Re: Subject: [Harp-L] Help with Chromatic repair

[Joseph Leone <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Jan 19, 2014, at 1:17 AM, EGS1217@xxxxxxx wrote:

> Hi Rick:
> 
> Forgive me if I misread your post. I'm unsure if you're disagreeing with my 
> mention of the diatonic-heavy composition of Harp-l vis-a-vis 
> Slidemeister? This  is simply fact. 

     I have been on both lists since 2000. So given the 13 years, I would extrapolate it as follows:
1... harp-l... about 87.3% discussion other than chromatic. BUT it's not all diatonic either. There is a lot of talk about 
      a... people
      b... gear
      c... tunes
      d... how things are achieved/played
2... slidemeister...about 95.6 % chromatic. 
      a... very few people mentioned
      b... very little gear
      c... LOTS of tunes (some with tabs)
      d... maintenance & repair

Me? personally? I wouldn't change EITHER list. They are just what the doctor ordered and do their respective jobs perfectly. I love the people on both lists, consider them brothers and sisters, and couldn't be happier with those I have met or conversed with. I know there are slight rifts and a few apprehensions between the two groups of members, but they are just that...slight. The main thing is that we are all in this together. 

smokey-joe 
> 
> 
> You're not alone though--MANY others play a chromatic while being  
> predominantly a diatonic player and post on harp-l, but the dialogue  is and has 
> been over the years naturally diatonic and blues-heavy. There's  nothing 
> remotely wrong with this and that wasn't my implication. It's  harp-l, after all. 
> I would contend that there has been a bit more chromatic  talk over the past 
> couple of years than ever before--but I also remember  the days when 
> someone like Smokey or Winslow would attempt to  discuss something chromatic with 
> almost no responses. Just  how it works on a mostly diatonic forum. Harp-l 
> people are primarily  interested in Blues, amps, gear, Blues, mics, gigs, 
> Blues, etc. ;) As times  change and new people arrive, then topics can and do 
> evolve. 
> 
> 
> I would point out that many of the very same chromatic players who comprise 
> the knowledgeable sources here also post on Slidemeister. It's an 
> invaluable  site for chromatic players wanting to derive all the information they 
> need  without wading through tons of diatonic discussion. I get this list in 
> digest  form..trust me, it is 'tons'. ;)
> 
> 
> In fact many of the diatonic players here also belong to MBH (Adam Gussow's 
> free-wheeling forum), and there are more diatonic sites and blogs one  can 
> possibly keep up with out there on facebook and the internet.  Imho harp-l 
> is the best of them all. Obviously we do get posters here from  the NHL in 
> Britain, people like you from Australia and everywhere else around  the 
> Globe, as does Slidemeister. My point was purely that this particular topic  is 
> covered there in depth and from many different points of view, rather  than 
> an occasional mention with only a handful of responses. Since  Slidemeister 
> went to a different style of forum a couple of years ago the topics  are 
> always still available to be picked up on even years later, something I  
> appreciate in particular--although I simply haven't had much time lately to post  
> there.
> 
> 
> I certainly wasn't denigrating Harp-l and hope it didn't come across that  
> way. If it did, my sincere apologies. I wouldn't still be here posting  
> after 9 years if I didn't more than appreciate this forum and feel strongly  
> about supporting it. Harp-l was my first introduction to the harmonica  
> world--and the method by which I met and became good friends with so  many good 
> people (Jason Ricci, Smokey, Winslow, Bobbie, Michelle, Tom Stryker,  George, 
> etc.) whom I met and got to know personally and am still good  friends with 
> today...then SPAH where I met people like Phil and Val and the  Filisko crew 
> among so many amazing people who did all the behind-the-scenes  work I 
> couldn't possibly name them all, and it'll always mean  something very special to 
> me. :) 
> 
> Merely clarifying the situation if there was any doubt.
> 
> 
> As to repair-people, you're absolutely correct, Rick. We're blessed  with 
> several and THEY are the same names one can find listed with addresses  on 
> Slidemeister as well: Quel Surprise! I'd personally highly recommend George  
> Miklas (who beautifully retuned my Hammond 44 (Suzuki) Melodeon at GSHC - 
> when  no one else had yet taken one apart); Mike Easton, whom I know to be a 
> brilliant  innovator and repair guy--who's currently building a 
> state-of-the-art workshop;  Chris Reynolds whose combs are stunning and gorgeous; Joe Pic 
> (Piccirilli(sp))  who posts photos of his work on Slidemeister: his 
> custom-made chromatics are to  drool over; and so many more American and European 
> customizers. Tom Halchak  makes the most beautiful diatonic combs and is 
> fabulous to deal with--unsure if  he does chromatics. The Filisko crew too, of 
> course but I'm not sure if any of  them are able to take on chromatics at the 
> moment: one would need to contact  them (Jimmy Gordon and Richard Sleigh) 
> directly. The diatonics I got from Jimmy  are superb. There are so many more 
> people I can't think of because it's late and  I'm tired. Now that the gig 
> list is gone we should at least do a  'repair/customizer' list and publish it 
> periodically.  Naturally, we tend  to think of those in our own neck of the 
> woods--but I do think there might just  be more British/European 
> customizers/repair guys out there than Americans. 
> 
> Best, Elizabeth
> 
> Re. Elizabeth's comments about the diatonic-heavy-chromatic-light nature of 
> harp-l:  
> Just for the record, as a long time lister on harp-l, I play chromatic  
> (badly) as well as diatonic, and have had to fix the things over the years.  
> Occasionally (when I could afford it) I'd send them off for repair.
> Re-valving, tuning, occasionally replacing a reed were bearable. Trying to  
> fix a broken comb, then trying to re-attach the plates to the
> comb was difficult. I ended up drilling and tapping the plates and using  
> screws to hold it together.
> If you like doing this stuff, great.If you don't, then you have to pay  
> someone.
> A good harp tech is a wonderful thing.
> 
> 
> RD
>