO there's a problem
Strange that a company worth apparently $255M (at time of sale to Caeleres) has never encountered or hired a person who had heard the name "seth godin" or even considered that its customers time possessed value
I have a Lynskey-built Litespeed Catalyst that I got in the mid 1990s and is one of my most satisfied purchases. My chubby thighs have polished the satin finish on the top tube.
My first real bike was a chromoly steel Motobecane touring bike. I think I put about 10,000 miles on it. One morning on my way to work, about a mile from the lab, I hit an crack in the pavement and heard something pop. Suddenly it felt like I was pedaling in molasses. The down tube broke in two (likely from corrosion) just beneath the head tube.
I bought the Litespeed because it's hard to break Titanium.
Lynskey (titanium bicycles made in Tennessee) has some pretty good black Friday deals. I ordered a Helix with their SRAM Red/Force mix and I9 wheels with a Cane Creek 110 headset, etched graphics, brushed finish, and TI headtube badge all for about 4300 before shipping.
Good timing, the crotch on a pair of Pakistani made Levi's has busted beyond salvation, and I made a pact to replace all my jeans with USA made ones whenever the current ones die off. Two more pairs of Levi's are left.
Can report that my Bison belt is doing well after a few years of daily duty. I don't wear my Red Wings too often because they're the 'dressy' style, but they'll probably outlast me. American Giant - I still have a heavy duty hoodie that is doing okay, but after two of them I noticed that they wear out pretty fast. Same with their basic t-shirts. Holes start showing up near the cuffs on the long sleeve tee's.
Right? I just had the crotch go on a relatively new pair of Levi’s. I’ve been wearing Levi’s on and off for forty years and this has never happened before. Sure the knees go eventually as they age, but the crotch? Quality has definitely made a downturn.
Long ago, as an intern, I recall being on the floor with an engineer assembling a desk or something, and the crotch on his jeans had blown. He was wearing underwear, and I suppose it would not have been in view in most circumstances, but I still thought it odd that a well-groomed, well-paid adult would intentionally leave the house and into an office like that (especially considering it was a very nice nice high-rise office building overlooking a golf course).
Crotch is usually the most common place due to friction and sweat / dirt / grime, which weakens the fabric if you (like many people) wash jeans infrequently.
In the "music" department, I believe the Harmonicaster is made in the USA, specifically Michigan.
Sounds unlikely, I hear "Rabbi Kamasutra" outsourced it to China!
"The Harmonicaster is proudly "Made in the Motor City" from domestic and imported components. As mentioned, our harmonica components are made in Germany by Seydel. The pickups start out as aluminum blanks laser cut in Reno, Nevada. We form them into shape, laser cut and install the magnets at our own shop here in the Detroit area, and then send them out to Lace in southern California, for them to add their Alumitone magic. Our circuit boards are made in China by JLCPCB, one of the world's largest PCB makers with surface mount operations done in Asia and through-hole components added here in our location in Michigan. Final assembly of the Harmonicaster is done in our shop where we 3D print and finish the other parts.:
And this after I specifically used German thread on your caps. Harrumph!
Did you know that it's a mitzvah for a married couple to have sexual congress and that it's particularly praiseworthy to do it on Friday night, on the Sabbath?
I wish it was successful enough that contract assembly offshore was worth considering.
There are some good CM’s in MX that may be worth your consideration..
To be honest, I can't see that any significant savings could be achieved by making it somewhere else. The critical and costly components are German and American and not available anywhere else.
If I needed to switch from 3D printing parts to injection molding the other parts, I suppose the molds would be cheaper to have made offshore but I'm guessing that after shipping from China the price per part wouldn't be that much cheaper than having them molded here.
Actual labor probably is less than an hour per unit, including what I do to make the parts and then assemble them.
Wilde Tool in Hiawatha, KS
https://wildetool.com/
All good stuff.
Mayhew too. Similar product offerings. Can’t go wrong with either. Mayhew punches are sold at TSC and you can get Wilde pry bars from Walmart with Hyper Tough branding. Also Trusty Cook deadblow hammers.
US-based OEMs of tool truck tools could be an entire lost until itself.
There are five Tractor Supply stores in the Detroit area. All of them are at least 25 minutes away.
I live 5 minutes from one. Benefits of living in the exurbs.
