ness
73 posts
Oct 16, 2009
8:15 AM
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I've got several out-of-the-box harps, and I've tweaked or gapped them some, but I just know there's more in them that I haven't been able to draw out. I would like to have a seasoned customizer do their thing so I've got not only a good harp, but a baseline I can compare to as I learn to tweak them myself.
I've got a Promaster in mind. It'd just need to be a reasonable price, and a relatively quick turn-around. I'd pay cash-money (USD) for this.
Is anybody out there interested, or can you point me to someone who might be?
John
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sorin
85 posts
Oct 16, 2009
8:55 AM
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seasoned customizer - quick turnaround , I don't think that match ,and a Suzuki short slot probably not many customizers work with that.
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ness
77 posts
Oct 16, 2009
9:08 AM
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Hmmm.
Well, 'relatively quick' is relative and 'reasonable price' has yet to be determined.
Care to educate me on what a short-slot is and why most customizers would avoid them? I'm pretty new to all this.
John
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tookatooka
646 posts
Oct 16, 2009
9:34 AM
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Apart from a bit of gapping, I can't think how you could improve on the ProMaster. Spend your dosh on a Manji, then you could always put the Manji reedplates into the ProMaster. That would be an awesome combination.
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Buddha
1075 posts
Oct 16, 2009
9:40 AM
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I would like to know what you mean by "a reasonable price, and a relatively quick turn-around."
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~Buddha
Pennsylvania - H.A.R.P. (Harmonica Association 'Round Philly)
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oda
146 posts
Oct 16, 2009
9:58 AM
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You might want to try messaging people who customize only personally and not professionally? I'm sure they wouldn't mind practice, but I'm just guessing. The people who I've seen post about "dabbling" with customizing are:
Zack
Preston
Jon
It's worth a shot, no?
Alternatively, you can order from one of the pros. I ordered from Buddha and have been waiting for 5-6 months. So not a very quick turn-around. But the old "you get what you pay for" applies here.
PS. just to clarify, those 3 guys I mentioned don't advertise (as far as I know) I just seen them express/discuss customizing.
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Buddha
1076 posts
Oct 16, 2009
10:22 AM
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send it to oldwailer.
I still want to know what you think is a reasonable price and quick turnaround is...
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~Buddha
Pennsylvania - H.A.R.P. (Harmonica Association 'Round Philly)
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nacoran
246 posts
Oct 16, 2009
11:21 AM
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I'm just starting to experiment with customizing. I ruined a Blues-Band the other day, although I think I learned a lot. The second one I worked on I only opened up the back of the cover and adjusted the front lip a bit, but the first one I tried gapping, arching, embossing, everything but reed replacement and tuning. It's kind of fun. Maybe I should start my own harp customization. Buddha is already taken; maybe I could call mine Bubba's! :P
I thought about trying with Piedmonts but then I figured I wanted to do all my work on the same key so I'd have a better idea of what I was accomplishing. At $4.95 a harp the Blues-Band was a cheap option available locally. Sure, maybe it will never be a super harp but at least I'll get the basic techniques down.
Or, you could buy some Bee Harmonicas online. If you can turn one of these cuties into a super harp you'll be my hero...
http://www.bee-harmonica.com/english/sorts.asp?page=2&class_ID=64
I particularly like the pink one.
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ness
78 posts
Oct 16, 2009
11:30 AM
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Chris,
I dunno -- the time's not critical, but I wouldn't want to wait, say, 3-months. I was thinking something around $30-40, but I'm open to discussion. Just talking reed work here, but who knows where it could lead.
I hear these rave reviews about customized harps, and I wonder what I'm missing. I have a couple harps that I've messed with a little, and just don't seem to be able to get it right. What I notice is some notes require more or less air than others, and it's just not consistent and it interferes with playing.
Oda,
Thanks for those contacts. I'll see who steps forward before I start bugging them.
John
Last Edited by on Oct 16, 2009 11:34 AM
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nacoran
247 posts
Oct 16, 2009
11:34 AM
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I'm not sure but I think Buddha only lets his dogs chew on a harp for $30-$40.
