*** 3/31/07 ***
After a discussion on acoustic tone recently I decided to do a little article on how to get better tone complete with photos. This first one is an article just about enhancing your acoustic tone. I will follow with an amplified tone article in the next couple of days. I would love any feedback you have to offer. Even if your tone is good this will still help you remember some of the basics we all forget from time to time. It also has a practice exercise to help your tone. I am alsoworking of making some T-shirts with the slogan
"got tone?™"
on them with the HG logo on the back. I'll keep you up to date.
*** 3/30/07 ***
I got back from the James Cotton show a little late last night and I was pretty tired so I waited until now to finish the update. Like I said the show was great! If you have only ever heard recordings of him you are missing out on how big his tone really is. He was really active and spent quite a bit of time dancing in his chair and even got up to dance at one point. He was definately in great spirits. He was playing through a Shure SM58 directly to the PA and the sound was huge. At the end of the gig I ended up with his mic and had him sign it for me. It is going to be a great additon to the collection. He was selling his 35th Anniversary Jam CD and after listening to it I highly recommend it. If you can catch him on the road I recommend it.
*** 3/29/07 ***
You may have noticed a change in the navigation bar on the left. There is now a button for players and a button for news also to make it easy to check this page. I will be in Tallahassee, FL tomorrow to see James Cotton. He is performing at the Bradford Blues Club. If you make it there and see me please say hi. He is one of my favorite players and I have been looking forward to meeting him for a long time. I talked with Jason Ricci on the phone today and he let me know he will be doing a harp seminar with some really great players in the Rockies. If you can make it I would highly suggest it!
Details:
"Rockers in the Rockies" Instructional Getaway
Geared towards intermediate/advanced diatonic harmonica players
Instructors: Jason Ricci, Chris Michalek, and Michael Rubin
When: May 5-7 (Saturday through Monday), Noon-8pm each day
Where: Boulder Outlook Hotel, Boulder, CO
(http://www.boulderoutlookhotel.com)
How Much: $250 for all three days -- no single-day passes; special
hotel rate of $69/night if you mention the event when booking
Topics: playing in multiple genres (not just blues), overbends,
uncommon positions, modal playing, extended soloing, amp settings, using
lip-blocking and tongue-blocking together, playing in all three octaves,
playing scales in multiple positions, and much more
Jams: There will be full-band jams on all three days, and every
attendee will get to play with New Blood and learn how to give cues, manage
dynamics, play with the band (not just soloing), and more
*** News 3/26/07 ***
I have been receiving a lot of requests for information on the HarpGear 30 that Charlie Musselwhite recently bought. I have just added the HG30 under the amps section so you can check it out over in amps. I will also be posting a review of a great leather harmonica case from Cumberland Custom Cases.
I just received this leather harmonica case today. The quality and features are outstanding. Click here to see more pictures and read about my new Cumberland Leather harmonica case.
*** News 3/21/07 ***
I have been busy working on getting the amps out to everyone lately and I wanted to say thank you again to everyone who has given me the honor of providing them with an amp. Just a quick note to let anyone in my neck of the woods know that James Cotton will be at the Bradford Blues Club Tallahassee, FL on March 29th. I will be there. If you are going to be there drop me a line and let me know. I will also be at Gindick's Tampa Jam Camp in June if anyone is looking for a reason to come to Florida. The cmap is a great place to learn and meet other people as passionate about the harmonica as yourself. Just a note to say I am not affiliated with the camp in anyway and I only recommend it because it is so much fun and you get to learn so much from great players and teachers while you are there. Adam Gussow will be there teaching. If you have followed his Youtube series you will know he is a great teacher and has a lot to offer. He will also be performing with Mr. Satan in Ocala the following night at the Tin Cup Tavern. This would be a great time to see this wonderful duo together. It is rare that they get together to perform anymore and there will be no better time to witness these two in action. Thanks again and I hope to see you there.
*** News 3/17/07 ***
Sodafixer was nice enough to provide me a link to a great vidoe of Charlie Musselwhite on the road with the HarpGear 30. Thanks!
*** News 3/16/07 ***
The new picture page is up now. Click here to see it. Like I said in the past news, I would like you to send me a picture with yourself and your HarpGear amp. I will put it on this page to show all the great people who have made HarpGear what it is. I appreciate each and everyone of you and I really hope you send some more pictures my way. I don't care if it is you in your living room with the amp or on stage. Just send them in.
*** News 3/14/07 ***
I am starting a new picture page dedicated to the great people who play HarpGear amplifiers. Please send me a picture of yourself either playing through the amp at a gig / home or just with the amp and I will post it on my new page that I will dedicate to all of my great customers. I don't care if you got the amp from me or second hand. Send those pictures in!! As always I want to thank everyone for all their support. This company wouldn't be here today without you and I sincerely mean this.
*** News 3/12/07 ***
I went to the Willfest Folk Festival in Dade City this weekend and had a great time. I went there originally to learn some bluegrass style harp but the class times got switched by the time I got there. A group of harp players had an impromptu meeting instead and we had a great time doing some playing. I did get to hook up with some really good bluegrass harp players and learn some licks while I was there. It isn't my favorite music but it is a hell of a lot of fun to play. It helps my playing everytime I expand my musical horizons and it always seems to find a way to enhance my playing even in the blues. I also spent time with Ray Wood of Island Flutes who has in the past taught me how to make Native American flutes. It was great seeing him and watching him at his craft. I also got to play some shakuhachi by the lake and some didgeridoo at the playground while my little boy played. It was an all around great weekend and I really want to thank everyone I met there for being such great people.
*** News 3/07/07 ***
Adam has one upped himself again. He has posted unseen vidoe footage of Satan and Adam on Youtube. Please go see this stuff while you can. This is an important part of blues history for the taking.
*** News 3/05/07 ***
I will be putting more info and pics up about the 30W HarpGear as I can. For now here is a brief description:
It is a cathode biased all tube amp with a GZ34 6L6 6L6 5751 12AX7 compliment. It is 2x8 and it is in a deluxe style cabinet in tolex or tweed. It has on control panel: Power Standby Bass Middle Treble Volume and 2 inputs. I don't have any pics right now because Charlie grabbed the one up I was going to use for the site. It looks just like the Double Trouble on the site but a little wider. The panel looks the same except for it has more knobs and a standby and it is a little longer. I am also testing it in 1x12" and
1x8 x 1x10 and possibly a 3x8. I will keep you guys and gals posted.
*** News 3/03/07 ***
I spoke with Charlie Musselwhite at his gig in Tallahassee FL on Thursday and he asked to try my new 30W 2x8 at his next gig in Apopka FL the following night. I showed up early and he spent a few minutes playing it to try it out and he bought it on the spot and will now be using a HarpGear 30 for all of his touring. Kim Wilson was there and remarked on how good the amp sounded also. Charlie has always been one of my favorite harp players and I have always hoped to see him in person. This was more than I could have hoped for and I just wanted to share the news.
