[Harp-L] RE: Harp-L Digest, Vol 13, Issue 29



Joe and Cass Leone <leone@xxxxxxxx> wrote

"Was everyone lost and wandering in the wasteland before these (fine)
harps?"

I'd have to say yes to this question.  At the time Joe Filisko was just
getting started tinkering with Marine Bands the quality of out of the
box harps was at an all time low.  His early harps were a vast
improvement over stock and in the intervening years the Filisko Method
has come a long way and I for one have been spoiled rotten by them. The
problem here is that once you have tasted  PATRON, JOSE CUERVO will
never do again...(sorry to all you recovering substance abusing harp
players out there!).   

Here's how I justify the cost. I play mostly old-time and bluegrass (
harp killing styles - much more so than blues) with the occasional blues
gig, an average of 10 - 12 gigs a month.  Many of my compatriots play
vintage instruments (mandolins, guitars, banjos, fiddles, et.) that cost
anywhere from $2,500 - $25,000. I once saw a t-shirt that read "life is
too short for bad tone", same goes for poorly built harps. At the time I
had a dozen or so Filiskos but they of course still go out of tune,
break...whatever.  So I plunked down a pile of money and ordered 40
harps from Richard Sleigh. BTW, I have a variety of harps from both
Richard and Joe and I can tell you they are equal in quality. It took
over a year to get them all, but I now have enough of these little
beauties so that I can have one for my frontline set, a couple back ups,
and one in the shop being refurbished.  

Life is good!

Trip Henderson - NYC





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