If anyone's into sport pistol shooting the Captains of Crush grip trainers are a must have. I firmly believe nearly half of my gains as a competitive shooter came from grip strength improvement, the rest from training. You won't find a Master or GM competitor without impressive grip strength. Happy Thanksgiving, all!
those look pretty interesting given how simple and affordable they are
if they make non power steering cars easier to drive then im all in
Lady White Co
https://ladywhiteco.com/
Currently having a sale.
Expensive, but high quality basics.
I have a kershaw otf automatic with carbon fiver handles. It’s usa made and better than a fidget spinner. It is pricey. The non carbon fiber one is about $240. Not cheap for a knife but not bad for an automatic
Is Tekton still making any of their tools in the U.S. of A? I think a lot of them have moved to Taiwan which is better than going full commie
The 1/2 in drive I just bought from them is stamped Taiwan.
Yes actually. They’re still doing USA screwdrivers, combination wrenches, and pliers. Recently they added crowfoot wrenches to that. The tool organization is still all Ernst. Trusty Cook for hammers. Wilde or Mayhew for pry bars and punches.
Does Weiss no longer make watches in the US?
Quoddy also makes American mocassin style footwear but the quality is not as good as Rancourt.
Pretty sure Weiss is still in the USA.
Affirmative, but he has stepped away from the Cal. 1003 USA movement for all but a couple of limited editions -- also, he now charges almost 3x as much for a watch as he did before he got famous.
Oof, at 3x I’d rather just stretch into an RGM or get a used one. My Colorado Watch GCT is coming in January, and I’m really hoping it turns out well.
If it's anything like my very early build Vortic, it will be great.
Does anybody have a recommendation for American made motorcycle boots with Alpinestars-like features? Zip with velcro are easier to deal with going through airports than laces.
I’m not aware of any. For street riding, I have a couple pairs of discontinued Allen Edmonds Sturgis which are not at all what you want. I do have an A-stars boot that is made in Slovenia, I think. So definitely a step up from China, if you simply want to avoid that.
I’ve got a pair of AE Normandy boots, and when it’s time for recrafting and upgrading them, I’m going to use these NC craftsmen. Their work is a big improvement over AE and its sub optimal workmanship. Great videos from these cobblers on their boot recrafting process. https://wyattanddad.com/
Those are very similar to what I have.
I’m a fan of Potter and Sons (Trenton and Heath).
Great local plug, I will remember this when I need to get a pair of shoes resoled.
Wesco was made in OR when I ordered a custom set a couple lifetimes ago. Might not have the style you’re after though.
Another good USA company is Allegiance...maker of US Flags.
I should know that, because I'm flying two of them outside!
Annin flags are also made in the U.S.A.
I have a number of flags that I rotate. The 50 star, 48 star, and Betsy Ross go on the tall pole, while Gadsen, Appeal to Heaven, and Israeli flags go on the short pole.
I was a little disappointed in the Israel flag that I got from Annin. I think the color is more of a Carolina blue than the royal blue it should be.
I feel the need to mention this one since the current owner of the company is a close relative of mine:
Flyrite Tangle Free Flag Pole Holders made in Cedarburg, WI
https://www.flyritecorp.com/about
JHS pedals are made in Kansas City. The Morning Glory v4 is a lovely boost /light overdrive. It’s out of production but I also quite like the Lucky Cat delay.
I can vouch for BGreen, American Giant, and Darn Tough socks. All of it is excellent.
Add Runyon apparel for running and workout gear. Made in Los Angeles and high quality.
Oh, add the Trayvax minimalist wallet.
I’ll second the tools from Chapman and Wright. The Wright half inch drive breaker bar I bought can double as a very effective melee weapon.
Bloodroot Blades in Georgia for high end kitchen knives.
Most of the Benchmark Media Systems (high end home audio) product line is made in USA and punches well above its weight. The DAC3 line is one of the best bargains in all of home audio.
When I saw "music," my mind went a different way since I don't play, only listen...which is why I'll mention that my Emotiva pre-amp was built in Tennessee, though not all of their products are.
emotiva.com
This is super helpful. I’ll add that I just got Wisconsin-made Allen Edmonds Chelsea boots for 50% off with their Black Friday sale.
Do you have them in hand yet?
How is the current quality, if so?
Not yet. Next week. I’ll circle back here or whatever the current open thread is when they show up.
I have a friend who worked for the PE firm that once owned both AE and, uh, Joe Boxer.
