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Harp players

#21
DataDan said:
There are a few songs we always do with him on stage (long train runnin' comes to mind) and we get a good reaction from the crowd. He isnt part of the band and doesnt ask for a cut of the money.
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Your situation is exactly like ours, right down to the "Long Train Runnin'".

He doesn't ask for a cut of the money now, but let it go on and he will. Guaranteed. What happens when a person at the one of your gigs walks up to him and says, "you really are a killer harp player, and the rest of the band is great too, I want to hire you guys for a party next month" or same scenario but dude drops a $50 in the tip jar?

These are real examples that actually happened. Resulted in issues. Harp player saw himself as at least an equal partner in those transactions, some of the rest of the band (including me) did not. You never really know for sure if you are making that extra $ because of the harp or not. The longer you let this situation go on, the more the harp player will see himself as building up payment due to him. He wouldn't be human if he did not.

I will say that in our situation the harp player also can also play percussion (shaker) and since we gig semi-accoutically without a conventional drummer this helps too. But not enough to make me want to split the $ 5 ways instead of 4.....
 
#25
here's my bandleader and best friend for over twenty years .
great harp guy and front man ...
guess i'm just lucky !:D
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#28
No disrespect intended but based on my previous experiences with harmonica players, I refuse to work with one in a gigging band.

If it is just a jam/party type thing, I am OK with it but not in any paying gig. Most harmonica players simply do not know when to play and when to not play.
 
#29
boynamedsuse said:
$7 harmonica = $70 bass at Walmart
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Too true.

My two centavos on harmonicas. I don't care for wood combs. I'm not a particularly germ phobic individual but all the spit soaking into the wood is kinda disgusting.

I play mostly Special 20s. I have a couple guys who specialize in modding them I go to. I like the Golden Melody a lot. I've got big hands and they fit my hands best of all but don't work in any rack I've found. I also like Lee Oskars and own a couple of Suzuki Promasters
 
#35
A good harp player (like Tim Gonzalez here in Nashville) is a joy to play with.
A bad wannabe harp player is like a cliche in a World War II movie....
("Kansas" plays mournful harp in the background.)
Kid: "Sarge, is it true you never hear the bullet that gets you?"
Sarge: "Don't worry, Kid. Hey Kansas, how about something a little happier?"
:D
 
#36
Roy Vogt said:
A good harp player (like Tim Gonzalez here in Nashville) is a joy to play with.
A bad wannabe harp player is like a cliche in a World War II movie....
("Kansas" plays mournful harp in the background.)
Kid: "Sarge, is it true you never hear the bullet that gets you?"
Sarge: "Don't worry, Kid. Hey Kansas, how about something a little happier?"
:D
Click to expand...

kelly's Heros comes to mind.
 
#37
Thanks for the input guys. Seems like most of us are on or near the same page when it comes to the harp players.

•Good harp, played at the right times is great, but be weary over drama concerning money at paid gigs.
•we all shutter at the harp that plays over leads, vocals, and everything else.
•Good front man that also plays harp seems like the acceptation to the previous points. I don't see any down side to this guy!
•Yes, the old arced wood with the long strings is technically a harp, but we are talking about harps here. (but I hear harps are making a comeback)
 
#38
DataDan said:
•Yes, the old arced wood with the long strings is technically a harp, but we are talking about harps here. (but I hear harps are making a comeback)
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euh ... the old arced wood with long strings is not only technically a harp ... it is a harp what you talk about is an harmonica !!! it is like calling an apple an orange, no wonder some people got confuse when you don't use the right terminology.
 

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