Harp Gear harmonica amplifiers for
harp amp players. Please
remember to check the NEWS ARCHIVES for past
news. ***8/27/08*** I have just shipped another batch
of amps off and the next batch is underway. I still have a few
mics
left for those interested. I am off to PA for the weekend so if
you
need me please feel free to call or email and I will be
available. If
I don't reply right away I will ASAP. Thanks everyone!!
***8/18/08*** I have some good news
today. The HG30 has been replaced by the new
HG35. You can click the link for the
details.
A good friend and customer Scott Nickerson is selling the #1 HG50
that came right after Jason Ricci's amp. It is in new condition
with a
$90 tuki cover and he is selling it for $1700 plus shipping. This
amp
is also signed on the inside by Jason Ricci. Please feel free to
contact me if you are interested. He is selling it because he
needs a
smaller amp for the gigs he is playing and is looking to get an HG35.
One last note: I am always getting asked if I have any mics for
sale.
Right now I have some great mics available and if you are interested
you can get in touch and we can discuss what mic will best fit you.
Once again, thanks to
everyone and as
always, feel free to write
or call with any questions.
***8/12/08*** The
Florida Harmonica Championship
went off great! I don't think I am alone when I say it was a
smashing
success. The turnout of both players and harmonica fans was way
bigger
than anyone expected. Farley Palmer and Co. did an exceptional
job of
putting this together and promoting it. I want to congratulate
the new
Florida Harmonica Champion Lindsey
Mercer.
There was so much talent there I know it was hard to choose but Lindsey
did a great job in all the categories and deserved to win. Make
sure
you check out the competiton next year if you get the chance. It
is a
huge event! Thanks again to everyone who put the event together
and
all the participants. It was a great day!!!
Once
again, thanks
to everyone and as
always, feel free to write
or call
with any questions.
After several
discussions with Lee, he has offered to send a box of his products
to use as prizes and auction items at our show on Sunday. I found
Lee to
be engaging and down to earth...a really nice guy. We are honored
to have
a harp player of his expertise as well as a very successful businessman
to be helping with our event. He is sending a personally engraved
Lee
Oskar 25 year anniversary gold plated harmonica to be a raffle or
auction
item...as well as some other harps, T-shirts, etc. I also have
engraved
plaques, certificates and a trophy to be offered as awards for the
players. Don't forget about the smoked ribs and pork butt...and
the
Payne Brothers Blues Band! I hope
everyone is planning to be there...this event will be a
blast! See You There...Farley myspace.com/floridaharmonicachamp
Once
again, thanks
to everyone and as
always, feel free to write
or call
with any questions.
***8/5/08***
The trip to New Orleans went great. I sat in with Mike Hood at
Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop a few nights while I was there. I have
had a
few customers asking me about used amps recently. I have a
customer
who is selling a like new HG2 with cover if anyone is interested please
feel free to email me for details.
A good friend of mine,
John Schaman,
M.D. has launched a world-first medical study looking at the lung
benefits of playing the harmonica. If interested in checking it out click
here.
Once
again, thanks
to everyone and as
always, feel free to write
or call
with any questions.
***7/29/08***
The HG50 with the small dent has been sold. Thanks to all who
wrote
and asked about it. I am off to New Orleans from 7/30-8/4.
I am
available to answer questions and take orders for all who are
interested. Please feel free to call or write and I will get
right
back with you if you don't get a hold of me right away.
Once
again, thanks
to everyone and as
always, feel free to write
or call
with any questions.
***7/24/08***
To anyone who is looking for a good deal on an HG50, I have an
HG50
ready to go that has a small dent in the top of the cabinet which is
almost indescernable. It is so hard to see my camera won't
capture it
well enough to show on the site. As the cabinet is "damaged" I am
going ot sell this new amp for $1600 plus shipping. The only
issue
with the whole amp is the small compression mark. If you are
interested let me know. Once again, thanks
to everyone and as
always, feel free to write
or call
with any questions.
***7/17/08*** Thanks to everyone who has recently put in an
order. All current orders have shipped and I hope everyone enjoys
the amps. As some of you know I also play the Japanese bamboo
flute called the shakuhachi.
