Re: Custom Harps

["IronMan Mike Curtis" <ironman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> If a custom harp doesn't improve ones sound, why spend all that 
> money?

Why buy ANY harp if they all sound pretty much alike?  And a good 
player will indeed minimize differences in sound.  As many of us have 
said ad infinitum, the tone and quality comes from the player. I have 
recordings of myself playing $2 harps as well as $60 ones.  If I 
didn't know which was which, I couldn't tell by listening, at least 
not just by the sound.  And if we play a cupped bullet thru an 
overdriven amp, they get to sound all that much more alike.

Some harps are easier to play.  They all have a unique "action".  Some 
(like Lee Oskars) outlast the competition by a wide margin.  Some 
(ditto) are extremely consistent out of the box.

It's like a car.  A Porsche won't make you into a racecar driver (many 
opinions aside ;-)  But it will give you better handling, cornering, 
and such, which makes your job of driving that much easier, and helps 
you out when things get tough.  

(But when heading for a gig with a load of gear, I'm sure glad I have 
my big ol' Econoline van ;-)

- -- 
IronMan Mike Curtis http://www.ironmancurtis.com Southland Blues
Magazine http://www.SouthlandBlues.com Pro Jam Every Tuesday Starboard
Attitude, Redondo Beach * Santa Monica 3rd St Promenade, various times
eMail my Cell for details (2 lines MAX!) mailto:ironmanc@xxxxxxxxx