jonsparrow
5 posts
Mar 31, 2009
4:27 PM
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sorry if this been done allready.
whats your favorite harp to play?
i have
2 marineband, 1 golden melody, an 2 special20 harps.
i like special20 the best. they play the best for me. maybe i just had bad luck but every harp i got except for special20's cause they didnt play very well. one marineband i even sent back to hohner for repair cause the 3hole draw was so bad. marineband does have the best tone though. i know the marineband is naturally harder to play being that it leaks an what not, but the ones i got just feel so inconsistant from one hole to the next. an the special20's feel so smooth. i would like to get a nice custom harp one day cause i dont realy like the plastic sound. i also got a cheap hohner pocket pal an some big chord harp from china. both were givin to me from my pops.
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snakes
149 posts
Mar 31, 2009
4:31 PM
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If I had to play a Hohner it would be a SP20. I don't so I play Suzuki Bluesmasters. Hohners are notoriously suspect out of the box in my experience. I own Lee Oskars, Suzuki Bluesmasters, Suzuki Promasters, Seydel Blues Session, Seydel 1847 Classic Silver, and the following Hohners:
Golden Melody
Marine Band
Pro Harp
Blues Harp
MB Special Anniversary Edition 1996
Special 20
Big River
I really like the playability of the Suzukis. Tone goes to the Marine Band, but I just find them leaky and hard to get draw bends on some keys.
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jonsparrow
7 posts
Mar 31, 2009
6:26 PM
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iv been thinkin about gettin a suzuki fire breath. they seem apealing.
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djm3801
70 posts
Mar 31, 2009
6:44 PM
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Favorites:
Delta frost in several keys - Most consistent nice sound.
Special 20 in several keys - Very good nice sound.
Golden Melody in A - think I got a bad one.
Also own Seydel session in C - OK - needs a lot of air.
Suzuki bluesmaster in G - fair
Suzuki Promaster in E - fair
Lee Oskar in C - good but dislike sound
Blues harp in C - not bad at all.
Marine band in A - hate it.
Next one - Thinking a buddah lotus Spec 20.
My opinion.
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snakes
150 posts
Mar 31, 2009
8:23 PM
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You can get a Suzuki Bluesmaster for under $25.00 before shipping. The Firebreath (as well as the Promaster and others) is considered better, but the Bluesmaster is just plain easy to play in my opinion.
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Miles Dewar
275 posts
Mar 31, 2009
8:38 PM
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Lee oskar
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---Go Bears!!! (Richard Dent for Hall of Fame)---
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Andrew
197 posts
Apr 01, 2009
12:15 AM
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Short answer - MBs at the moment, for their tone, but they need a lot of modification work.
A while back I compared a Seydel Solist Pro in Bb with a MB Deluxe in A and preferred the MB Deluxe, quite a lot. One of the reasons is the tone - the Seydel's tone is pretty dead.
Last night I found myself 150 miles from home and an old guitar-playing work colleague said, "I've got food and beer and a mic and an amp. Did you bring a harp?" I said no, I didn't want the hotel to throw me out, so we went to a music shop and I bought an MB in D to see if it was better than my old MB in D.
I realise now I should have bought an SP20 just to compare it with my MBs.
I'd forgotten just how beautiful and shiny they are when they are fresh out of the box. I opened it and it gleamed at me and said, Hi, look how pretty I am! (I hope you don't think I'm a wacko for saying that!)
Last Edited by on Apr 01, 2009 12:21 AM
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jonsparrow
11 posts
Apr 01, 2009
9:30 AM
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that should teach you to never leave home with out a harp. how do the MB deluxe play? they dont leak right? are the holes consistant?
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RyanMortos
125 posts
Apr 01, 2009
9:46 AM
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Um, only been playing a few months but Im rockin' all Hohners (1 MB,1 GM,1 BH,2 S20).
I havent decided on a favorite. I like the golden melody yet it has a lame buzz on low draw notes, I like the special 20s but I prefer the shape, sound of the marine band. The blues harp is okay but a pain to do bends, I think. I enjoy the marine band but need to change out the nails with bolts & seal the comb at some point. Overall I dont see a gapping or tuning problem on any of them out of the box. If I had to buy a set at his point Id get all marine bands probably. Though, I guess in time Ill find how unpredictable everything really is.
Hohners are really easy to prefer due to availability. I havent been to a real music shop yet that didnt carry them.
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~Ryan
PA
Ryan's Tube - Containing [0] uploads and counting...
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DanP
66 posts
Apr 01, 2009
9:52 AM
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The Suzuki Bluesmaster is my favorite. I tongue-block 90% of the time so I put the harp deep in my mouth and the Bluesmaster is the most comfortable for me. It feels great, looks great(stainless cover plates), plays great and bends great. Plus the price is right.
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Andrew
198 posts
Apr 01, 2009
11:28 AM
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Jon,
the MB deluxe isn't flawless (it's only a MB plus a few bucks extra work), but it's a lot better than a MB.
I like my GM, but it's a bit fat for my mouth. Maybe when I'm used to it, I'll develop an embouchure more suited to it.
