Some musicians become synonymous with their instruments: John Coltrane owns the tenor sax; Eddie Van Halen has his Frankenstrat; and it's hard to picture John Popper, lead singer of Blues Traveler, without a harmonica pressed to his lips.

Yet Hohner, one of the world's foremost harmonica manufacturers and the maker of Popper's weapon of choice, doesn't sponsor the band — which baffles Blues Traveler bassist Tad Kinchla.

"For some reason, Hohner doesn't do sponsorships, which is really bizarre because — my opinion aside — when you think of harmonica players, John Popper's one of the first people you think of," Kinchla said by phone before a recent show at Clemson University. "How many rock 'n' roll harmonica players do you know?"

Throwing concert-used harmonicas into the crowd is a signature move for Popper. He and the rest of Blues Traveler will be tossing souvenirs at the Chameleon Club on Thursday, Nov. 5.

"It wouldn't be a Blues Traveler show if we didn't throw away a couple hundred dollars in harmonicas," Kinchla said.

But things aren't quite like they used to be. Hohner harmonicas aren't cheap, and the tally of discarded instruments had started to affect the bottom line. Now the band uses a more cost-effective promotional device: a Blues Traveler model harmonica, complete with insignia.

On other fronts, too, the band has ratcheted things down a bit. Blues Traveler no longer maintains the high profile it once had.

Blues Traveler found mainstream stardom with its 1994 release "Four."  The band's first three albums were marginal successes, but "Four" became a campus staple and notched three charted singles, "Run-Around," "Hook" and "The Mountains Win Again."  "Run Around" won a Grammy for best rock performance by a duo or group with vocal.

After a few years in the spotlight, the band released its fifth studio album, "Straight on Till Morning," which got a quieter reception. But they kept producing, releasing four more studio albums, the latest, "North Hollywood Shootout," in 2008.

The band tours internationally most of the year and works on new music in the winter months. This winter, they'll take a break while Popper pursues a side project.

When they go their separate ways, Kinchla heads home to Austin, Texas, as does keyboardist Ben Wilson. Guitarist Chan Kinchla, Tad's older brother, lives in Los Angeles, and Popper and drummer Brendan Hill both call Seattle home. Spread out across the country, the band doesn't practice a lot.

"So much of our time is spent playing that we rarely rehearse," Kinchla said. "Basically, when you're not on tour, you don't need to hang out."

Kinchla said he's enjoying the band's foray into the world of smaller record labels. Blues Traveler began its run with industry giant A&M but has since settled in with Verve.

The industry itself appears to be slimming down alongside the band.

"Nowadays, the whole music industry is changing," Kinchla said, "so instead of viewing it as albums, I think we're viewing it more as … a song, or several songs, [which] we could release piecemeal or however we want to. This is the benefit of contemporary strategy and the infrastructure of the music business."

Independent and smaller record companies have benefited, he said, because they've picked up good talent that is profitable and creatively energized.

All of what Blues Traveler has produced, big label or small, will be on display at the Chameleon.

Watch for flying harmonicas.

Blues Traveler, with opening act Jack Dillman, will perform Thursday, Nov. 5, at the Chameleon Club, 223 N. Water St., in downtown Lancaster. Doors open at 7 p.m. For ticket information, call 299-9684 or visit chameleonclub.net.