Re: [Harp-L] Joe Leone's Wise Observation...

[joe leone <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Jan 26, 2010, at 9:04 AM, Warren Bee wrote:

> Harps are self destructive / high maintenence. It puts them in a  
> class of
> their own in the world of musical instruments. This is the nature  
> of the
> beast.

Exactly 'Busy Bee'. I didn't mean to imply that harps aren't good.  
They generally are. Especially diatonics. Remember that we are  
playing these things the way they were NOT intended to be played.  
This puts strain on them that they didn't expect to get otherwise. If  
a person is going to honk in these odd keys, they have to expect  
breakage.

There's a world of difference between someone in an ensemble of 23  
people playing oomp-aye shoomp-aye German music and (for example)  
L.D. Miller blowing his brains out in 4th.

> The nature of manufacturing, whether it be plumbing parts or
> harmonicas is to make money.

True, the state of plumbing parts (right now) is abysmal. Too much  
base metal and low nobility brasses, or worse yet brass plated  
aluminum. Aluminum? In plumbing? God help us.

Aaaanyway, cars have been around what? 121 years? Airplanes what?  
107? Harps what? 153? Look where those other items have gotten to.  
Harps are the same as they always were. Chromos are a different  
story. The MAIN reason they wind up in a sock drawer and years later,  
when the kids are emptying out the old folk's home, they wind up on e- 
bay....wind savers.

Wind savers are the major reason people give up chromo. AND if you  
don't learn to fix your own, it could cost you a small fortune to  
PLAY chromo.

> In business the numbers never lie. I think all
> of the manufacturers serving the harmonica community are doing a great
> job trying to deal with the nature of our chosen beast.

I think so too Warren. All things considered. AND I don't think they  
plan in obsolesence. I think it comes naturally due to the way we  
play. I remember reading a story where baseballs used to be made in  
the midwest somewhere but they changed to HAITI. The reason? The mule  
hide and the steps necessary to sew them and shrink the covers so  
they could take the increased hitting power of the players.

> We have many choices
> as players. The more demands that we put on our instruments as we  
> play them
> dictates more choices that have to be made. How much do you have to  
> spend?
> How much "tinkering time" do you have available? Do you even have the
> patience and skill set to be a worthy "tinkerer"?

Nice post. I see that we are sympatico on may issues. As if that were  
ever in doubt  :)
jo-jo

> WB
> _______________________________________________
> Harp-L is sponsored by SPAH, http://www.spah.org
> Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxx
> http://harp-l.org/mailman/listinfo/harp-l