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jonsparrow
13 posts
Apr 01, 2009
1:05 PM
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ya the GM is a little fat for me too. when i got it the 2 hole an 3 hole draw was realy bad. i tried fixing it, got it a little bit better, but not enough that i would enjoy playin it.
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snakes
152 posts
Apr 01, 2009
4:05 PM
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You never have to work on a Suzuki fresh out of the box... Only to replace worn parts.
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oldwailer
638 posts
Apr 01, 2009
6:22 PM
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"You never have to work on a Suzuki fresh out of the box... Only to replace worn parts".
Well, unless you want the chords to be in tune! ;-)
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Aussiesucker
230 posts
Apr 01, 2009
11:15 PM
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Love all the Suzukis for consistency out of the box. Lee Oskars are also well made ie consistent. But comparing Promasters, Bluesmasters & Harpmasters I reach for the A Harpmaster as my favourite. Not unlike a SP20 ie lovely tone but the SP20s often are hit & miss in quality.
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Andrew
200 posts
Apr 02, 2009
12:49 AM
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(re-reading the thread too quickly, I see that some people are quoting prices, but they vary a hell of a lot between the UK and the US and even between different suppliers in the US)
I think postings in a thread like this should always quote the price of the harp, maybe agreeing upon a standard first, because people aren't comparing like with like. You shouldn't recommend a promaster over an MB without saying that the Promaster is the same price as the MB deluxe (and then you have to give a reason not to buy the MB deluxe).
As to the Firebreath, Buddah says elsewhere that a lot of people are allergic to rosewood, doesn't he? In which case you're gambling £70 in the UK on one of those.
Last Edited by on Apr 02, 2009 12:53 AM
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DaDoom
65 posts
Apr 02, 2009
12:56 AM
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Suzukis are all great so far. SP20 sound well and I've never been disappointed by them so far (loud, good sound, very consistent). My favorite at the moment is my Golden Melody in D - must have been luck but with just a bit of re-gaping the thing plays incredibly well. Overblows, bends everything clear and easy to get, no squeaking. I guess the GM must be the easiest harp to tweak. That would explain why so many customizers chose them.
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snakes
159 posts
Apr 03, 2009
3:41 PM
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Andrew,
You can get a Promaster off ebay for $41.99 (American) and no shipping. Replacable reeds, metal comb.... That is cheaper than a MB Deluxe I think. I do admit that once this layoff business settles down where I work I intend to grab a couple of harps from Buddha. Just haven't decided whether MB or SP20. Maybe one of each. Hope this helps.
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snakes
160 posts
Apr 03, 2009
3:42 PM
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Forgot to mention my reason (sorry). The Suzukis are just easier to play - from a lack of leakiness to bend-a-bility.
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DH
3 posts
Apr 04, 2009
8:25 PM
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Marine Bands set up by Joe Spiers & Seydel
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Spl20
24 posts
Apr 04, 2009
8:35 PM
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Guess!
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Tonis
8 posts
Apr 05, 2009
3:07 PM
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I have SP20 in C and two MS Blues Harp's in A and F. And for the favorite harp, I think, it's about my mood. I don't feel the difference between the harps, i treat them as equal instruments - they all have different sound, but none of that matters to me... Sometimes i prefer the lower, A one, sometimes (like now) i'm on F. And sometimes I'm in-between. That's how it works for me. Of course, they are all different. They each require different treatment to them, but most importantly I believe - the different feeling..
Cheers from Lithuania, Tonis...
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RyanMortos
129 posts
Apr 06, 2009
8:33 AM
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I think the golden melody I have has just crossed over to least favorite. It already had a buzz from what I think was the reed on the 1 hole hitting the cover plates. Yesterday morning I pull it out, do a 3 hole bend, and get 'schreeeech!' (yes, I can 3 hole bend without a screech on my other harmonicas) . So all of a sudden that's messed up.
So I tried in my amateur way (from reading on how to do these things) to regap & emboss the thing in hopes of fixing these problems & did very little if anything.
Maybe I just got a bad golden melody but my other harmonicas havent given me this difficulty.
Curious, for folks who have used hohner blues harps what about them dont you like? Theoretically, its a marine band with stronger reeds, and the nails replaced with bolts and comb (partially ?) sealed. To me, this would sound like an improvement over the marine band.
I think it's the comb on the special 20s but they sound quite, um, tin-ny to me otherwise perhaps theyd have my vote.
Im finding it hard to name a favorite make model & wish I could so that when I buy new keys I dont have to go through the pros & cons of each every time in my head. As you can see from above Im in the market to replace my GM in A already. Perhaps another MB but Im so lazy to bolt and seal them. Guess I should change that.
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~Ryan
PA
Ryan's Tube - Containing [0] uploads and counting...
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tookatooka
181 posts
Apr 06, 2009
9:33 AM
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Ryan, you owe it to yourself to try a Suzuki. Try the Bluesmaster first.
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When I'm not blowing, I'm drawing.
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wheezer
65 posts
Apr 06, 2009
9:48 AM
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At the moment:
A harp, a Hohner blues harp fitted with Suzuki Bluesmaster reed plates.
D harp, a Custom Hohner Blues Harp tied with a Suzuki Promaster, can't make up my mind.
