Re: Joe Filisko

[timm@xxxxxxxxxx (Tim Moody)]

:Has anyone out there ever used the total custom Joe Filisko harps?  I'm 
:curious.  If you have used them have you also used his custom Marine 
:Bands?  

By "total Custom harps", do you mean his brass comb models? If so then yes.
I do not own one, yet, but have played the Special20 and Lee Oskar models.
If you are wondering what I mean by these "models", Joe makes his combs to
fit various commercial reedplates, like Lee Oskar, Marine Bands, Special20's
and such. He started with round hole combs that taper down to a square slot
for the reed. He now makes both the round hole combed harps and a new brass
one tha has square slots like a regular diatonic. Some people claim the
round holed harps are more difficult to play, so he started producing the
square slot combs. My personal opinion on that is, if you pucker block,
you'll love the round ones. Tongue blockers seem to like the square slot.
Anyway I have one of his custom Marine Bands and am very impressed with it.
The tone is noticabley(sp?) different that a regular MB in the same key. He
treat the comb which resists moisture and gives a better seal between the
comb and the reedplate. Also he tunes it up and replaces the coversplate
nails with screws and nuts.

Did I miss anything?


Tim Moody
MississippiSaxophone