Harmonica Resources

By now you no doubt have favourite music stores, where you are well known. Here are some suggestions for spending your money.

1) Still More Harmonicas

Next time you are on the bandstand, estimate the cost of the other instruments on stage, then total the cost of your own, You may have spent by far the least on instruments. Most manufacturers now offer premium harmonicas, which are easier to play, more powerful and better made than their cheaper counterparts. You should investigate these, and settle on the best instruments you can afford. Also, a small number of harmonica customisers are producing instruments far superior to any commercial ones. Read here for more on custom instruments. Seydel has recently introduced a premium model, the Lightning, all stainless steel, with "polished" reeds, created through a new manufacturing process. I have a set of Lightnings, they have immense power. More details are here

2) Stage Equipment

At this point you should have organised gear which best produces your sound. Two points to consider. If you have equipment which creates a sound you like, never sell it. Every harmonica player, myself included, has stories of gear which slipped through their fingers. Secondly, if you have no immediate need for an item, either for performance or recording, then don't buy it. Save your money for the piece of equipment you really need. Or, buy better harmonicas. However, if you are regularly on loud blues stages, then you already know that the 1959 Fender Bassman Re-issue or one of it's clones is the amp to have. If you want (almost) the same sound, at around half the weight (and price), then try the Tone Master '59 Bassman.

3) Harmonica Albums

If you don't already have these:

1) Now You Can Talk About Me - George "Harmonica" Smith: Considered the father of the West Coast blues harmonica style, George Smith was a master of third position and chromatic blues styles.
2) The Molinaro-Levy Project: Live: Howard Levy is rightly considered the most advanced harmonica player on the planet. Listen to this live performance to understand why.
3) Blood on the Road - Jason Ricci and the New Blood: Jason Ricci is at the forefront of a new generation of blues based players. His music is hard edged, his harmonica playing awe inspiring.
4) Buddy Greene - Harmonica Anthology: For traditional tunes you simply cannot go past Buddy Greene.
5) The Best of Slim Harpo: Slim Harpo had a simple and direct style. Many great players have covered his songs.

4) Harmonica Resources

When I started, harmonica players generally kept to themselves. Information was hard to find, you had to seek it alone. All this has changed, with courses like this one, and others like it. If you're a Facebook user, the the "Modern Blues Harmonica" and the "Bluegrass, Country and Old-Time Harmonica" groups have a great crowd of friendly like-minded folk. If you live in the USA, the SPAH Convention, held every August, is a joyful gathering of around 400 players, including many of the vary finest, all in one hotel. I attend every year.