Subject: [Harp-L] Cheap harps

[Derwood <derwood.blues@xxxxxxxxx>]

I usually have a different perspective on such things but here it is. For
me guitars are a good example. You can buy a cheap electric guitar for $50.
It will not stay in tune and it will be hard to play. This is like one of
those toy harmonicas that you can but for less than $5. You can also buy
many electric guitars for under $150 dollars. They will not be perfect but
you can learn a great deal on them and can also make music in front of
people that is pleasing. Many of the old bluesmen did this. All my guitars
are under $500. I own a Godin with p90 pickups. It is similar to a Gibson
Les Paul with P90s. The Gibson is well over $1000. I have often thought
that my Godin is all I need no matter how professional I might become.

The advantage of the harp over the guitar is you can buy the harps in
stages, but you have to but the whole guitar and all the keys at once. So a
'nice" set of 12 harmonicas (probably not enough for a gigging player) at
$30 is $360 that a "nice" guitar. But harps are not cheap as you consider
what you will need to perform a full evening of music.

So as to harmonicas. I am more than a beginner but definitely not an expert
player. I do not do overbends etc. I can play some blues licks and I have
fun with it. I play about 10 gigs a year and people seem to enjoy my
playing. My first harp was a Suzuki Folk Master and I loved that harp until
it died. I learned to play single notes on it and I learned to bend. I also
got a pocket pal soon into my learning along with the Harmonica for the
musically challenged book and tape. Both harps got me bending and playing
riffs. They did not hinder me at all.

I now have many harps. My default harp is the MS Big River with replacement
comb. They let me play everything I want to play. I have Hering Vintage (my
favorite), Suzuki Manjis (another favorite), Suzuki Pros, Le Oskars,
Special 20s... But for what I do and with the current prices I end up with
a Big River now when I need a new harp. It does what I need and it keeps me
happy.

I do not believe that more money = better harp. Most of the brand names
have many models that are more expensive harps with the same working parts
as the cheaper ones but different flair. Like the many MS series harps.

I think that tools are a good analogy but here is how I have found it
usually goes with tools. If you own a house and need to fix things here and
there you can buy an inexpensive drill and it will last you because you
don't push it hard. If you are in the business you will buy a middle of the
pack drill because you will wear it out and it will last almost as long as
a high priced drill but will save you money over time. If you are a
hobbyist and love working with tools you will buy the expensive drill
because it looks good in your state of the art shop and it has those cool
features that you might use once and so will use once. For me Big River
Harps work. For the gigging professional a $40 harp with a set-up/repairman
can be the way to go. Much of the rest is flair.


Derwood

verbis defectis musica incipit