Re: [Harp-L] Filisko harps--another perspective...

[Douglas Tate <douglas.tate@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 23:43 12/09/2004, Joe and Cass Leone wrote:
>  MY question would be: given the prediliction for harmonicas to follow a 
> habit of no two ever being the same (even from same 
> batch/lot/series/model/style/manufacturer), wouldn't it follow that not 
> only would the harmonicas from Jimmy, Ritchie, & Joey be different, BUT, 
> there's a very good chance that even the harmonicas from ONE of them 
> would differ. It is THIS premise that leads me (a reasonable prudent 
> person), to surmise that unless a person has checked every harp from 
> every customizer AND every harp from every Joe Schmoe (sitting in a 
> corner of Idaho), a difinitive answer to the nagging question "What the 
> hell is the real deal with harps",  simply cannot be.

Of course no two instruments are the same!  That is one of the beauties of 
making them.
BUT... when you get past a certain point the DIFFERENCES are about angels 
dancing on pinheads.  The root basics of the 'conversion' is just the 
normal everyday engineering to these guys and results in a magical 
instrument.  The pinhead dance is the learning process to the next stage 
which gradually also becomes the norm.

There are bits on the Renny now which bear little resemblance to the 
original model... it is a continuous journey of curiosity.  With our little 
instrument we only let it go to a customer when I want to keep it... then I 
spend a few days updating mine!!!  and that's the truth!
If doing this job ever became just ordinary routine without the element of 
curiosity and experimentation then I think any honest customiser would give 
up and retire.

Douglas t