I wanted to do a short post about custom Harmonica’s after I saw someone asking about Deak Harp and his custom pieces.
When purchasing a custom Harmonica one must consider what they are trying to accomplish before spending the money. The style and overall breath force that a player usually uses is also a huge factor. A good customizer will talk to you about your style of play and how hard or soft you really play. He will also ask you about your experience with bending, overblows, and overdraws.
There are usually several tiers a customizer will offer. The price will increase depending on how much actual work you want done on your new custom Harmonica. Setting the action for your breath force and style, as well as setting up the Harp for over blows (if you wish to get them easier) is critical. Do not buy a prebuilt custom Harmonica that has not been adjusted or tailored for you personally. All of the best customizers offer several levels of customization as well as many different options for setting up the action.
You also will get a Harmonica that takes much less breath force to produce sound. This is a huge bonus when spending money on a custom Harmonica.
Hope this helps.