August 7, 2006
Angling ringtones bring harmony to the riverbank
Richard Hewitt, a fisherman and the owner of Salmon Reel, a company that specialises in mobile phone ringtones, has decided to reproduce the sounds of Brass Perfect, Fortuna and Zane Grey, reports The Times.
These are not rock bands but the sounds of some of the finest fishing reels ever made, each boasting a lovingly crafted mechanism.
Mr Hardy had the idea of harnessing the soothing tones of a fishing rod in action when his daughters showed him how far ringtone technology had advanced. “One of the motivating factors was my irritation at mobile phones and the way ringtones are so intrusive,” he said.
The sounds were recorded in the museum of Hardy in Alnwick, Northumberland, where a vast collection of vintage reels is on display. Many ringtones can be downloaded free, but Mr Hewitt is charging between £3 and £5 for his via the internet, with some of the proceeds going to the North Atlantic Salmon Fund, a conservation body.
Salmon Reel’s other ringtones include the songs of the sparrow, lark and crow, the sounds of goats, sheep and rustling woodland. There is also a selection for the keen equestrian, who can be alerted with the sounds of a neigh, a trot or a gallop.
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