I’m Rick Park and welcome to my custom harmonica and mic web-site and store! I hope you like my custom harps and mics and find time to leave a comment – not just about the site and my stuff, but anything about harmonicas. Please help me get this site going – whether or not you fancy buying any of my harp gear!
I thought I’d start by explaining how I started my love affair with the harmonica.. it kicked off when I was ten (back in 1971) when my dad gave me my first harmonica – a diatonic honer harmonica in G – and taught me to play ”home on the range”. It was such a cool sound and that was before I discovered the blues! I’ve loved the soulful sound of the harp ever since then although I’ve still got a long way to go in all the instruments I play – harmonica, banjo and violin; especially the harmonica.
My coolest moment with a harmonica was during my travels on a motorcycle around Australia, a couple of years after finishing my marine biology degree (that’s my trade). As free as a bird I was traveling with my girlfriend and living in a tent; hardly any cash, wild camping and cooking meals in the open – living under the stars. It was good – really good! I had with me my Hohner Chromonica which I’d bought at uni, and I’d often pull a few tunes in the evening – enjoying the moment and passing lazy times.
I was in Queensland in a really remote spot, at the end of miles of dirt road, not far from a wooded creek which was lush with tropical growth and there was plenty of wildlife kicking about. It was another fabulous night – hot and humid with a sky full of stars. It was late and I was playing a few tunes when the wild dingo dogs joined in! If that doesn’t qualify as cool what came next definitely does. Excited and enjoying my wild accompaniment I was taken aback when suddenly a squeeze box joined in and skilfully played along! Now we were really remote so this was quite a surprise – but kept playing a while; ending in cheers, distant clapping and laughter! Another couple, German I seemed to recall, traveling and living their dream.
I’d love to hear what it is about the harp that does it for you, and some of the good times you’ve had playing along. Cheers – Rick