Sometimes I run across interesting tidbots about the history of the
flute and post them here for my other shakuhachi friends to
enjoy. This is a video about the Komuso monks who were
famous for using the shakuhachi.
Once again, thanks
to everyone and as
always, feel free to write
or call
with any questions.
***7/13/08*** The Suncoast
Harmonica Club
Amp Taste went great today. I had a great time and the turnout
was
better than expected. We all had a great time trying everyone's
amps.
See the website
for more details! Also the Hurricane V8 has sold. Thanks to
everyone who wrote. Please feel free to contact me at anytime with any
questions.
Once again, thanks
to everyone and as
always, feel free to write
or call
with any questions.
***7/12/08*** I will be at the Suncoast Harmonica Club Amp Taste
Test today in Florida. For more details see the
forums at the Suncoast Harmonica Forum website. I will also
be in Daytona, FL tonight sitting in with Ben Prestage.
On another note, I have a mint condition Hurricane V8 ampliifer for
sale. It is a custom amp that was made for harmonica in the early
2000's. The V8 was the harp amp designed with Rock Bottom to be
his
main gigging and recording amp. I am selling it in mint condition
with
cover for $525 and $50 shipping in the continental US. It is
based on
the tweed princeton and produces 7 loud watts through an 8"
speaker.
Here are some pictures:
Once again, thanks
to everyone and as
always, feel free to write
or call
with any questions.
***7/4/08*** I
want to wish everyone a happy 4th of July. I have been busy
getting
amps out the door lately and I really want to thank everyone for the
support. I have one HG2 ready to go now and all other amps are
running
about 2 weeks. Once again, thanks to everyone and as
always, feel free to write
or call
with any questions.
***6/25/08*** The
trip went well and I really had a good time talking to some great
people while I was on the road. I am back at the office and I
will be
able to answer emails and calls right away. Thanks!
***6/17/08*** I just got an email today from Farley Palmer letting
me know about the "Florida Harmonica Championships".
Details:
Where: Beachside Tavern New Smyrna Beach
When: August 10th, 2008 3pm-7pm
For more details please contact Farley Palmer
I will be on the road in Tennessee and Ohio this week and I will be
back 6/25/08. I will be easy to reach on my cell at 352-817-3679
and I
will still be able to take orders while I am on the road.
Thanks
again to everyone and as
always, feel free to write
or call
with any questions.
***6/13/08*** It's Friday the 13th and I am back in town and
feeling refreshed. I am off to Cafe Davinci in Deland to play
some music with Ben Prestage
tonight. If your in the area feel free to come out and
enjoy some good music and fun. Thanks
again to everyone and as
always, feel free to write
or call
with any questions.
***6/6/08*** First
off, the good news. If you have ordered an amp from me it is
shipped
as of today. I just dropped another 10 amps off with my shipping
company this afternoon and they are working on getting them boxed up
and on the way. This includes the UK orders.
I am off to Kentucky this Sunday to attend a family reunion. If
you
need to get a hold of me please feel free to call me at the number
listed above.
If anyone lives within an hour of Somerset KY area and will be gigging
or knows of any jams going on please call. I would love to get
some
music while I am up there. Any blues, folk, jazz of mountain
music
will do :o) I don't care if we are just hanging around on a
porch, I
am in. Thanks again to everyone and as
always, feel free to write
or call
with any questions.
***6/2/08***
I have an interesting opportunity for
someone who is into collecting amps. I have Jason Ricci's backup
Bassman. This is the amp that he carried and used on the road to
back up the "Egyptian" which was his main Bassman he will never part
with. This is one of the two actual Bassmans he played
through when he was still playing through Bassman amps. I
am going to offer this amp on Ebay for anyone who is interested in the
opportunity to own this amp. It sounds amazing and is very broke
in. Anyone who has seen him play through his Bassman know how
good his amps sound. It is in perfect operating condition in the
exact shape I got it from Jason. He has engraved his name very
small on the corner of the control panel and he has written his contact
info on the inside and also signed the inside. I will be listing
this amp on ebay shortly and I will post a link here.
