Re: Custom Harps

[wmharps@xxxxxxxxx]

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

and IronMike replied:
> 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. 

While I agree that a good player *can* minimize the differences in sound 
between different harmonicas (including differences in design, materials and 
setup), I also feel that a good player can capitalize on and maximize those 
differences.  Maybe I feel this way in order to justify having several full 
sets of harmonicas (for jazz, acoustic blues, amplified), but just like Dale 
Earnhardt Jr. doesn't drive home from the track in the same kind of car he 
races there, similar things can be set up for different uses.  

I like to think that my equal tuned, metal bodied, low gapped Meisterklasses 
*sound* different when I play jazz than my compromise tuned, plastic bodied, 
high gapped T-Bones that I use to blast out the R&B.  Is it design, materials, 
setup, or player?  I don't much care.  Could I make these two harps sound the 
same?  Probably in certain contexts.  But that's not really the point.  

- -tim
www.workingmansharps.com