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MrVerylongusername
561 posts
Oct 16, 2009
11:44 AM
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I doubt very much it's going to happen that way.
If you want a custom harp, then stump up the cash and join the queue.
If you want to learn how to do it yourself, then watch the youtube vids by Buddha, Elkriver and Harpwrench, buy Rupert Oysler's DVD, buy Richard Sleigh's new book, read the gazillion and one posts here, absorb everything in the harp-L archives, 10hole.com, overblow.com etc... Go to a convention and sign up for a workshop. Try it all out on your best harp; ruin your best harp and a few more besides, breathe life back into an old favourite and finally come away with a harp your happy with.
$30 ain't gonna do it.
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Buddha
1078 posts
Oct 16, 2009
11:45 AM
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"something around $30-40" and "I wouldn't want to wait, say, 3-months"
LOL
You don't make a good harp because you don't understand what goes into it or why there is such a long wait. At $200 per harp I'm still losing money.
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~Buddha
Pennsylvania - H.A.R.P. (Harmonica Association 'Round Philly)
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ness
79 posts
Oct 16, 2009
12:15 PM
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Chris,
You asked, I answered -- and I get an LOL? Wow, you're way more special than I thought. Silly me. I said I was open for discussion, and you let your ego slam the door. Business must be good.
MrVeryLong -- hey, thanks for reply, but a careful reading of my question would have shown you I wasn't asking for a $30 custom harp. I know about youtube, and Sleigh's book is on order. Kinda thought I'd like to have the end product, so I'd have something to shoot for. And Buddah approached me, not the other way around.
If there's nobody out there that has an interest, I'm fine with that. I don't get everything I want, and I don't pitch a fit when I don't.
John
Last Edited by on Oct 16, 2009 12:19 PM
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MrVerylongusername
562 posts
Oct 16, 2009
12:44 PM
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So you'd like to have the 'end product', but you're not asking for a custom on the cheap? I'm confused.
Careful reading? Yup, did that and just then again on that reply. Still sounds like you want a custom on the cheap to me.
If you want to see how a pro does it, the pay the pro the going rate. Respect the craftsman or else do not be offended by their reaction.
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Buddha
1079 posts
Oct 16, 2009
12:50 PM
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"You asked, I answered -- and I get an LOL? Wow, you're way more special than I thought."
Your answer was so ridiculous that no other response was warranted.
BTW- I AM special. My mama has been telling me that since I was birthed.
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~Buddha
Pennsylvania - H.A.R.P. (Harmonica Association 'Round Philly)
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MrVerylongusername
563 posts
Oct 16, 2009
12:52 PM
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Oh yeah, and I don't think Chris 'approached' you. I'm pretty sure he knew exactly what your reply was going to be.
'lured' would be more accurate.
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ness
80 posts
Oct 16, 2009
12:58 PM
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I just re-read my original post, and I can see I wasn't really clear. I wasn't looking for somebody to fully-customize my Promaster for $30-40. I was looking for some reed tweaking, gapping and maybe embossing -- which I said in about the 4th post.
The only person that asked what I'd pay was Buddah, and he answered it pretty much how I expected. Don't lay the disrespect the craft nonsense on me -- that's a big stretch.
If anybody wants to inform me as to why my request is so freakin' outrageous, rather than be as ass about it, I'm all eyes.
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MrVerylongusername
564 posts
Oct 16, 2009
1:03 PM
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Because it isn't something you just do in the ad break. It takes a long time. I don't think many people who've actually learned these skills and invested all the time and money in learning the art would even get out of bed for that kind of money.
Last Edited by on Oct 16, 2009 1:04 PM
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tookatooka
648 posts
Oct 16, 2009
1:09 PM
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John, I don't think the ProMaster would need any embossing, Suzuki tolerances are tight already and I don't think there would be that much of an improvement. I've not needed to emboss any of the Suzukis that I've had. They never needed it. Just a little bit of gapping.
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Buddha
1080 posts
Oct 16, 2009
1:14 PM
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"If anybody wants to inform me as to why my request is so freakin' outrageous, rather than be as ass about it, I'm all eyes."