What can I say? Brian Purdy is one heck of an innovative amp
designer/builder & and a nice guy to do business with. The newest
addition to the Harpgear family is the HG50, a 4x10, 50w tweed amp. As
most harp players go through in their quest for the perfect amp, I have
played through many "boutique" models made specifically for harmonicas
& vintage amps that are known to be prime for the tone we all want.
Honestly, even though there are other decent amps out there, nothing
holds a candle to the HG50. It's definitely not a one trick pony. Brian
did his homework on how to design an amp with almost no feedback issues
and an array of tone you can dial in to suit your taste. I am ecstatic
to own this amp.
I have played in some medium size to large rooms recently, and the HG50
did not need to be miced through the sound system. This is one loud amp
whenever you want it to be, and it has a full range of tone! I was
amazed at the deep low-end & how well the highs & mids fit
perfectly. When I play out at volume between 5-7, or am practicing at
home between 1-2, the HG50 breaks up where I want it to. If you find
yourself near any of the harp players who use the HG50 (Brian Purdy,
himself or Jason Ricci, etc.) who are scheduled for a gig, please GO
SEE THEM & hear the HG50 for yourself.
Last, but not least, I've had the honor of owning & playing through
every model of the Harpgear amps. Brian does exquisite work on every
amp he has designed! They all sound great & I highly recommend them
all.
- Scott Nickerson
I also received a picture form a longtime customer David Krauss.
This
is him at the Hessler Street Fair with the DT all setup and ready to go:
I really appreciate all the customer interaction and I look forward to
receiving more reviews and photos. As
always, feel free to write
or call
with any questions.
***5/18/08*** Tonight
I'll be over in Daytona, FL at Frank's Front Row to see Ben Prestage.
He is a one man band who plays mostly folk, roots and blues
music. If
you are over in the area it is a trip worth making. I played a
little
with him in Cocoa Beach at The Beach Shack last Sunday and it was a
blast. The green bullet mic has sold and I thank everyone who
wrote
about it. I'll talk with you soon. As always, feel free to write or call
with any questions.
***5/15/08*** I
have had a few people asking me if I had any mics for sale over the
last month and I have one really good vintage CM green bullet available
right now. If you are interested please let me know.
***5/14/08*** I
just got back from hanging out with Dennis Gruenling and after getting
to watch him perform for the last few nights all I can say is
WOW! He
was there with Doug Deming and the Jewel Tones and special guest Steve
Guyger. It was a tribute to Little Walter and they did an awesome
job. Yesterday Dennis and Steve held a Little Walter workshop
which
worked out really well. It was informative and
entertaining. They are
doing a Workshop in Atlanta tonight. You can email Jim mcBride at Bottle O Blues Mics
for more info on the seminar tonight if you are interested. It is
highly recommended.
***5/8/08*** Here
is a cool video one of my customers put up on Youtube of himself
playing the Double Trouble. He writes:
"Here is an example of the Harpgear Double Trouble harp-voiced
amplifier produced by Brian Purdy at harpgear.com. Please listen to a
variety of other players and samples before judging the amp as this is
just a little taste with one of a variety of settings, e.g, Shure 545
dynamic microphone plugged into input #1, volume at 6, tone on 10.
Hohner Big River Harp key of A."
So this is just him with his mic plugged directly into the Double
Trouble and man does he sound great. I really want to thank
everyone who has been so interactive with both myself and the
products. You guys are great!
***5/1/08*** I
am going to build a small run of limited edition 2x8" HG2 amplifiers.
They will be in unlacquered
tweed cabinets which are identical to the Double Trouble cabinet. I
will only be building 5 of these amps and I will be selling them for
less than the 1x8" HG2. The cost for the 2x8" HG2 amplifier will be
$750 plus shipping. That is $50 less than the standard HG2 amplifier.
You can see more about the HG2 including sound samples at:
http://www.harpgear.com/hg2.html The 2x8" sounds even bigger and
fuller than the standard HG2 sounds in the clips. Please feel free to
contact me with any questions at: brian@harpgear.com . The first HG50 amps
have been received and the reviews are now starting to come in. I
thought I would share a couple with you that I have received in the
past few days.
