The "A" Harp

[Tom Ellis III <74053.3164@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Reading through Steve Prices post, I thought I'd add my two cents worth.  I have
some BluesHarps from the late sixties, early seventies and they are so superior
to the current crop of harmonicas that it's hard to believe Hohner is still the
manufacturer of their product.  Out here in Lonestar land we players firmly
believe that the more common the harp, the more likely it will be out of tune,
have terrible action, etc.--the point being that quantity usually makes for low
quality.  For example, compare a C with an Aflat.  I have real trouble with what
we call the "junk"keys--A, C, D, Bflat, F, G--but the odder the key the better
the harp.  I used to go throught these things constantly, and then I discovered
Filisko--I have found over the past two years that his harps are so well made,
tuned and hold up so well that it's much cheaper to get them from him than go
through the expense of constant replacement and failure.  The action on them
right out of the box is so great that they play--from hole 1-10--like your
favorite harp of all time, and they have completely changed the way I play,
going to much lighter action (which the 60s harps also allowed) and more of the
type of air/volume control that Butterfield espoused.  Joe's harps also are
louder and tighter--just really worth the money.  And if you go into the studio
they are a must because they are dead-on in tune.  I'm still using a set that is
18 months old, and they just don't fail.  They are quality musical instruments
and the answer to the "bad" harp problem.