I didn't approach you, I just wanted to know what you thought was reasonable in terms of time and price. I wasn't looking for more work, I'm WAY over loaded as it is. My wait time is over 6mo at this point, Oda even mentioned it in a very recent post in THIS thread.
It preposterous to think that anybody who knows how to work a harp would do reed work for $30-40 bucks.
So you're looking for reed tweaking and gapping, well you should have specified but you don't need to pay somebody to do that. Joe Spiers made a great video on how to gap. I made a YT that tell you exactly what to do with the reeds - some of the info is hidden but everything you need to know is there if you listen.
So you say you set up your own harps? How so if you are asking for BASIC set up info? If you want to learn how to build a great harp then buy a harp from a top notch customizer and examine his work. So you might pay $200 but it's worth it as there is a lot more to working on a harp that embossing and setting gaps.
The biggest "secrets" to harp setup have already been mentioned on this forum. So before you go spouting off about who has what size ego, why don't you get YOUR ego in check and use the search engine and show some respect to the guys who really know how to do this stuff like Harpwrench.
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~Buddha
Pennsylvania - H.A.R.P. (Harmonica Association 'Round Philly)
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ness
81 posts
Oct 16, 2009
1:51 PM
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Chris,
I didn't say I set up my own harps. I've messed with the reeds some, and I'm not happy with what I've got. I think a good harp as a benchmark would be helpful as I try to get there myself. I thought I'd made that part clear enough.
Here's the deal -- I don't know shit about all this, and I'm trying to learn. I'd bet you don't know shit about what I do for a living.
But don't tell me I haven't shown respect for you or anybody, or say I have an ego issue. If $40 isn't your price, then don't even answer. Get to work and try to whittle away at your six-month back log you're so proud of.
If you would have looked at me as a potential customer, instead of as just another opportunity to stroke your own ego, you would have likely ended up the day ahead of where you are now.
To the others that offered suggestions, I appreciate it.
John
Last Edited by on Oct 16, 2009 1:56 PM
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Preston
530 posts
Oct 16, 2009
2:09 PM
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Ness,
You live in Shawnee KS, right? Look me up sometime. I'll make your harp more responsive and show you how to get decent at basic gapping, and I'll do it for free.
And I'll do it for free because I'm not a professional like Buddah or Harpwrench and others. It wouldn't be fair to craftsmen like theirselves if a guy like me were to undercut them. I'm not like that, but at the same time I feel your pain too. Let me share with you what I know for what it's worth.
Oda, I'll be in touch with you shortly.
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ness
82 posts
Oct 16, 2009
2:29 PM
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Hey Preston,
Thanks for that -- it sounds even better that what I was hoping for, and I don't mean $$, I mean having someone show me how, not just the finished product.
I've read tons of stuff about harp customization, and have more coming -- so it's not that I haven't done my homework. I just don't have a lot of hands-on time and was looking for a crutch.
You suggested before that we get together sometime, and I'm going to take you up on it this time. I don't have any harp knowledge to reciprocate with, but I'd buy you a drink, lunch, whatever. Can I get to you through the youtube channel listed above?
John
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Buddha
1082 posts
Oct 16, 2009
2:43 PM
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now I want to know what you do for a living... chances are I know something about it. :-)
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~Buddha
Pennsylvania - H.A.R.P. (Harmonica Association 'Round Philly)
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Preston
531 posts
Oct 16, 2009
2:57 PM
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Drinks at the Toot-toot with me and Ness then, Joe?
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ness
84 posts
Oct 16, 2009
3:11 PM
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Chris, I work at a bank, and you've probably got a bank account. I'll concede point.
harpwrench -- now you've got me curious. Where are you? At least give me a state since it could be 3 or maybe 4.
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Buddha
1083 posts
Oct 16, 2009
3:17 PM
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LOL..
We'll if it's banking, then I most likely know more than you about it. I was Project Manager for Wells Fargo before I started selling harmonicas.
OK enough head butting.. I WIN.
I don't know if Joe Spiers teaches harp building but he might, if he does, then you should learn from him regardless of the price. He's one of the best and he's in your area. One of the best harp I ever played with made by Joe.
Preston knows what he's doing too, I worked with him over the phone a few times.
