The Lee Oskar Harmonicas family warmly welcomes Michael Easton to our global team!
Michael is considered to be one of the world’s top harmonica technicians, with more than 25 years of experience in harmonica tuning, restoration/repair, customization, and exceptional service to players. Harmonica players around the US and the world trust Michael’s advice and recommendations, which are drawn from his wealth of technical skills and craftsmanship honed throughout his career.
Service is Michael’s top priority. His business belief is “you are friends and fellow harp players before you are a customer,” and when you share a love of the same thing, people aren’t clients, they are friends with a common interest.
How it all began
Michael’s journey in the harmonica world began as a child of the 1960’s, and his early influences inspired a lifetime obsession with the sound that the harmonica could make. He was first introduced to Lee when he heard WAR’s radio releases of “Slipping into Darkness,” which showed a different way that the harmonica could be used in a band setting. This made a lasting impression on him.
Other early exposures to the harmonica included the Beatles song, “Love Me Do,” and a Little Walter instrumental 45 rpm.
In 1972 at age 15, he purchased his first harmonica… but not the right one for blues. That’s when he started buying as many books as he could find on the instrument and those who played them.
Upon graduating from high school, he had to “get a job or move out” in his dad’s words. He ended up in the dental field as a dental technician. Decades later, he found he could transfer his knowledge, creativity, and problem-solving ability applied in that profession to working on the harmonica.
He started to work on his own diatonic harmonicas around 1997 using dental tools. This led to advancing the idea of using rotary tools to tune harmonicas alongside files. A few harmonica band players were using dental burs, but these are too coarse for the delicate brass alloy reeds. Michael introduced using abrasive rubber wheels, which polish the reed into tune rather than scraping it. To this day, Michael uses both files and rotary tools.
The second innovation that Michael brought to the harmonica world was a way to solder reeds to dramatically alter the pitch. It was being done in the past, but with mixed results due to the solder flowing where you didn’t want it. He found a way to control how solder flows to achieve better uniform and professional-looking results. Industry professionals have taken note of and follow Michael’s recommendations on how to tune reeds by soldering.
In 1999, he was asked to join the Filisko Guild, which included techs Joe Filisko, Richard Sleigh and Jimmy Gordon. It was through his conversations with Jimmy and hands-on training with Richard that he learned how to approach working on harmonicas— not only as a technician but also a craftsman. He also credits UK’s Pat Missin and Doug Tate and US’s Dick Gardner for guidance via emails in his early years.
In 2003, he branched off from the Guild to focus more on the restoration and repair of chromatic harmonicas, where there was a void that his experience uniquely equipped him to fill. And now, more than two decades later, Michael has earned his place as a leading technician known for his extensive knowledge and dedication to his craft.
Now a proud member of the Lee Oskar family, Michael looks forward to hearing from you, whether your harmonica needs to be serviced, tuned, or customized.
