[Harp-L] Product Reviews on Harmony Central

["John Balding" <John.Balding@xxxxxxxxx>]

Since we're on the subject, I want to pose some thoughts on Harmony
Central which I have held for a while. When I look at product reviews, I
try to sift through the reviews of the equipment I am considering and
find the type of guitarist who plays the kind of music that I play.
Obviously, if I'm looking for an authentic Chicago harp sound, I am not
going to give much credence to the 15-year-old heavy metal head-banger
who tells me that the Fender Blues DeVille is not a good amp. What he is
looking for in an amp is not the same as what I am looking for. I tend
to look at the age or "years playing" of the reviewer, the styles and
influences of the reviewer and the other equipment used by that
reviewer. That tells you a lot about the "quality" of the review. 

For example: If I am looking for a Blues amp, I would be looking for a
Blues guitarist with good experience, plays the STYLE of Blues I play
(Muddy Waters as opposed to Hendrix, etc.) and who uses very little
effects, if any. What good is a review of an amp, if the amp was
reviewed using multiple effects in front of it? It happens all the time,
though. Some rocker-wanna-be stacks 15 pedals in front of a Fender Pro
Junior, plugs in his $75 imitation Les Paul guitar with "Supra
Distortion" pickups, then reports that the amp has a huge signal loss
and sounds like crap. Well, DUUUH! 

 

Likewise, if you are looking for effects, consider what the reviewer
used as an amp. Do you intend to use a Roland XYZ effects bank directly
into the PA? If so, try to look for reviewers who use the Roland XYZ
into the PA, or at least into solid-state amps set to the "clean"
channel. The review will not serve you well if the reviewer was using
the Roland XYZ  into a Marshall stack set to Maximum Crunch, if you plan
to use the Roland XYZ into the PA for a little added texture and a bit
of reverb/delay.

 

Reviewers who consistently use incorrect spelling, bad grammar, or
refuse to capitalize proper names and the beginnings of sentences are
obviously not concerned with details and accuracy, and most likely
operate and treat their equipment in the same manner. (Foreign reviewers
are immune to this, however. In fact, I respect anyone who goes to the
trouble of posting a review in a secondary language.)

 

And always keep in mind that only a couple of bad reviews can bring the
overall rating for a product way down. If I find that a product I am
considering has a low overall rating, I look for the "bad" reviews of
that product and try to assess whether or not the low rating is
warranted for my situation. If, for instance, all of the low ratings
came from inexperienced kids, obvious product misuse, or people who
obviously have no clue, then I shift to the positive reviews and proceed
as above. If the low ratings were due to genuine low product quality or
malfunction (knobs falling off, fuses blowing, shocks, strange noises,
etc.) then that should be a warning sign, regardless of the reviewer.
But, read carefully. "The knob just fell off in my hand" does not happen
that often in real life. On the other hand, 50 people reporting that
"the battery cover keeps falling off" might be a genuine concern.

 

My point is that, as a harp player, looking at Harmony Central's product
reviews can offer a lot of insight, IF you know what to look for and HOW
to look for it. Treat the Harmony Central experience like a trip to the
grocery store: Take what you need and leave the rest on the shelf. 

 

 

John Balding

Tallahassee, FL