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~Buddha
Pennsylvania - H.A.R.P. (Harmonica Association 'Round Philly)
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ness
85 posts
Oct 16, 2009
5:16 PM
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jon, jon, jon.
You don't need money for a bank account. You only need collateral. Then we fill out some papers and just give you some money. It's great! And you pay it back when, nay, *if* you can.
We need to talk.
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Buddha
1084 posts
Oct 16, 2009
5:37 PM
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I think in couple of weeks money isn't going to mater much...
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~Buddha
Pennsylvania - H.A.R.P. (Harmonica Association 'Round Philly)
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scstrickland
279 posts
Oct 16, 2009
7:07 PM
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Anybody want to give me lessons over skype and teach me how to play like Kim Wilson for $30-40? LOL
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harpwrench
103 posts
Oct 16, 2009
7:27 PM
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Okay I'll bite........what happens with money in a couple weeks....
Preston drop me a line sometime if you want.
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Buddha
1085 posts
Oct 16, 2009
7:52 PM
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"Anybody want to give me lessons over skype and teach me how to play like Kim Wilson for $30-40?"
I will. I don't know how to play like that but for $30-40 how to play like kim wilson as well as me.
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~Buddha
Pennsylvania - H.A.R.P. (Harmonica Association 'Round Philly)
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Buddha
1086 posts
Oct 16, 2009
7:54 PM
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harpwrench,
death of the dollar, introduction of a new global reserve? I don't really know, it's just something that popped into my head... the date is Oct 25 or so.
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~Buddha
Pennsylvania - H.A.R.P. (Harmonica Association 'Round Philly)
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scstrickland
280 posts
Oct 16, 2009
8:49 PM
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Buddha, Ill pony up $35 for a harp lesson over skype, My e-mail is scstrickland125@gmail.com, I killed my skype account because I didn't like it, but would resume for a bad@ss lesson. I'm ready when you are.
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nacoran
255 posts
Oct 17, 2009
8:57 PM
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Back to harp modding...
I've noticed that watching the videos and articles don't help until you actually have a harp to mess with. You don't know exactly what to pay attention to until you give it a try. For instance, last week I tried embossing for the first time. I embossed from side opposite from the reeds. My thought was I'd be less likely to do damage to the reeds that way. I'd read a couple articles, watched videos, etc. I over embossed and when rereading the article I noticed it suggested doing exactly the opposite. By doing it from the side with the reeds you push the reed down into the slot as you do it and the reed itself helps prevent you from going way overboard.
I probably had lower expectations than you did starting. I bought two $5 harps, one for practice and one for a control. I fully expected to destroy one. I'll keep destroying it's reeds until it runs out or I get it right. Hopefully in that process I'll learn the basics, then, when I've got that down I'll think about messing with a better harp and looking at one set up by a pro. Right now I couldn't see the subtle differences, although maaaaybe now I could hear them.
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Preston
532 posts
Oct 18, 2009
8:15 AM
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You FEEL the subtle differences more than hear them. Responsiveness, control at low volume, ease of bending, etc, etc.
Yes, Ness, you can reach me through YTube. I'm not on there much anymore, but it'll alert me through my regular email account.
Last Edited by on Oct 18, 2009 8:18 AM
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Buddha
1089 posts
Oct 18, 2009
9:20 AM
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"You FEEL the subtle differences more than hear them. Responsiveness, control at low volume, ease of bending, etc, etc."
That's what I always tell people. There are no real secrets to building a harp and most of it is available on the internet in one place or another.
The MOST IMPORTANT part to building a good harp is being a good player. Look at all of the best builders, they are all top notch players.
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~Buddha
Pennsylvania - H.A.R.P. (Harmonica Association 'Round Philly)
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ness
88 posts
Oct 19, 2009
9:25 AM
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I received Richard Sleigh's "Turbocharge Your Harp" book today. Included with it was a letter in which he states he's open to e-mail questions, and will assess a harmonica. I haven't been through the book yet, but it looks to be quite detailed. I think that sounds like a pretty good deal. If anybody out there wants my opinion after all this is done, let me know.
Preston -- I'll get to you. Thanks again.
John
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