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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! > Buddha harp ($300)
Buddha harp ($300)
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nacoran
3636 posts
Jan 11, 2011
5:26 PM
Jim, that's cool! I need to get my emergency fund back up to normal before I can make any more purchase. I'll keep that in mind though!

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Zhin
618 posts
Jan 11, 2011
7:40 PM
That is so NOT a 300$ Buddha harp.

The corners aren't even rounded.

I have 3 300$ Buddha harps. All of them have rounded edges and flawless Overblows. Even on the 1 OB. Keys of D, A, and Bb. No nail polish.

They do not smell but that's probably because I clean my harps once every 3 months.

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http://www.youtube.com/harmonicazhin
RyanMortos
943 posts
Jan 11, 2011
7:53 PM
My $100 Buddha harp is in way better shape then what is shown in these videos too. Like Zhin mentions the corners are rounded. There's also a yin yang on the side. The key of the harp isn't marked with white out on the reed plate either. Plus there never was a noticeable bad smell but a massively polished comb. The comb does look the same as mine and so do the screws & mine does have an arch in it though. Chris told me he upgraded my harp to a higher level then I paid for though.

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RyanMortos

~Ryan

"I play the harmonica. The only way I can play is if I get my car going really fast, and stick it out the window." - Stephen Wright

Pennsylvania - H.A.R.P. (Harmonica Association 'Round Philly)

Contact:
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Todd Parrott
324 posts
Jan 11, 2011
9:07 PM
@Zhin & RyanMortos - I also doubt that this is a $300 harp, but not necessarily because of the rounded corners. It was my understanding that the $300 harps used the NOS Hohner reeds, which were more ideal for overblows and overdraws, which if this were the case, the reed plates would have the date stamp on the corner. But, as jim points out, this harp appears to be much older.

I do remember Chris being very dissatisfied with jim's custom harps that he played at SPAH as well.

Personally, I couldn't care less who makes the best harp, or who embosses this or that. Bottom line is, when you find a customizer who can build a harp that works for you, good for you - stick with them. Like I've said before, it's like getting a good haircut - find a good barber or stylist and stick with them.

In my opinion, this seems to be more about ego than anything else, which is prevalent in the harmonica community.

For me, Joe Spiers' harps are 100% perfect, and he is a first class professional guy. If Joe were to make videos and give customizing tips, I would pay close attention. But jim is not Joe.

Others may have their favorites, and that's OK too, but there's no need to disrespect someone's work, alive or dead, but especially when they are dead and can't defend themself.

For those of you who still have a bone to pick or axe to grind with Chris, guess what? HE'S DEAD - LET IT GO. Let this silliness die too and let's get back to more productive threads.
scojo
184 posts
Jan 11, 2011
10:01 PM
Todd: AMEN. I have been mostly ignoring this stuff, but it's getting really tired. I don't buy for a second that this is all about "sharing information."

Chris was well known and appreciated as a customizer (and, obviously, as a player). His sterling reputation in both departments was and remains unquestioned. That obviously bothers some people whose track record can't match it.

After what happened in Tucson, I am reminded once again -- and it's happening too often -- of how short life is. It's WAY too short to indulge this nonsense.
Leonid
142 posts
Jan 12, 2011
2:00 AM
The harmonica I shown has rounded corners and my friend did pay $300 for it. May be question has to be asked differently, is it worth $300??? THe answer is obvious, to me at least.
Chris said that he doesn't like Jim's work, that is true. He also said many other things like Alex Paclin is not a good player :) In my video I had a chanche to compare both customizers and the quality of workmanship cannot even be compared. I do custom work on my harps myself but do not sell them to the public. And I still pay Jim to make some harps for me. Jim is my friend but with all honesty I have never meet him. The bottom line is he is is my friend because he is doing such a cracking job for me. Alex Paclin BTW tried BH and did not like it and he and Boris are still playing Jims harps.
Anyway, I don't want to start another argument here what wasn't my intention. It is very important however to know what do you want from the instrument and what can be done to it, so you won't end up paying $300 for something like that.
Diggsblues
676 posts
Jan 12, 2011
3:16 AM
This is for you Chris.
Some people are making some bad Karma
for themselves. It should be obvious now
this thread is an attack on Chris not about
custom harmonicas.
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How you doin'
Emile "Diggs" D'Amico a Legend In His Own Mind
How you doin'
htownfess
244 posts
Jan 12, 2011
3:27 AM
@Todd & scojo: +1

@Leonid: Why is it so urgent to protect the buying public from someone who's dead and doesn't sell $300 harps anymore? Weren't there any living customisers you and Jim could analyze? I'm puzzled.

Word of mouth PRIVATELY expressed has sufficed quite well so far when, ahem, "market corrections" are in order for a given customiser. There was an instance around a decade ago when someone was simply bolting & sealing MBs and selling them @ Filisko-ish prices, until someone who actually owned some Filiskos bought one. It subsequently transpired* that the new builder meant well but did not even know what advanced reedwork was. News went round by word of mouth, and the builder gave refunds where requested and folded up shop. An objective instance like that--saying, "Ummm, hate to say it but there's not any reedwork here"--would be pretty rare; evaluating customisation is a subjective matter, it's opinions about what the better method is, and inevitably it's opinions about the person using the method.

