Re: [Harp-L] learning to be your own customizer

[The Iceman <icemanle@xxxxxxx>]

nope. there really is no mystery. find some non-essential harmonicas, open them up and start a'tweaking. learn by doing.


 Is this something you have to apprentice under a master to get? Who's doing 
that?







-----Original Message-----
From: pdxharpdog <pdxharpdog@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: List harp-l <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sat, Jan 1, 2011 5:48 pm
Subject: [Harp-L] learning to be your own customizer




I imagine there are others like myself who play SP20s as their main axe of 
choice. With SP20s, the quality I get out of the box from my supplier varies 
immensly. Some are really good, and others play stiff and weak.  



I have made it a goal this year to get proficient "under the hood". I have 
Ruperts videos and have perused the youtube chronicles on customizing from the 
logical sources. I have purchased a table-mount lighted magnifier so I can get 
up close to the reed plates.   I have attempted to work on the reed slot gaps, 
but frankly have had many more failures than successes.  The only thing I have 
learned to be competent doing to a harp is tuning.  



For the life of me I can't tell why the good ones are playing better than the 
crappy ones.  I have bought custom harps and taken them apart to see if I can 
tell the difference from stock, but still can't say I get it.  



 Is this something you have to apprentice under a master to get? Who's doing 
that? 



Thanks and Happy New Year to all of you on Harp-L ! 



Ross Macdonald 

www.sassparillapdx.com