harpdude61
544 posts
Dec 16, 2010
9:49 AM
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Santa came early at my house yesterday as I received my Buddha Golden Melodys.
I had no idea what to expect since all I've really ever played are stock GMs that I gapped myself.
The harps are G, A, Bb, C, D, and F. First thing I noticed are the combs......6 different colors with a marble look. I appreciate that I no longer need to pull out my glasses if I get my harps mixed up. My wife agreed they are quite beautiful.
When trying out the harps I noticed right away I had to gear down. I was amazed at the small amount of breath needed to play at an adequate volume. I didn't think stock GMs leaked air, but after playing these harps I knew they did.
The tone is warmer and fuller than a stock and loses the metallic sound many associate with a stock GM.
The F harp blew me away. With the tone and ease of play I thought I must have had the C harp for a second. No need to shy away from high harps any more when jamming out.
Chords, octaves, and splits make a big difference I can hear when comparing to my old harps. I'm not sure you can buy a stock GM dialed in the way these babies are.
As an over-bender I was curious to see how these harps would do. I've never been able to get a clean 1 hole over-blow with the lower stock harps. I tried the G and got it right away. The tone was warm and full.
All the over-bends were fine on all the harps. Even the 10 overdraw on the F harp sounded fat and full to me. Bending the over-bends up was easier too.
Draw bends were clean and the blow bends that I love so much for 1st position blues were effortless.
My phone rang about 1/2 hour after I opened these harps. It was Chris checking to see that I was completely satisfied. I was impressed that he had studied my youtube videos to learn my style and technique so he could set the harps up to play their best for me.
The longer I played these harps the more I knew I had made the right decision for me. I'm sure the B-Rads and other customs are great, but I have the 6 harps I use 99% of the time and couldn't be happier.
Great job Chris!
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Tin Lizzie
164 posts
Dec 16, 2010
9:54 AM
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You are a lucky guy. I shall miss Chris on this forum.
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Tin Lizzie
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harpdude61
545 posts
Dec 16, 2010
10:02 AM
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I didn't know he was gone...must have missed something...but then I only read threads about harmonica.
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Tin Lizzie
165 posts
Dec 16, 2010
10:09 AM
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I don't know how you tell which threads those are.
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Tin Lizzie
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toddlgreene
2251 posts
Dec 16, 2010
10:16 AM
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I'm jealous! Bring them to HCH, and leave them unattended...I'll watch them for you. ;-)
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Todd L. Greene, Codger-in-training
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harpdude61
546 posts
Dec 16, 2010
10:20 AM
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lol...Todd....I'm parnoid about stuff like that anyway...just ask the guy who sat his beer on my amp last week
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toddlgreene
2253 posts
Dec 16, 2010
10:24 AM
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Ooooh, drink on amp, big no-no.
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Todd L. Greene, Codger-in-training
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hvyj
928 posts
Dec 16, 2010
10:32 AM
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@harpdude61: What sold me on Buddha Harps (among other things) was the response of the one I got in G. Very lively and articulate and you don't have to collapse a lung to bend the low draw notes.
Btw, how are yours tuned? ET?
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harpdude61
547 posts
Dec 16, 2010
11:42 AM
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@hvyj..yes....I was impressed with the G..it is a big change. It was the first one I played and had to gear down
I have no idea about tuning, but I'm sure he knows I'm primarily a single note player.
Explain this...after spending three hours playing the new harps, I got to work today and picked up one of the stock GMs I leave here, and for some reason I played it differently. Its like I learned something from playing the custom harps.
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Hondo
83 posts
Dec 16, 2010
12:55 PM
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How much does that setup cost?
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hvyj
929 posts
Dec 16, 2010
1:09 PM
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@harpdude61: When Buddha's website was up it said "Become a better player with just one harp" or something like that which i thought was marketing B.S. But it's not. Playing quality custom harps causes you to refine your technique because you are not fighting the harp in order to get it to do what you want it to.
