[Harp-L] Re: Restoration- & Joe Spiers Custom Harmonicas

[burket@xxxxxxx]

In the end, I think the teamwork approach might be something cool and help us get them out faster or at least raise the quality to a superior level. Except maybe Joe Spiers. We may not be able to beat him = )

Hi Matt:


I think the collaborative approach you described is a good strategy as extra eyes and ears can sometimes catch something that others have missed.  I have appreciated the feedback, methodology, custom tools, tips, and suggested best practices from the harp tech's, customizers, and great players on the list, who have taken the time and interest, and who have been very helpful in explorations in trying to make my own harmonicas play and sound top notch.  

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Speaking of Top Notch, (and since you touched on it in your post), I recently received two Joe Spiers' Custom SP 20's the other day (a G and a D) which immediately went into my gig bag for a performance the night after they arrived.  From having played Lee Oskars for many years, then moving to Hohner Crossovers, Custom Marine Bands & Golden Melodies, and Seydel 1847's as my workhorse diatonics for gigs and recordings, I was really blown away by how good Joe's SP 20's sounded and played!  


Airtight, responsive across the entire range, very smooth, great blues tuning for chording and soling, with octaves and perfect intervals dead on with no beating.  I found that even playing with a rack, I was able to bend, articulate, play faster more accurately, and push the envelope on riff's I normally would not attempt to play.  With my hand's free 'd from guitar duties for a few tunes, they were even more awesome. 


I look forward to spending some more time with these harps and feel they set a high bar for quality of workmanship, and what can be achieved with a custom harmonica.  Budget allowing, it would be great to eventually build up a whole keyed set of Spier's harps someday.  



Best of luck to Hetrick Harmonicas, Dave, Mike, and yourself in your collaborations toward Harmonica excellence, and best wishes to all on harp -L for a great holiday and successful new year!  


Burke T.


Open Door Productions
Open Door Harmonicas


www.opendoorprod.com





-----Original Message-----

 From: Matthew Smart <matthewsmart@xxxxxxxxx>
To: Mike Rogers <harpman9@xxxxxxxxx> 
Cc: David Payne <dave@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx; Mike Fugazzi 
<mikefugazzi@xxxxxxxxx> 
Sent: Thursday, December 20, 2012 9:34 PM
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Re: Restoration
 
Thanks Mike,

Dave Payne really saved the day on that one. We collaborated together and I am 
so pleased that he is on our team. I had some tech issues with another side of 
my business and got sidetracked and Dave swooped in to help me finish it so you 
could have it for your gig tomorrow! This is the start of what I think is a good 
approach in customizing: collaborative builds. I also work Mike Fugazzi who is 
super talented. All 3 of us have shared trade secrets and are now building full 
customs and optimized harmonicas under the Hetrick moniker.
(
In the end, we are now teaming up together on many of our builds so that 2 or 3 
customizers get a look at the harp and do their part before it is sent out. I 
think of it like a good author needs an editor and maybe a proofreader, 
publicist, etc. ha ha.

In the end, I think the teamwork approach might be something cool and help us 
get them out faster or at least raise the quality to a superior level. Except 
maybe Joe Spiers. We may not be able to beat him = )