"Hello Brian!!! I would like to thank to you, everything is very
well.
I have had many amps, but HG50 is really the best harp amp. I
owe you
a lot . Greeting from the blues. andyharp"
Andy Harp from Germany
"I
just received my Harp Gear 50 (4x10) and thought I would report to
everyone. First, Brian Purdy is absolutely fantastic to deal with. His
customer service is top notch. I also own a Harp Gear Double Trouble
2x8 (my small to mid sized room amp) and couldn't wait to get my hands
on the HG50. The amp came packed soundly. The amp was double boxed with
styrofoam peanuts separating the 2 boxes to protect the amp. When I
opened the box, the amp looked beautiful. The craftmanship on this amp
is outstanding - a true custom piece. Then I plugged it in....Wow! This
amp sound fantastic. It has huge bottom end, punchy mids, and it really
sings - And it's loud too. When I grabbed an A harp and pulled on the 2
draw, the bass response was incredible - it filled the room. When I
tongue slapped the 6 blow, the amp barked. This amp can do it all. I
own a lot of amps, vintage and boutique, and my two Harp Gear amps are
my favorite. Normally I mic my other 4x10's for bigger show! s, but
didn't need to this past Saturday. The HG50 had plenty of volume to
keep up with my full band. I can't say enough good things about Brian
and his amps. If you haven't checked them out, do so at
www.harpgear.com - you won't be dissappointed. Bryan Lyburn Frederick,
MD Founder Harmonica Players Organization of Frederick"
Brian Lyburn from Maryland
Thanks guys, I really appreciate the business and I am glad you love
the amps!
***4/30/08*** If you are
looking for a great deal on a used like new HG2 please email me for details at
brian@harpgear.com. The Dallas
Harmonica Jam Camp was a great success and I really want to thank all
the students and the other coaches. Jon Gindick has decided to have me
be one of the coaches at most of the upcoming jam camps.
So this means there is a great chance we can meet up in person if you
decide to attend one of the upcoming camps. I got to meet some
great
customers in Dallas this year that I hadn't got to meet in the
past.
Besides the ability to learn a great deal about harmonica in a short
time at the camps you can also meet up with other people who love the
instrument as much as you do. I am a member of a Harmonica
Club that
formed because we all met at a Jon Gindick Jam Camp. There are so many
opportunities presented at these camps that I can't recommend them
enough. Here is the current schedule:
May
21-24, 2008 Gig
Harbor, Washington State at "The Inn at Gig Harbor" (fly into Seattle/Tacoma Airport) with
Jon
Gindick, Cheryl Arena, Grant Dermody, Kim Field, Jimi Lee, Ray
Beltran and
others.
October 16 through 19, San
Diego at
incredibly gorgeous Lafayette Hotel Thursday 3pm
through Sunday
6pm, at with Jon Gindick, Jimi Lee, Cheryl Arena, Brian Purdy and
others.
October 30 to November 2 ,
Virginia
Beach, Virginia at the Surf Side Inn (right on the beach)
Fly into Norfolk Airport with Jon Gindick, Jimi Lee, Cheryl Arena, Adam
Gussow,Brian Purdy and other
great player/coaches.
March 24-28, 2009, Hobson
Commissary
and Shack Up Inn, Clarksdale,Mississippi 5 day Jam
Camp with
Jon Gindick, Jimi Lee, Cheryl Arena, Adam Gussow, Brian Purdy, Billy
Gibson.
If
you have any questions regarding my experiences at the camps please
feel free to contact me anytime.
For
more info on Jam Camps, call Jon at 310-457-8278
***4/22/08*** There are
some new Jason Ricci videos
with him playing at a large blues festival in Jacksomville, FL.
It is
his entire set and quite enjoyable to watch. It appears to have
been
professionally done. In the video you can see at some parts he is
having a problem with his mics wireless transmitter that makes him cut
in and out a little. You can see him pushing it back in when it
happens. It is not the amplifier that is causing it to
happen. Now
that I made that small disclaimer, I hope you enjoy it. You can see the videos here.
