Re: [Harp-L] Harp players gear lists? blah blah longish

[William Lifford <william.lifford@xxxxxxxxx>]

While many pros can and do use customized harmonicas, many also use "stock"
un-modified harps.

Rod Piazza uses stock harps and has been quoted as saying that he doesn't
think he would be able to take advantage of the subtleties is custom harps;
I took this to mean that he plays pretty hard.

The late Paul deLay was known to use Big River harps because they were
inexpensive... and he was a guy who could really coax a lot of different
sounds from a diatonic harp (his chromatic playing is similarly unique).
  And Tom Ball, who is a Harp-L member, has said that he uses stock Special
20's; his acoustic tone is exceptional.

Some pros have switched harp brands, which always seems weird after they
have spent so much time describing what they like about the first brand.

This happens with mics and amps as well.... Some pros can be seen
"endorsing" several different amps or different mics.  It can be
infuriating, especially since most harp-specific products are not available
in local stores to try out before buying.







On Friday, April 11, 2014, Robert Laughlin <harmonicaman1968@xxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

> I wonder if anyone has ever gone to the trouble of compiling a list of the
> various preferred gear collection of working or non-working harpists?
>
> It would be nice to compare, at a glance, who uses which harps, how many
> artists use customized vs stock harps. Which artists are company
> shills,,er,,I mean, sponsored by a particular company,,hehe.
>
> I mean, realistically, at least here on harp-l, it seems that several of
> the members are also reps for particular companies, so one has to take that
> into account when deciding on whose advice to take, in making brand or
> model choices.
>
> (See, I'm somewhat the cynical type. I got that way from being an
> electrician. You have to assume "the negative" to be safe, that something
> may be "hot", lest you touch it prematurely and die. Once someone is
> sponsored, it's a question of whether they prefer, or act as a mouthpiece
> for certain manufacturers solely due to the fact that they're getting paid
> by that company, or whether they actually have a strong allegiance to such
> and such a company due to a long and enduring positive relationship, both
> with the company's service reps, and the harps themselves. Now to be
> realistic, I fully realize that everyone's gotta make buck, and having a
> sponsor is one way to do just that. Far be it from me to criticize. I'd
> also snap up a sponsorship if it meant getting free gear, for sure. And
> therein lies the problem. To whom do I owe a greater loyalty, family or
> craft? And of course, it's not "black and white". Loyalties are relative to
> what is one's present value choices. At times these may change, or veer in
> one or the other direction.)
>
> Blah, blah, blah,, I feel as if I'm just airing out my brain here.
>
> Anyway,,
>
> Mongo only a pawn in game of life,,, oh, I'm sorry, that's from a movie I
> watched last night.
>
>
> Seriously (?) I'm a guy who, once I find something I like, tend to invest
> my loyalty and my time to whatever company or individual made it possible
> for me to have an elevated skill/enjoyment/performance level through the
> use and resultant appreciation of their products. Through the years, I have
> not had the pecuniary ability to be able to try all of the products out
> there, and simply taking people's "word" for some things can be risky,
> depending upon the individuals involved, even IF said "individuals" are
> being completely honest in their assessments. I'm STILL "in the process" of
> assessing various brands and models, which test period may indeed stretch
> into the next millenium, if I perchance might live as long as some biblical
> characters of note.
>
> But alas, since reality must kick in at times, I'll probably never know,
> first hand, which is INDEED my "favorite" harp. I'll have to put up with
> "present favorite", to be sure.
>
> (ATM, my favs are the two harps I have that are Hohner Pros, an 'A' and an
> 'E'. The rest of mine are all Lee Oskars, and almost without exception the
> reeds have gone southbound on me, mostly around the 3rd and 4th holes,
> where I suppose I "work" it the most.)
>
> But again,,has anyone ever gone to the trouble, in this group or
> elsewhere, to compile a list of various harps, amps, pedals, etc., which
> each particular artist has settled on, and put this information all in one
> place?
>
> Robert the Inquisitive
>
> BTW, try this clip on, for something cool to jam along with on either an A
> or an E harp, or both. I found this yesterday. Fortunately, the A and E are
> both Hohner Pros, and in good shape, in my small collection of harps.
>
> It's a good exercise in picking a harp that doesn't conflict, tonally,
> with the other instruments, especially that flute. Personally, I ended up
> using both the A and E harps to my advantage.
>
> Makes me want to take up the flute, actually. But dang, what a
> groove,,,love that break,,,
>
> "Nubian Lady", Yusef Lateef (who passed away just last year)
>
> Yusef Lateef - Nubian Lady <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMFbQrCzSjg>
>
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-- 
William Lifford, CP
Progressive O&P, Inc.
1111 Willis Avenue
Albertson, NY 11784
516-338-8585