In other words, community standards took care of that case with tact and decorum, instead of someone trying to elevate their status by tearing someone else down publicly. (I should know: I was the one who was sent one of those harps privately for evaluation and replied privately, "This is not worth $___ at all.")

Prospective customers, privately ask people who are or were original owners of several of the harps you are considering--several, because a single harp is too small a sample to generalize from.

*This correct use of the verb "transpire" is given absolutely free of charge.
MrVerylongusername
1477 posts
Jan 12, 2011
3:52 AM
@Htownfess
I agree 100%

@Jim & Leonid
I would just like to note the large number of very positive reviews that customers who dealt directly with Chris have made.

It is an interesting contrast against two people's appraisals of Buddha's work that has been obtained second or third hand.

For all we know, those harps could have suffered the same fate as Belfast Harper's and then sold on.

I have no real connection to Chris: I didn't buy a harp from him, I didn't study with him. Many people did, and all I hear from them is respect and praise. That is enough for me.

I find the timing of these videos extremely distasteful. If either of you had had the balls to do it when Chris was alive, and could answer back then I'd have a little more respect.

From my perspective you are not dispelling a 'myth', you are trying to trash the hard earned reputation of a dead man.

Last Edited by on Jan 12, 2011 3:53 AM
Leonid
143 posts
Jan 12, 2011
4:00 AM
This is not an effort to prevent someone from buying anything or elevate my status. What a stupid thing to say. This is an educational video take it or leave it. If you disagree with some points I made please express them in an adequate, argumented manner.

You people amaze me. You have 40 minutes of video going into smallest details, explaining everything, giving examples with only one intention in mind to educate harmonica players and establish reasonable expectations. It is nothing to do with Chris but I guess he brought on himself (talking about karma).

And all I can hear is Chris is great and Buddha Harp Akhbar!!! I guess the real secret here is to how to create a flock of impressionalbe, easily influenced people around someone and make them feel special. If I figure out how to do it I will be the next British Prime Minister.
hvyj
1062 posts
Jan 12, 2011
4:23 AM
@Leonid: "And all I can hear is Chris is great..."

Well, whether or not he was great, he did know what he was doing. I'm no expert, but the message I'm getting from this thread is that you and Jim don't. A little knowledge (or incomplete knowledge) can be a dangerous (or at least a misleading)thing.

I bought some harps from Chris and I have had extensive email correspondence with Spiers about the possibility of buying some harps from him, but i wound up ordering from Chris and also had extensive email correspondence with him. The point is that you guys are oblivious to a lot of stuff those guys take into account when they build custom harps.

I mean your harps may or may not play well. But, based on what is being explained on this thread, your level of knowledge about the considerations that go into making custom harps is primitive compared to Buddha and Harpwrench. Your work may be great, I don't know. But I, for one, am certainly not impressed with the level of understanding and expertise. What you have to tell us in this thread illustrates what you guys DON'T know.

Btw, Chris only charged $300 for harps with certain NOS reedplates.

Maybe I'm just an impressionable guy, as you suggest. But i got the same impressions from two separate and independent sources. I'm not getting any similar impressions from the info being provided on this thread.

Last Edited by on Jan 12, 2011 4:38 AM
Diggsblues
677 posts
Jan 12, 2011
4:53 AM
It's time to let the man speak in the language he left us.

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How you doin'
Emile "Diggs" D'Amico a Legend In His Own Mind
How you doin'
Leonid
144 posts
Jan 12, 2011
5:03 AM
@hvyj and waht excatly prompt you to say that I do not know what I am doing. Is that general understanding of the process backed up by some tangible data or simply sectant mentality and the need to protect your holy cow?
Again, guys, stop making those empty statements if you disagree and have have something to back it up with do it by all means. We can have civilized and informative discussion about the matter.

Please watch the first video where I have compared BH with a few others some done by me some by Jim.
Oh yes one more thing, I have tried Joe Spiers harps and they were fantastic. Unfortunately and to the best of my knowledge Joe does not make custom Seydels 1847, otherwise I would definitely buy some from him.
toddlgreene
2481 posts
Jan 12, 2011
5:05 AM
This thread is done guys. I am locking it. Jim & Leonid-both of you have some knowledge to share, and have made some positive contributions to this forum. However, it's quite clear you have an agenda. Your bad blood with a deceased member of this forum is well-known. Please let it die with him. It's a new year, be nice. Think about what you post-if it's remotely inflammatory, please refrain. Another thing, Jim-you certainly have the right to have your own website, business and forum. You don't seem to possess the etiquette to realize that it's not cool to constantly plug your own work and attempt to pull everyone to your site, however. If it's a cultural thing or something that got lost in translation, please accept my apology on that matter.

I say this out of respect for Adam-this website is his house that he pays for, and this forum is his toy. You come in, kick his toys around with little or no respect for the owner. Not cool. Chill out, or you won't be allowed to play here anymore.
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Todd L. Greene

Last Edited by on Jan 12, 2011 5:51 AM

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