Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Harrison custom Harmonicas reply

["Rick Dempster" <rick.dempster@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Elizabeth;
                regarding this:  "...but my question was more about the language/linguistics involved. I  
genuinely thought all harps made by someone like him and the other customizers,  
were considered 'custom' purely because they had their own unique 'stamp',  
regardless of whether or not they'd been specifically geared to a particular  
customer/player.  "
...........the  Concise Oxford Dictionary defined this sense of 'custom,' as in" 'custom clothes' - made to measure; so, custom-built, - made etc."
In other words, made specifically for the customer. Otherwise, a harp bought from a technician 'off the shelf' is simply a modified harmonica. I have a feeling somebody in the broader engineering field would have the correct word for this; something associated with ' back to specifications' or some such, where a mass-produced instrument is adjusted to reflect exactly the original drawings. Still not perfect, but closer to 'customary' (ah ha!) usage.
             Maybe Smo-Joe might have a more useful word than 'custom' where modified harmonicas are supplied from off-the-shelf stock, and not adjusted to an individuals specific requirements.
             If I ever become rich and successful, I might just hire a ful-time harmonica valet!
Cheers,
RD

>>> <EGS1217@xxxxxxx> 15/04/2008 12:39 >>>
I really appreciate your response, Jim. For certain I agree with your take  
on "never meeting a customizer you didn't like" because one thing I know for  
certain: no harp customizer ever gets rich doing this for a living. It's 
precise  craftsman work.
 
  For example, I've watched Jimmy Gordon work on individual harps for  some 
fairly well-known players (Madcat in particular, one  year...where Peter 
teasingly tormented Jimmy while he was attempting to  focus on fixing his harp among 
crowds of people around his 'Filisko teach-in'  table... at Buckeye. Jimmy 
was so focused on that instrument despite all going  on around him.) I found 
what he was doing completely intriguing. 
 
He then helped me with my favourite old 10-hole Hohner chromatic,  which gave 
me the impetus to want to open up and try working on my own chroms  from then 
on (not Jimmy's favourites to work on).  Jimmy's been terrific to  me each 
time I see him, being more than willing to answer any questions I have  and even 
tweaking my Super 64, and he's who I think of as the penultimate  
'customizer'....
 
...but my question was more about the language/linguistics involved. I  
genuinely thought all harps made by someone like him and the other customizers,  
were considered 'custom' purely because they had their own unique 'stamp',  
regardless of whether or not they'd been specifically geared to a particular  
customer/player.  I know I'd be thrilled to own (if I'm ever good enough to  play 
it) any Jimmy Gordon harp.  Perhaps someday, when/if I feel worthy  :)
 
I'm still focusing on chroms..but hopefully this year or next I'm going to  
pick the brains and skills of the friends I have in the diatonic/blues  
community (Jason, SmoJoe, Dennis Gruenling, Michael Rubin, many  others)...and 
finally learn how to play what you all seem to do so  easily. I'm of the school who 
believe a chromatic is far easier  to play than a diatonic 'well'.
 
For the record, I've heard many good things about Joe Spiers and Brad  
Harrison's harps, and don't think there ever will be a glut of good customizers  in 
the harmonica world. 
 
Regards,
Elizabeth
 
"I've purchased a handful of harps from individuals who have made general  
performance adjustments and full custom jobs.  Of course, if you buy the  $50 
general performance model over the $100 customized for Jim model, you simply  
are not buying as many adjustments (time on task)... but when you do pony up  
that $50 more... now, I've still got all my teeth... but I'd guess it's like  
getting custom bridge work.  in my experience, the harp customizer has  
contacted me, asked me about my playing style, what I would like in a harp, etc,  
etc... then turned around and delivered (for no extra charge.)  And, I also  know 
that if something wasn't to my liking upon receipt of this harp, it would  be 
fixed/adjusted post haste at no cost to the customer (no shipping,  etc.)  
Bottom line, I've never met a harp customizer I didn't like.   Be it the $50 
model or the $100, they've all strived for nothing less than  complete customer 
satisfaction.  A lot of time and effort goes into each  harp and I'll tell you, 
if on some of my more oft used keys, a reed on an OTS  harp may go flat after 
a few months of gigs/rehearsals/practicing, I've played  some well put 
together custom harps that have been serving me admirably for  better than a year now 
(then, you can turn around and send them back in for  maintenance/tweaking 
for about the same price as a new OTS harp.) And those  custom jobs, both the 
$50 and $100 models, to varying degrees, are so responsive  and fluid... it's 
really hard to go back to OTS (or even use one of the several  OTS harps still 
in my kit bag.)  I'm not affiliated with any customizers...  I just dig a good 
tool... the right tool for the job.  And, in my  experience, that's what I've 
received when I made the extra initial investment  (that's the hard part... 
everything else is butter.)    

Jim.
www.mcmule.com" 




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