Re: All Questions Welcome - None are Dumb

[Christian N Michalek <micha018@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Thu, 1 Jun 1995, Mike Curtis wrote:

> 
> > Which ones are technically more durable.
> 
> Oskars last me the longest, by a wide margin.  If you take a while to 
> break them in (light duty playing for a few days before heavy bending and 
> such), they last a lot longer.

Hi, I'm 23 and I'm an alcoholic.....I've been play'in the harp for shhum 
6 yearshh..:)

Maybe so, but I can remember a time when I had a Bb harp.  Actually it 
was the second one in my case and was the better of the two that I had and 
that already had the blow 9 blown out.  PLaying around the broken blow 
nine in itself can be annoying but then the the blow six went way flat 
and then the draw four went totally.  Without any more Bb harps I decided 
to walk across the street to buy a new one during the break.  The store 
was already closed but the man was still in there, so I pounded and pounded
on the window(all the while he was trying to shoo me away) finally he 
came to the door and told me he was closed.  After pleading my case, he 
let me in only to find he only sold Oskars and MArine Bands.  Well I hate 
new Marine BAnds so I opted for the Oskar.  "call it 25 bucks" he said.  
The most expensive oskar I had ever bought!!  

Well, back to the bar just in time to start the second set.  Of course 
the first song is "Walkin' by Myself" in F and guess what happens?  Yep 
the brand new Lee Oskar harmonica broke on me.  The draw 5 went, not just 
flat but gone!!!  I dunno about you guys but, but I can usually play on a 
broken harp and still sound alright but when that note goes, it's a 
bitch(pardon my Polish)play around.  That was the last time I ever set my 
lips on an Oskar.  Even the speacial tuned ones, which I think are cool,  
I'd rather spend my time retuning anything else than play another Oskar.

Chris Michalek