***4/21/08*** I am
off to coach at Jon
Gindick's Jam Camp in Dallas on Wednesday 4/23/08. I will be
available by phone while I am away and I will check the internet for
email as it is possible. If I don't respond to your emails
right away and you need to get a hold of me please call me at
352-817-3679 anytime. I will be out in the Dallas area in the
evenings jamming with the Gindick Camp at local bars there if you want
to hang out and play. Feel free to call me if you would like to
meet up in Dallas. PLEASE READ
A wonderful , beautiful young lady and musician whom you might be
familiar with named Candye
Kane
is battling pancreatic cancer. She is such a great
wonderful human
being who could really use some help right now. She has been very
upbeat about her situation and has to be one of the strongest young
ladies around. She has no health insurance and unfortunately is
also
unable to perform at this time. I am sure you can imagine the
situation this has put her in. I have never used this site or my
news
section to ask anyone to help anyone, but I feel compelled to ask
now. If you can help with a small donation to her paypal
account I
would be most indebted and I am sure she would be very grateful
also.
As many of you know, this business doesn't offer many benefits and
sometimes we have to help each other. If you can donate even $1
that
would help. You can make donations to her with paypal at:
candyekanetour@aol.com For more on her story you can check
her blog at her myspace.
I am going to post a small excerpt from her blog here if you have the
time. It is amazing how upbeat she is and it is a great
reflection of
the beautiful spirit she has. Like I said before, anything you
can
give will help enormously. I appreciate everyone who took the
time to
read this. Thanks for your time and as always I am thankful for
everyone who stops by this site to visit.
The
Good kind of cancer??
I met with my pancreatic surgeon, Dr. Andrew Lowy today. He says I need
the Whipple. You can learn more here:
This operation is going to be very intense. They will remove 1/3 of my
pancreas, 10 inches of my small intestine, part of my stomach, part of
my bile duct and my gall bladder. They will reattach my intestine to my
pancreas and may have to take a vein from my neck to rebuild the portal
vein that goes to my liver. It is a five to eight hour surgery that
will have me in the hospital for at least two weeks; longer if there
are complications from the surgery. Often the pancreas tries to digest
all the stitches inside the body and so there is good possibility of
fluid leakage and I will have to have a port through my stomach so they
can drain all the fluid out. It is very dangerous and intense and this
is the GOOD kind of cancer!!!!
I have been offered two dates for surgery, one of them is april 18th.
The whipple is the only way to remove this tumor 100%. I have read so
much about it and many people have tried to eradicate the NETs
(neuroendocrine tumors) thru vitamin C therapies, laetrile therapies
and other alternative medicines to no avail. Now that I have had a
needle biopsy the tumor may grow more quickly. I read about one woman
whose tumor grew twice its size in one month after a needle biopsy!! I
am really worried now about my European tours because if I get
pancreatitis again then they wont be able to operate on me for weeks.
Pancreatitis is caused by stress and poor diet. Lack of sleep adds to
stress. Being in a van bouncing around all day adds to stress. Long
drives add to stress. Weird food at strange hours leads to stress. Jet
lag leads to stress. I am still trying to decide if I am going or not.
This news today was most upsetting.
I was supposed to do some workshops with my special needs kids in the
Netherlands this week, in anticipation of our scheduled tour on June
21. I think now I will have to cancel the workshops, and tours and have
this intense surgery on April 18th so I can get on the road to recovery
and maybe resume working in June.
I am very worried about this surgery. Being a fat girl doesn’t help
things in the surgical realm. But I have lost 10 lbs so far just from
giving up dairy, fried anything, red meat, coffee, sugar, sodas,
starches, fats and bread other than Ezekial. I am staying active,
riding my bike, still juicing and trying to be as strong as possible
for this surgery. I will definitely be skinnier when this is all over
and hopefully, cancer free!! I will have the surgery at UCSD Thornton
Hospital in La Jolla.
