Re: Custom Harps

[<vince@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Note:
Tim Northcutt pays me $0.50 for every time I mention his name (so it isn't
hard to figure out whos butt I'm kissing)!

Who said it doesn't "improve ones sound"? Though if your listening to a
record you can NOT tell if it's a custom... nor can you tell what brand (in
99% of the cases) a player is using, but there is a big difference in brand
of harps. Have you ever played a custom? For a long time I agreed... I
didn't see the use, then I played a few customs.

I now play Tim Northcutts "Hot Rod Harps" and I will say how it has changed
my playing.

For a long time I played Lee Oskars (still often do) and I had trouble
getting the harp set-up and comfortable at the high end. Most out-of-box
harps are very inconsistent. I had to remember the inconsistencies while
playing. So I found I was having to make do with what I had. It takes work
to make an out-of-box harp very responsive and customize them yourself
(that's why I like tim's harps). Could you imagine not having to remember
anything about the flaws or inconsistencies in a harp and just being able to
play the hell out of it... then imagine a good custom harp. Now when I'm
playing on stage I never have to worry about squeaks, a dead note, or no
response at all... I don't have to worry about hole 2 being 5 times louder
that the hole 1 on my D harp and the opposite on my C... I just pull the
harp out and use my brain to produce music. Nothing is wrong w/ playing out
of box harps. I love Lee Oskars, Special 20's and Golden Melodies out-of-box
harps and I tweak them a lot before I play them but they are still good
harps before I do adjustments. But after adjustments I am a lot more
comfortable... and YES most customs you can hear a difference. Do you ever
hear the players breath on a recording? That's usually cause the harp is
leaking air (something tim's harps hardly do).

I guess it's sort of like a guitar. I love strats, but I have yet played a
NEW strat that I say "man this thing is perfect - as is".. I always say
something like "Man set this thing up to play heavier gauge strings then it
will rock", and "It was a good guitar till I put these new Texas Specials on
it, now it's GREAT". Most harps requires a little tweaking (just like any
instrument)... I guess it depends on if you want to - do the work yourself
(instead of having Tim do it), have someone else to do it (like Tim), or
just make do w/ what you got to keep from giving Tim any more drinking money
(trust me he don't need another bloody merry, lol)...

PS: Tim please send me my $4 on the fly!



Vince Cheney

The Blues Site - http://thebluessite.com
Winemaker's World - http://winemakersworld.com