[Harp-L] Gordon Harmonicas update

["Customharmonicas" <customharmonicas@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello Friends,
This has been an interesting time for us here at Gordon Harmonicas.
On Friday we were invited to attend the John Sebastian/David Grisman show
in Rutland, Vermont at a wonderfully restored Paramount Theatre.
This was a beautiful performance by two living legends and renowned
genuises. Together they recorded the recent "Satisfied" CD live on
old school equipment. (I heartily recommend the record and the show-
both are excellent and very enjoyable.)

John, who  is from a legendary Harmonica family,
has been playing Gordon Harmonicas for several years
and recently had me make a couple more for spares as well as
repair, tweak, and tune 6 Meisterklasse harps from the past.
I could tell that he was playing the ones I had done as the
chords were as pure as I had tuned them, and they were
obviously very playable as I had set them.
At the show, after playing a couple of songs with Harmonica,
John Sebastian announced to the whole crowd that we were
all lucky to live in the state of Vermont, because here is where
the "best Harmonica tuner in the country lives, probably the world,
and his name is Jimmy Gordon..I know he's here somewhere.."
I am always honored to make instruments for musicians I love and respect
and often receive thanks in liner notes etc. but I don't often get to hear
such accolades from the stage during a performance. Naturally I was very 
pleased
to have John say all that...he's just great and a fantastic musician,
as is David Grisman.
They were both was very gracious when my Godson asked them for an autograph
even though they were besieged by fans at the time.

(I am very proud to have been on a cut with John on a solo CD from Terry
Adams of NRBQ where John plays some dark, very rockin' blues guitar.
The horns were from the Sun Ra Arkestra and although there were 4 great
harmonica players available it was an honor for me to be chosen to play the 
Harmonica solos.)

A few weeks ago the big Farmaid concert was held in Mansfield, Mass. I
decided not to attend but was able to watch it on the net from home.
I had played with a couple of the acts in the past,
most notably Jerry Lee Lewis several times but also had sat in with a
Vermont act that played earlier in the day.
I had also worked on Neil Young's harmonicas and helped
his technician Larry  with them, which brings me to Mickey Raphael.


I first met Mickey years ago when Willie Nelson was playing nearby and Joe
Filisko asked me to deliver some Filisko Harmonicas to Mickey personally.
Mickey introduced us to Willie-
"Willie, do you want to meet a great Harmonica player?".
He did and Willie asked "Are you gonna play tonight?".
Now I hated to say no to Willie Nelson, but since I had just met them I
simply told him that he was in great hands with Mickey. At the time I
thought it might be in poor taste to be so self-promotional and
self-serving.
In any case Mickey has been a good friend and client (as many are both)
since that day. Recently he had me make a couple of special tuned
(possibly a Rick Epping tuning) for a minor 3rd position type deal
which I tuned to just intoned minor chords where appropriate.
Sure enough the second song or so was the tune these are played on and I
could hear the tuning and see the pleased look on Mickey's face as he felt 
the difference.
Mickey is a working pro and has played or tried a lot of Harmonicas but when
he needs something spectacular he relies on Filisko Method Harmonicas,
and has told me specifically that I should feel free to let folks know this.
He, and most of the truly great ones, are as gracious as can be and as nice
as they are talented.
It is such a pleasure to help these luminaries make the fine music they do
by creating and servicing the
instruments they use.

However, folks should know that they don't have to be Magic Dick or John
Hammond to play the best instruments. It is always a pleasure to build for 
anyone
who can tell the difference, from a beginner, to a working player in the 
trenches, to a
collector of fine things, to my friends and clients above.
If I can help to provide instruments for any player I hope that they would
not hesitate to contact me- I look forward to hearing from all interested 
parties
and all are welcome.
With all that is going on these days and all the choices available I realize
that it would be tempting to order instruments from the most vociferious and
promoted makers but sometimes it can be preferable to
use as knowledgeable and experienced a technician as possible after doing
detailed research.

Happy Autumn,
Jimmy Gordon
http://customharmonicas.com