The first benefit for me is planned for April 20th at Perqs in
Huntington Beach 117 Main St 92648 (714) 960-9996 from 1:00 pm to 6:00
pm. My friends Desiree Martinez and Carlos Guitarlos have assembled an
amazing array of my friends to perform: Janiva Magness, Juke Logan,
Cesar Rosas from Los Los Lobos, Phil Alvin, Billy Sheets, Lynwood Slim,
Laurie Morvan. Kid Ramos, The Gears, Gil T, Jeff and Kurt Ross, Thomas
Yearsley, Greg Boaz, Jungle Juice and The Kooks. If you can attend,
please do. I wont be there since I will have just had surgery but I
will be there in spirit.
The next one is May 5th at Humphreys in San Diego. Chet Cannon has
organized this one and confirmed are Sue Palmer, Billy Watson, Ruby and
the Red Hots, Michelle Lundeen, Chris Klich, Robbie Smith, Scottie
Blinn, Juke Logan, Joey Harris, Heine and Missy Andersen. If you’d like
to play contact chet at blushouter@aol.com
My friend Barbara Hammerman is planning a benefit in the seattle area.
If you would like to play, please contact Giginthenarrows@aol.com
Rosie Flores is also planning a benefit in Austin with my friends Susan
Antone and Margaret Moser. To play the Antones benefit, please contact
Rosie at chickwpick@earthlink.net
My heart is so full from all the love and white light you have been
sending me. I will be laid up for several months after this surgery and
so all of these benefits will help pay for my living expenses and
medi-cal co-pays, and help the band survive with no work. I am very
pleased that I qualified for co-pay medi-cal, only because I have a
child under 21. If I didn’t have a child under 21, I would have to
apply for social security. When I spoke to the social worker about it,
he said, "Yes, some people just expire while they are waiting for SSI."
!!!! He said people just EXPIRE like a carton of milk or some old lunch
meat. It was so sad. It was a harsh realization that poor people’s
lives don’t matter in this rich country of ours. Wow. I am lucky to
have a kid under 21 but in just two years, it will be over and I will
be ineligible. I don’t know how I will have the follow up care and
scans I will need! Oh well, one day at a time…..
I am so lucky and blessed in so many ways. I have so many of YOU
rallying for me. They found the tumor early. It has not spread
anywhere. I have no symptoms. Im fat so I can stand to lose some of the
weight thru this surgery. Other than being very scared and sad
occasionally, I feel great.
I am still staying optimistic and I have written this little song I
sing daily:
Im gonna be just fine.
Im gonna be just fine
Im gonna live till 109
Im gonna be just fine
Im gonna grow real old
Im gonna grow real old
A white haired lady with a lotta soul
Im gonna grow real old
Grandbabies on my knee
Grandbabies on my knee
I love them and they love me
Grandbabies on my knee
Im healing even now
Im healing even now
Show the world exactly how
Im healing even now.
Please keep those healing thoughts a coming….and any donations you can
muster at www.paypal.com user name, candyekanetour@aol.com
Wish this were all an april fools joke….
candye
***4/17/08*** I just
got a letter yesterday from a student I worked with out at Jon Gindick's Jam Camp
in Clarksdale, MS last month. I thought I would share it for
those who
have written and asked me if the camps really help get you to the next
level.
One
month post Clarksdale
has made me realize how muchI had
actually absorbed from being there. I
want you know how much Iappreciated
your help in our one on one
lesson. Because you took time tofocus
on where I was in my playing and then
recommended various practice methods
I have improved emensely.
Also, there were so many greatplayer/students
there, I was somewhat
intimidated and started to get a bit
discouraged as to where I was in my playing.
Your class in the back
room on Saturday morning made me see that it
was alright to be rightwhere I was
for now. You made recommendations
on how and what to practice and said
with time it will come. So, bottom
line, you lifted my spiritsand
encouraged me to keep working at the harp
and made me realize that
with time and the correct practice, good tone
and playin will be
possible. Thanks a million.
I appreciate the letter Jeff. I was a student of Jon's Jam Camps
for
years and my ability to teach and play like I do came from all the
experiences I had there and with the teachers I met while attending
Jon's jam camps. I still have a long way to go myself and just
like
you, I work on it daily and I get closer all the time. I really
want
to thank Jon for bringing me on as a coach. The experience has
been
extremely rewarding and I hope to meet many more of you at the jam
camps in the future. If you have
any questions about anything please feel free to contact me anytime.