The PE firm has since exited AE, and my buddy has moved on, as well.
He said that he wouldn’t buy a pair of AE shoes after having worked there.
Sad to hear.
To elaborate, the decline began before Brentwood’s stewardship, and I’m sure it’s worse now.
All other issues aside, I had to unsubscribe from the emails some years ago.
Oddly, outside of DTC mini brands who have to (sorta) do it to survive, when a larger and more established manufacturer sends daily emails, IMO there's a problem
Strange that a company worth apparently $255M (at time of sale to Caeleres) has never encountered or hired a person who had heard the name "seth godin" or even considered that its customers time possessed value
Also: much like the common american grocery bill, the price of a pair of shell cordovan Randolph loafers has doubled in the past handful of years.
Not clear that those were worth ~$400 when regularly sold for that, but 800-anything is Alden money, these guys are out to lunch
“The PE firm has since exited AE”
Well I guess that gives me hope for the brand
To be clear, it’s gonna be worse post-exit.
Prices up, quality and service down, because someone else had to pay MORE to Brentwood to get AE.
Lynskey bikes are currently having a sale. https://lynskeyperformance.com/ I ride an R300 with SRAM Rival AXS. Its a great bike.
I'll verify this. We own three Lynskey frames and I'm currently doing a custom build for. a friend. Can't beat a good titanium frame.
I have a Lynskey-built Litespeed Catalyst that I got in the mid 1990s and is one of my most satisfied purchases. My chubby thighs have polished the satin finish on the top tube.
I suppose that's why titanium is a "forever frame."
You may have worn enough carbon fiber off the top tube for it to fail horribly by now.
My first real bike was a chromoly steel Motobecane touring bike. I think I put about 10,000 miles on it. One morning on my way to work, about a mile from the lab, I hit an crack in the pavement and heard something pop. Suddenly it felt like I was pedaling in molasses. The down tube broke in two (likely from corrosion) just beneath the head tube.
I bought the Litespeed because it's hard to break Titanium.
Shout out to Reeb because their full suspension bikes are a bit more current and made in Colorado.
Their suspension links are made by Thomas Hosford in Ann Arbor, as well.
Alas, it appears 1888 Mills is now made in Afghanistan
Oh man. I just got a set of towels from them a few months ago, and it was USA.
"Made at Bergstrom AFB" doesn't mean what it used to :(
Alas, I'll have to pivot to convincing my wife that we need US made flatware
that sounds like something that could be made easily and even locally if you had a small press
Lynskey (titanium bicycles made in Tennessee) has some pretty good black Friday deals. I ordered a Helix with their SRAM Red/Force mix and I9 wheels with a Cane Creek 110 headset, etched graphics, brushed finish, and TI headtube badge all for about 4300 before shipping.
https://lynskeyperformance.com/
If you want lighter weight material than Red Oxx, check out Flowfold out of Maine.
https://www.flowfold.com/
Road cycling clothing, made in Grover Beach, CA: Voler
https://store.voler.com/
Just be aware the Voler jerseys run on the small size. Otherwise they are well made.
Good timing, the crotch on a pair of Pakistani made Levi's has busted beyond salvation, and I made a pact to replace all my jeans with USA made ones whenever the current ones die off. Two more pairs of Levi's are left.
Can report that my Bison belt is doing well after a few years of daily duty. I don't wear my Red Wings too often because they're the 'dressy' style, but they'll probably outlast me. American Giant - I still have a heavy duty hoodie that is doing okay, but after two of them I noticed that they wear out pretty fast. Same with their basic t-shirts. Holes start showing up near the cuffs on the long sleeve tee's.
Right? I just had the crotch go on a relatively new pair of Levi’s. I’ve been wearing Levi’s on and off for forty years and this has never happened before. Sure the knees go eventually as they age, but the crotch? Quality has definitely made a downturn.
Long ago, as an intern, I recall being on the floor with an engineer assembling a desk or something, and the crotch on his jeans had blown. He was wearing underwear, and I suppose it would not have been in view in most circumstances, but I still thought it odd that a well-groomed, well-paid adult would intentionally leave the house and into an office like that (especially considering it was a very nice nice high-rise office building overlooking a golf course).
hey its an extra ventilation hole
jk dont use that as an excuse and get new pants instead
Crotch is usually the most common place due to friction and sweat / dirt / grime, which weakens the fabric if you (like many people) wash jeans infrequently.