This refinement in technique carries over to how you play other harps and your playing improves. Or at least that has been my experience. For me, though, it took a few weeks--it was not an overnight phenomenon like you describe. But i completely understand what you are describing. Also, i don't OB, if that makes any difference.
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harpdude61
548 posts
Dec 16, 2010
1:21 PM
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hvyj..exactly! It makes you minimize effort to get what you want from the harp.....I guess efficient playing would be a good way to describe it.
Hondo..I put my order in before his prices went up so I'm not sure what it would cost now.
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hvyj
930 posts
Dec 16, 2010
1:36 PM
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@harpdude61: It's more than just efficient playing. I used to really struggle to play the 10 hole full step blow bend. Just could NOT get it to drop. But, I was able to it on my Buddha Harps with no problem and now i can do it with no problem on any harp in any key. I can hardly believe it.
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HarpNinja
872 posts
Dec 16, 2010
2:41 PM
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People who say customs can't make you a better player are wrong. There are benefits to customized harps that make techniques easier to play...some of which might be impossible on a stock harp.
The example provided by hvyj is a perfect example.
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Mike
VHT Special 6 Amp for Harp Blog
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harpdude61
551 posts
Dec 17, 2010
5:51 AM
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R.I.P Chris.....My phone conversations with him changed my opinion of him which was unfairly based on what I read on the forums.
I sensed a fun, caring, helpful person who wanted my harps and my playing to be the best they could be.
The harmonica world has a huge hole in it today.
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Rev. Jim
45 posts
Dec 17, 2010
6:00 AM
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I am literally crying for someone I never met or even know. F**king hell.
I remember someone telling a story about how they wanted a Buddha harp but couldn't afford one because his wife/girlfriend was in the hospital, and Chris said to just send him a MB and he'll make him a custom for free.
Ah ... DAMN!
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BigBlindRay
41 posts
Dec 17, 2010
6:16 AM
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Much respect to Chris at this time.
IMO - A custom harp will not make you a better player. Focused practise with the right guidance and self discipline will make you a better player.
Good tools will only help to serve you and will help achieve your goals sooner providing your application is already of a high standard.
Becoming better at something ultimately comes from ones self combined with the right coaching -First then the tools of the trade - second.
I used to be a boxer and Olympic weightlifter when i was younger and I can say for certain that what all the greatest athletes had in common was an iron will, determination and an ability to persevere when the going gets tough that extends beyond that of the average person
That doesn't mean im anti top quality gear. Im suffering from an acute case of G.A.S and an acute shortage of funds hence I had to go and get a day job again.
But I have always been a firm believer of the phrase "A good trademan never blames his tools"
You could be a better player with a blues band harmonica a cheap radio shack mic and a pignose amp.
Big Blind Ray's YouTube Channel
Mavis and her China Pigs
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hvyj
945 posts
Dec 17, 2010
7:29 AM
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@harpdude61: You are privileged to own what are among the last harps Chris completed.
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harpdude61
552 posts
Dec 17, 2010
8:21 AM
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@hvyj: I'm still num from the shock. We were going to Skype today to do the first lesson.
These harps are even better than I imagined they would be. I am proud to own them.
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scojo
164 posts
Dec 17, 2010
8:39 AM
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I am asbolutely a better player because I started getting custom harps from Chris. I don't have the energy this morning, given what has happened, to give a full explanation of why. I get BBR's point about the limitations of tools as far as improving one's game, but there is no question whatsoever that I made a quantum leap in my playing thanks to Chris' harps (and Chris himself, even though I never got a "lesson" per se from him).
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harpdude61
554 posts
Dec 18, 2010
3:00 AM
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BBR....they might not make me a better player...but they make me play better.
Scott Albert...you were fantastic at HCH, but I have noticed by some of the music you have posted that you have taken it to a new level...Awesome....cool to hear you have some of Chris' harps.
Chris told me to play these harps all of the time, practice and performance,but now I'm finding that hard to do. I want them to last forever.
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hvyj
947 posts
Dec 18, 2010
6:36 AM
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I've had some of mine for well over a year and I play them a lot. They are extremely durable. Chris would want you to play them--that's what he made them for.
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