***4/14/08*** I
just got back yesterday from spending a week on the road with Jason
Ricci and it was a great experience. I got to meet quite a few
harp
players along the way and it was a pleasure. I can't say how much
of a
learning experience it is to be with a great band like that for any
period of time. If you get the chance to see Jason Ricci and New
Blood
on the road I highly recommend it. You can find more info on the
band
and their tour dates at: JasonRicci.com.
I will be in Dallas next week coaching at the Gindick Jam Camp.
If you haven't made it to one of his jam camps you should try to attend
one. He along with a staff of the best instructors provides an
intensive 4 days of harp guaranteed to get you to your next
level. I
will be there from 4/23 - 4/27. If you have any questions about
anything please feel free to contact
me anytime.
***4/09/08*** I
will be away from the computer for a few days on the road. If
anyone
needs me for any reason please feel free to call me. The show in
Ocala
with Jason went great and we had a great showing. I really want
to
thank everyone who showed up last night for the support. We are
working on putting another great show on at the Ritz in Ocala soon with
some other great performers. Once again, please don't hesitate to
call
me with any questions and please have patience if you email.
Thank
you! 352-817-3679
***4/05/08*** I
will be in Cocoa Beach with Jason Ricci tomorrow for his Beach Shack
Gig for anyone in the area that wants to get together down there.
On
Monday night he will be hosting the Beach Shack Blues Jam.
Tuesday
will find us back here in Ocala, FL where he will be playing at the
Ritz Historic Inn. I hope to see anyone who can make it.
***4/02/08*** Some good
news here at HarpGear. I will now be carrying the Lone Wolf Harp Delay
for those who wish to buy one when they are purchasing their amp.
You
can find my review of this delay pedal under the news section. As
far
as I am concerned it is the best delay on the market as of
now. I
will also have them for sale with me when I am at Gindick's Jam Camps
or any other seminars. I really want to thank Randy over at Lone
Wolf
for working with me on making the delay pedal available to my customers
directly. If you are looking to order just the pedal please see his website and you can
order them directly form his site. Randy is a great guy with
great service. On to the next topic:
Jason Ricci recently had a show venue change here in Ocala, FL and I
wanted to list it for those who swing by here to get the latest on
whats going on. Jason Ricci and the New
Blood will be performing at the Ritz Historic Inn on Tuesday April 8th
2008. The performance is 8pm -
12am. Cover is $5.00
The Ritz is located at:
1205 E Silver Springs Blvd
Ocala, FL 34470
(352) 671-9300
The Ritz Historic Inn is a quaint bed and
breakfast style inn which offers beautiful suites for anyone looking to
spend
the night.The Ritz is offering suites
starting from $89.95 - $139.95 with Jacuzzi suites for $199.95.So if you are travelling to see Jason you may
wish to take advantage of these great room rates.To
get these room rates please mention Mike
or Roger.The Ritz has a full bar with
the cheapest drink prices in town all night long.We
hope to see you there.
For more info on Jason Ricci and the New
Blood see: http://www.jasonricci.com
For
more information on the Ritz Historic Inn please see:
http://www.ritzhistoricinn.com/
***3/27/08*** I just
updated the HG50 page with all the sound
samples. You can check it out here.
***3/27/08*** Today I was
surfing around on YouTube and I found a video of Jon Gindick doing his
version of Good Morning Little Schoolgirl. I thought I would
share it here. Be sure to see his other videos on YouTube.
There is a lot to learn there.
***3/26/08*** Jon Gindick
just got in touch with me and I will be one of the coaches at the camp
in Dallas TX on April 24th-27th. If you are looking for a
great
learning experience please consider coming to see us in
Dallas. Your
playing will grow leaps and bounds with the great assortment of coaches
out there. You can find out more about this class and the other
locations he is offering around the country at HarmonicaJamCamp.com
Thanks for looking and I hope to see you there!
