bluesharper
41 posts
Aug 02, 2010
8:33 AM
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Okay so I was wondering ive heard how great customs are. So why not buy a stock harp and just hot rod it yourself?
Don't want to agrivate anyone here just simply asking a question as to why I wouldn't hot rod it myself?
Not trying to try an put customisers out of buisness eitheir.
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boris_plotnikov
182 posts
Aug 02, 2010
8:40 AM
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I never try custom from any well-known customizers, but I can make pretty good harp for me (all overblow and overdraw are avialable and usually bendable without squeezes). I'm waiting for my b-radical and LowF from Jim to decide are they really better than mine own work. Great instructions at overblow.com
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Tin Lizzie
125 posts
Aug 02, 2010
8:46 AM
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I tried working on my own harps. It's not easy. I think you have to spend a LOT of time at it to get a good result. It requires developing skill. Given how hard it was for me, custom harps are cheap. I'd rather leave it to someone who does it all the time and has developed enough skill to get good results. I'd rather spend my time practicing and playing. I have a great deal of respect for those who customize and I have no need to say I did it myself.
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Tin Lizzie
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boris_plotnikov
183 posts
Aug 02, 2010
9:22 AM
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I think it's a sad truth but I think every advanced harmonica player have to be a customizer at least a bit. I can tell I have to clean my harps, retune and adjust gaps every 3-4 gigs.
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Chickenthief
46 posts
Aug 02, 2010
9:44 AM
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@ Bluesharp - Definetly, give it a shot. If nothing else you'll quickly find out that you have zero chance of putting any one of those guys out of business.
It's going to involve some time to learn. If you have the patience of a Tibetan monk, a propensity for attention to minute detail, if you are a brain surgeon, build ships in a bottle, if you had a job defusing
live bombs in the military then you might qualify for a go at it.
I myself, I'm far too stupid to do anything that involves tools although I've had jobs in the past where people who were much dumber than me paid me money to work for them and use their tools.
Another option for you would be to just learn to make minor modifications and adjustments gradualy learning as you go along. Most people can quickly learn to gap reeds, reduce sharp edges, and seal combs.
Check out Richard Sleighs website. It shouldn't take you too long to find out how far you want to go with it and wether or not it's a wise use of your time.
Last Edited by on Aug 02, 2010 9:53 AM
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bluesharper
42 posts
Aug 02, 2010
9:46 AM
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I think your right there boris in your last post.
@ Lizzie yeah I agree with your point but Chris Michalek has been setting up his own harps since he was 15.
Did you know Jon Gindick doesn't even play customs. He play out of the box. we had a discussion about it .
heres the quote from Jon.
No. I have never played a custom harp that offered me any real advantages over an out of the box. For me, harps that have been tinkered on are harps that don't play properly.
Last Edited by on Aug 02, 2010 9:46 AM
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Digger O'Dell
2 posts
Aug 02, 2010
9:56 AM
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Its all boils down to time and affordablity. Its VERY time consuming and very meticulus work. Right now Im building one. I have a some that are just dead so I knocked all the reeds out and starting all over,gonna try stainless steel. I'm tired of having to take the one's I play apart at least twice aweek to adjust.I'd like to suggest Hohner to put hinges on thier covers.I posted last month my intentions if anyone wants to follow along I could post some pic's
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bluesharper
43 posts
Aug 02, 2010
9:57 AM
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Like some people say that out of the boxs play like shit but I don't fully agree with that.
I have got good out of the box harps before. Bad harps are to be expected aswell.
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There will always be a bad orange in the pack.
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groyster1
285 posts
Aug 02, 2010
10:16 AM
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I have had only one really bad ootb harp and it was a marine band-I have sent it off for customizing and very anxiously await the finished product
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Tin Lizzie
126 posts
Aug 02, 2010
10:22 AM
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I didn't play custom harps the first three years I played. What I realize now is that to get the sound and textures that are important to me, a custom harp is needed. This is me talking about me, not me talking about you.
I am easy on my custom harps. For me, and the way I play, custom harps last longer than out of the box harps. A lot lot longer. Custom harps are actually much cheaper for me than out of the box harps because they last so well. Who'd a thunk it...
The only hard part is obtaining them....
I wish I were better at doing it myself. I would prefer to do it myself and so I did try to learn. It took a lot of time and the results were disappointing. I came to the conclusion that having someone else do it was the way I had to go.
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Tin Lizzie
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HarpNinja
569 posts
Aug 02, 2010
10:45 AM
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It takes a lot of time...it takes a lot of spending to get the right "tools"...it is hard to find credible information...it is near impossible to stumble upon, learn, or create methods to duplicate ALL of the things done by customizers. There is also the learning curve...
I have several custom harps from different makers. Sadly, nothing form Mr. Spiers yet, but that is a result of a lack of "fun" money at the moment. I just can't play OOTB harps anymore. Not only don't they play "right", they sound crumby too. I notice the biggest difference in the bottom and top octave.
Even if I am not overbending, customs play so much smoother, consistent, and also bend easier. I don't play hard, hardly ever blow out harps, and try to utilize all the available bends on a harp. Customs help me do that.
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Mike
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Digger O'Dell
3 posts
Aug 02, 2010
11:11 AM
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Bluesharper..... What I said and meant was...I'm building my own and if anyone wants to see how I'm doing.I'll post some pic's. If you or anyone else wants to build one we can share some ideas along the way. I've already started......but its slow going
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bluesharper
46 posts
Aug 02, 2010
11:18 AM
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@ Digger
What is your website where I can view these pictures please?
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Tuckster
679 posts
Aug 02, 2010
11:20 AM
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5 years ago,I didn't know there was such a thing as a custom.. I knew one single fact about gapping-if the reed stuck,you raised the gap.Back then,I was gigging a lot. If a harp didn't play well,it went into a drawer and I'd buy another. Present day,I have LOTS more information. Although true customising is another world,now at least I can make a hard to play harp into something I can use. I have a Buddha(Chris M) and (sometime in the near future,I hope) B-Radical on order.I have to see for myself what all this fuss is about.
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Digger O'Dell
4 posts
Aug 02, 2010
11:59 AM
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@Bluesharper...I dont have a website...I can email you the pic's... could even post them here if I new how
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