[Harp-L] Custom Harmonicas: Rick Epping's Role

["Brendan Power" <bren@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Interesting reading the recent posts about custom harmonicas, and the
different brands. One comment from Buddah caught my eye:
 
"Joe Filisko is the guy who really started the custom harmonica
movement." 
 
Is that true? Well before Joe there were some very expert customisers,
but they tended to concentrate on chromatics (the great Dick Gardner
comes to mind).
 
But there was someone who did a lot of pioneering work on customising
diatonics a long time before Joe Filisko (as I'm sure Joe and the other
members of his 'Guild' would agree): Rick Epping. I have spoken quite a
bit with Rick about his experiments with diatonics, which date back to
the 70s or earlier. Some were inspired by his work as a young man in a
respected accordion company. In a recent Harp-L post (Nov 13th "Reed
Embossing", that seemed inexplicably to get no responses), Rick
explained how he devised the technique that we now call Embossing in the
late 70's, and claims that he revealed it to the harmonica scene later: 
 
"...it wasn't until some years after the early '90s, when I described to
the harmonica community this technique of reed embossing, or burnishing
as I then called it...". 
 
He has also said to me that he showed the embossing technique to Joe and
others. I believe him. Rick is an amazingly knowledgeable harmonica
technician, inventor (eg. the highly innovative comb design of the
XB-40), researcher and, not least, a great player. As Hohner's long-term
head harmonica tech for many years up to 2007, he was highly influential
in achieving the improved reed/slot tolerances reed lengths/profiles of
current Hohner harmonicas. I think he is a more important figure in the
modern renaissance of the diatonic than is realised or commonly
acknowledged. 
 
With all the recent interest in the historical roots of the diatonic
harmonica and who did the first overblow etc, it would be interesting to
establish the roots and timeline of significant events/discoveries in
the diatonic customising field. I think Rick Epping will emerge as a
central figure when the facts are known.
 
Brendan Power
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