bazzzzou
55 posts
Jan 20, 2011
1:43 PM
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I saw alot of people that plays custom harps.. but... we can play on an OOtB harmonica! sorry but exept for overblowing, we can play realy good blues on a stock harmonica.. one of my favourite harmonica player is Guy Belanger, I saw him live 3 times and he is simply awesome! do you know what brand of harp he is using? Big River harps by hohner! This is not the top quality of harp hey? but he plays amazingly !!! When I hear that we cant play on an OOTB harmonica.. If you cant play on a marine band you will not be that better with a meisterclass..
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ZackPomerleau
1365 posts
Jan 20, 2011
2:01 PM
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Trust me, Howard Levy cannot play some of the stuff he plays on a stock harmonica. I can't either! A full-on blues player without overblows won't need a custom, but in the end customs DEFINITELY play better.
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bazzzzou
56 posts
Jan 20, 2011
2:08 PM
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yes.. of course =P.. I am not talcking for overblowing :P.. this is what i am going to do next, overblows!!
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sammyharp
77 posts
Jan 20, 2011
2:13 PM
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I find it perplexing that there's so much argument on this in the harp world. I'm also a horn player and trumpet player. To me, it's comparable to playing a student model trumpet or horn, or playing a profesional level instrument. Sure you can play everything on the student model, but some stuff is just really hard to do. The pro instrument is just way easier to play. It does things for your playing that the student instrument can't. And because of this, it helps you to develop your playing further. Of course, if your playing at a student level, The pro instrument isn't necessary. But a top player in a major orchestra wouldn't perform at the same lavel with the student instrument. It's just not the same level of instrument.
Of course, there are really good student instruments. It's a crap shoot if you get a good or a not so good one. The good thing about OOTB harps is, they're comparatively really cheap, so one can take the chance of getting a good or a bad instrument. but the chance is taken out if you go with a handcrafted top level instrument. That's what you pay for. Lots of experience and hand work.
Last Edited by on Jan 20, 2011 2:17 PM
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Todd Parrott
352 posts
Jan 20, 2011
2:32 PM
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I played stock Golden Melodies for years, but the need for overblows and overdraws is what drove me to customs. So, yes, you can play OOTB if you are not an overblower.
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5F6H
484 posts
Jan 20, 2011
2:44 PM
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Zack many full on blues players, who don't overblow in public, still use custom harps. Paying a premium for a well set up, well tuned harp, rather than buying three variable OOTB harps makes sense to anyone. There are customisers who largely supply harps to non-overblowers.
There are good OOTB harps, but often tuning is off & they need regapping anyway, so whether you pay someone else to do it, or do it yourself, it still gets done in many, many cases.
An OOTB harp is only that until you take off the cover plates & do some work to it, from that moment on it is customised.
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colman
2 posts
Jan 23, 2011
1:25 PM
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look at all the recording of harp going on near
100 yrs.most that were up on the stage or porch were
otb.i`m sure a few were worked on quite a wile ago.
i started messing with reeds 30 yrs. ago when they got stuck,and learned more as time rolled.i look at it like guitar playing.You learn how to set up the
instrument.there`s a sweet spot on the reed but a honk
will never be set up like a overblow ,youknow! FAT VS.
SKINNY TONE.......THATS BLUES !
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harmonicanick
1065 posts
Jan 23, 2011
3:11 PM
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God, this thread has been washed, and washed again, and hung out to dry!!
Look at the forum search/archive there is no more to be said (at the moment)
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nacoran
3695 posts
Jan 23, 2011
3:13 PM
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I've got a handful of Blues Harps that I don't like to play because they tear my lips up. I know they could really benefit from at least some sanding, sealing and smoothing, and I've gapped a couple of them. At what point do you call that at least low grade customizing.
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harmonicanick
1066 posts
Jan 23, 2011
3:16 PM
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Nate, as Adam says 'chuck 'em out'
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ncpacemaker
202 posts
Jan 23, 2011
4:05 PM
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If an OOTB harp is good enough for KZR then certainly it's good enough for me.
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Miles Dewar
645 posts
Jan 23, 2011
5:43 PM
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Somebody should sell custom 1 string guitars.
Some of the stuff I see these guys play on are hideous.
How about this. My 1 string guitar costs $35.oo.
Can anyone sell me on a Custom 1 string for $350-$400?
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Hell, I think we all play a pretty "Bunk" instrument. A toy. If I worried about a top of the line 10X standard price instrument.... I wouldn't have played harmonica.
Some of us do this because we want to do What We Want to do.
Customizers can Try To Sell their products whenever they want. But at least do us prospects a favor by not wasting our time because you don't know how to.
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.....just how I feel about it. Though Nick is right about the topic getting plenty of Tide.
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chromaticblues
516 posts
Jan 23, 2011
8:14 PM
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@ buzz light beer
Not everyone needs custom harps.
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hvyj
1170 posts
Jan 23, 2011
8:34 PM
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I don't OB. I like customs because of their superior response and, most of all, because of the accuracy and precision you get on the various bends.
Now, I like my OOB Suzuki Hammonds, too. But i can bend on pitch with better consistency playing my custom Buddha Harps. Do i NEED to play customs? No. Are they EASIER to play? Yes. Do I play better using customs? I think so.
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