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My store is not taking any orders today due to health reasons which limit to my productivity.
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My custom harmonicas, combs and tools are made to order. If items are out of stock on my website, it's likely due to my workload is at the limit. Please see my dealers for all items I offer.
Maximum production times may be up to 16 business days for combs and tools. Current production time for custom harmonicas are shown on the top of the custom page.
Thanks for your support.
Andrew
Overblows
Adding the overblow option to a Full Custom harmonica enables the 1, 4, 5 and 6 hole OVERBLOWS and 7, 8, 9 and 10 hole OVERDRAWS to be played as melody notes. You can play all overbends from a full stop. This harmonica features overblows and overdraws that are sustainable and bendable using regular breath force.
Blow notes, draw notes, bends and overblows/overdraws all play with the same breath force; the overblows do not need any extra breath to play than any other notes. (Although the 1-hole overblow is played with regular breath force, the embouchure required can take significant effort - you must open very wide! This is how our vocal tract works regardless of the setup of the instrument.)
An overblow/overdraw harmonica responds to fine control but not brute force. Any harmonica that offers high-quality overblows and overdraws must compromise the ability to play under very hard breath force in exchange for the maximum depth of the overbend notes.
Regular notes will respond to lighter breath on an Overblow harp as compared to a stock harp. This is particularly noticeable in lower keys. If you play exclusively with hard breath force you may find an Overblow setup limiting.
But for most players, the enhanced control of an Overblow harp allows for expression you can't experience from any other harmonica.
This harp enables you to play from ppp (pianississimo - very very soft) to fff (fortississimo - very very loud) and everything in between - all with very little breath.
Available as:
- Rocket
- Special 20
- Marine Band Deluxe or Crossover
- Golden Melody Classic (Not the Progressive version)
My Basic custom is a pro-grade harp that is tailored for second position playing.
This harp offers fantastic response. It's ideal for players who require a great instrument but feel that their playing style may not make use of everything a full custom harp has to offer. Overblows on holes 4,5 and 6 are playable as passing notes.
My Basic Custom harp is "one-size-fits-all".
The Full Custom packs a lot of power. It's a responsive harp that is loud without needing a lot of effort. It’s extremely easy and satisfying to play.
Expect superb control over all blow and draw bends needed for playing in multiple positions. Overblows on holes 4,5 and 6 are available as passing notes.
This harp enables you to play from pp (pianissimo - very soft) to ff (fortissimo - very loud) and everything in between - all with very little breath.
This harmonica features overblows and overdraws that are sustainable and bendable using regular breath force. Blow notes, draw notes, bends and overblows/overdraws all play with the same breath force; the overblows do not need any extra breath to play than any other notes.
For most players, the enhanced control of an Overblow harp allows for expression you
can't experience from any other harmonica.
This harp enables you to play from ppp (pianississimo - very very soft) to fff (fortississimo - very very loud) and everything in between - all with very little breath.
Reconstructed - No Reed Work. A Reconstructed NRW harmonica™ is not a custom harmonica because it does not feature high-performance reed work.
Whereas a custom harmonica does most of the work for you and is played with little effort, an NRW harmonica™ is played with regular breath force. As such it is the best choice for players who cannot use breath control.
Every player secretly hopes to "win the lottery" and get a "really good one" when they buy a new stock (non-customized) harp from the music store.
A Reconstructed NRW harp™ exceeds that expectation because attention is paid to every detail of its foundation as it is rebuilt. But it does not feature custom reed work (reed shaping). It aims to be powerful, consistent from top to bottom and in perfect tune.
My Reconstructed NRW harmonicas™ are CAD$150 to $175.