i know alot of people have weighed in on this, and i doubt i'll say anything new, but i thought i'd add my vote on the pro/con cheap harp debate: i own a full set of the cheapest harps i could find -- Johnson Blues Kings, not even a buck each. i own about a half-dozen of the $20 range off-the-shelf harps, and a couple of custom harps with more on the way. for my money, the Johnsons were a good deal. i didn't own a full set of harps yet, and i could use the cheap ones to mess around in different keys and jam with different songs. i use them to find keys of songs, and when i need a better harp to play in that key (happened once) i buy a better stock in that key. i can practice tuning, reed replacement, whatever (and most need it!), and i don't mind if they get messed up cause the whole set cost me as much as one Special 20. the off the shelf harps like Marine Bands have their pros and cons. sometimes, out of the box, they suck. or reeds go flat after a month or two. that's only sometimes, and i've had many more good harps than bad. in general i find i like the Special 20s and if i need a usable harp but don't want to spring for a custom, that's what i get. the custom harps i have so far i LOVE. i play them more often, and i play them BETTER -- which isn't to say this'll be true for everyone. also, price is an issue. customs range from $60 to well over $100. some charge more for workmanship equal to what others do cheaper, but at the same time, it's hard to argue that the most expensive customs aren't the best, as any Filisko owner swears. and beyond just building the better 10-hole, there's all kinds of special tunings, stretch-jobs (like brendan powers'), and comb choices you won't be able to get without shelling out some cash. (well, tunings you can do on your own, IF you know how...) the best thing to do, in my opinion, is KNOW what you NEED and buy accordingly. all harps from cheap to cherry have their place, but it's up to YOU, the buyer, to figure out which tool is right for which job. sometimes you'll make a bad decision, but if you ask questions and do your research, more often than not you'll find what you're looking for, and life will be good. which means you'll have to get the blues somewhere else ;)
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