***3/26/08***
Jason just did an HG50 sound sample with no effects for
all the people who wanted to hear it dry.
*** 3/23/08 *** The
Gindick
Jam
Camp
in Clarksdale, Miss. was a blast. I was there as a coach instead
of a
student this time and I worked with some wonderful people. It is
always great seeing the leaps and bounds that are made by the students
as the week progresses. It was held at the Hopson Commissary
right by
the crossroads of 49 and 61. It is on the same grounds as the Shack Up Inn
which is the way to stay in the delta if you are headed that way.
One
interesting thing to see there is the original Bluesmobile. Dan
Akroyd
retired his Bluesmobile there after it spent some time at a House of
Blues. The owner of the commissary, James, was nice enough to
take my
wife, son and me for a ride around the compound in it. My son is
6 yrs
old and loves the Blues Brothers so he was as excited as ever.
Jon
Gindick put a great camp together that had a live band daily to jam
with as well as some of the best coaches around to help you get to your
next level. If you ever get time to spend at a Gindick Jam Camp I
really recommend that you make one. I will be coaching at the
Virginia
Beach Jam Camp Oct. 30th - Nov 2 if you want to come hang out and have
a great time learning by the beach. Here are some pics from
Clarksdale.
Brian and Billy Gibson
The family at the Delta Blues Museum
The Hopson Commissary
My
son and me in the Bluesmobile
*** 3/23/08 *** I
just got back from the Gindick
Jam
Camp in Clarksdale, Miss. I will post more about it
soon. In the meanwhile check out this new clip featuring the HG50
and Jason Ricci.
*** 3/16/08 *** NOTICE
I am off to the Gindick Jam
Camp
in Clarksdale, Miss. I will be there until March 24th and I don't
know
if I will have internet access. Please be patient if you email me
and
I don't respond immediately. I can also be reached at my
cellphone @
352-817-3679 anytime you need me. Please feel free to
contact me directly with any amp questions or purchases during this
week. As always, I am here for you anytime you need me and
please do
not hesistate to call me. Thanks!
352-817-3679
*** 3/12/08 ***
Little Walter was just inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of
Fame. Here's the footage for your enjoyment!
*** 3/07/08 ***
The information on the HG50 is now updated and can be found under amps
and here.
*** 3/05/08 ***
Some more news coming your way today. Jon Gindick just got with
me to let me know about the jam camp in Dallas they recently
added. It is 4 Days in Dallas, Texas April
23-26, 2008 w/
Jon, Jimi Lee, Cheryl Arena, Gerl Welsh, Paul Harrington and daily
jamming with Hash Brown Blues Band.
I know I am always talking about Jon's Harmonica Jam Camps here
but it is for good reason. When I first started going to Jon's
camps I was a definite beginner. I remember Jon sitting in the
hall with me, giving me one on one time, trying to get me to articulate
those notes and make my tone more pronounced. I have come a
long way since then and attended many more camps since then.
Besides Jon, who is an affable harmonica virtuoso and teacher you will
find a staff
of great players / teachers who are all masters in their own right and
can teach within all levels. It is a comfortable,
non-competetive enviorment full of harp players all eager to learn and
share. You will make lifelong friends there and get to your
next level.
Every player I have recommended the camp to has thanked me afterwards
and gotten drastically better almost instantly. The ability to
get
personalized attention from a professional who can fine tune the skills
you have as well as help you figure out what you need to get to the
next level is invaluable. I will be at the Jam Camp in Clarksdale
Mississippi coming up and I am sure I will be at many more to
come. Do
yourself a favor and try to make one of these camps. You'll be
glad
you did!
*** 3/04/08 ***
It has been a very busy week. I got to see the Nighthawks this week in
Gainesville at the 1982 club. I will be on my way to Clarksville,
Miss. for the Gindick Jam Camp
there in a couple of weeks. It is sure to be a blast. If
you have never been to a Gindick Jam Camp I highly recommend
them. There is some great talent there and you will learn a
lot. On another note a clip has popped up on Youtube of Jason Ricci playing the
HG50. The
first party is acoustic and the second part is amplified through the
HG50..