Re: [Harp-L] Speaking of Alan Wilson...

[Joseph Leone <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Feb 14, 2013, at 3:58 PM, Richard Hunter wrote:
>  They did the best they could with instruments that were inferior in every way to the instruments that are available now.  I repeat: inferior in EVERY way.  

Richard is 100% correct. Even the vaunted Marine Band had it's idiosynchrosies. The combs could warp, unless you sanded the surfaces of the plates AND the edges of the wooden tines, your mouth got sore. Then there was the metallic taste. No one did repairs, so you had to come up with your own repair ideas. And believe me, there were some preeeety strange repairs. It was either that or you threw them away. Back then people never thought of sending them back. Back? Back to whom? I (for instance) bought my early harps at military PXs. I had no idea there was a place to send them to. And anyway, I always thought that if I broke something it was MY fault.  
> 
> Harp players in the 1960s truly represent the victory of talent and determination over mediocrity in manufacturing.  Harp players now have MUCH better instruments available to them in every price range. 

There were no tutorials. I think the first thing I ever saw was Tony Glover's book. And it left a lot to be desired. As for chromatic..fageddaboutit.  PLUS there weren't any players sharing anything...for free. 
Everyone I knew in the business jealously guarded their own secrets as if they were the crown jewels. You couldn't get anything without paying for it. We're blessed to even HAVE people like Richard (as well as many others) who are so enamored with harp and keeping their existence going that they will surrender what have to have been trade secrets in the past. We're all RE-living it, only this time it's 50 years later and we have social networking. This time, it will be done right. lolol 

smo-joe


> 
> Regards, Richard Hunter   
> 
> author, "Jazz Harp" 
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