Bb harp, a heavily embossed MS Hohner Pro harp.
G harp, again a tie, between a handmade Hohner Blues harp and a Huang Star Performer
For the rest Sp20's, pre MS Pro & Cross Harps, MB's
but only after all pins replaced with bolts and combs have been sealed and Suzuki.
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bluesharper
5 posts
Apr 07, 2009
7:23 AM
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Well i like The Golden Melodys they have a nice smooth tone, i like bluesharps aswell!!
I own a C golden Melody
D bluesharp
E bluesharp
g Blues harp
and a C chromatic 270
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RyanMortos
132 posts
Apr 07, 2009
7:33 AM
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Sounds like a plan, I have a Suzuki Bluesmaster on order. Hopefully this company will turn out more reliable then my last experience.
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~Ryan
PA
Ryan's Tube - Containing [0] uploads and counting...
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tookatooka
186 posts
Apr 07, 2009
7:37 AM
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Please report back with your opinion. I'm sure you'll be impressed. It won't need any embossing or tweaking.
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When I'm not blowing, I'm drawing.
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mickil
138 posts
Apr 08, 2009
2:16 PM
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Until recently, I was always banging on about how much I liked Big Rivers. I still do, but a couple of weeks back I bought an MB Deluxe in G.
I always loved the sound of MBs, but I hated all that swelling and blood on the comb. Also, there is no way I'm ever gonna get round to all that sealing and bolting. Life ain't that long. The Deluxe is something of an entirely different order. Wow! Incredible, crunchy sound, responsive, and a joy to play. In the UK, they cost around £35, though I did manage to find mine at a local store for £30.
A lot of the time on here, people talk about how this harp costs so much more than that harp. I know that cost has to be a consideration, and my pillow certainly isn't stuffed with money. But, the way I look at it is like this: a SP20 costs around 6 cans of beer more than a BR; and, an MB Deluxe costs around 14 cans of beer more than a SP20. So, every time I chose an MB Deluxe over a BR, I'm sacrificing about 20 cans of beer (at £1 per can). I love the sound it makes enough for the sacrifice to be worthwhile. I supposes it comes down to choices.
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'If it sounds GOOD to you, it's bitchen; if it sounds BAD to YOU, it's shitty' - Frank Zappa
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scottb
16 posts
Apr 08, 2009
8:57 PM
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My fav harp right now is the Bb Special 20 I just got. It's the best playing harp right out of the box I've ever had. My first Bb Special 20 always had some issues. A few leaky reeds at first then the issues I caused trying to fix them!
In my experience, the Special 20s I've bought play better out of the box than the Marine Bands I've bought. Could just be my luck but I've never bought a MB that didn't need some adjusting.
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scrybe314
4 posts
Apr 08, 2009
10:28 PM
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My favorite harp right now is the Huang Star Performer. I know it's cheap, but I've just never gotten a bad one, as opposed to the two higher-end Hohners I bought that started off great and died way too young. The Huangs can just take all the playing I throw at them and don't give me any trouble.
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tombo
10 posts
Apr 09, 2009
10:18 AM
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lee oscars , harpmasters special 20s hard waring & good value all good tack.
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Maltheduke
2 posts
May 13, 2009
11:29 PM
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Out of the box so far - harpmasters
Current (and i think long term ) favourite - Dannecker blues. Magnificent.
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The Gloth
39 posts
May 14, 2009
3:33 AM
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Right now, my favorite harp has to be my new 'Low F' Marine Band. I was lucky to find one at the shop and not having to order it.
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MagicPauley57
21 posts
May 14, 2009
4:55 AM
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lee oskars so far, I like Hohner pro hars for a mellow sound as well, never tried suzuki
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clarksdale
3 posts
Nov 06, 2009
2:13 AM
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Fire Breath is overrated and overpriced in my opinion.
You'd be better off buying a couple HarpMasters OR BluesMasters. They are both good and 2 very different Harps. Try them both.
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$Daddy Rich$
"The Blues is Ok!"
Last Edited by on Nov 23, 2009 12:24 AM
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The Gloth
176 posts
Nov 06, 2009
2:50 AM
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Right now, my preference has moved onto my MB Deluxe in G. The MB Deluxe (whatever key) is indeed a very fine harp. I really can hear the huge difference when I play live, using a Deluxe after a MB or a BH.
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Andrew
723 posts
Nov 06, 2009
4:34 AM
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Currently Marine Band in Bb, no competition.
I've got an MBD in Bb, but I don't play it - it's backup for when the MB dies.
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Kinda hot in these rhinos!
Last Edited by on Nov 06, 2009 4:54 AM
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toddlgreene
96 posts
Nov 06, 2009
4:40 AM
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My customized MB in D, althoguh I better give it some rest and play other harps before I wear her out...Plays like a dream.
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GO SAINTS!
crescentcityharmonicaclub@gmail.com
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harmonicanick
442 posts
Nov 06, 2009
5:40 AM
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Golden melody every time
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MrVerylongusername
612 posts
Nov 06, 2009
5:54 AM
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My favourite harp of all time is the old handmade Hohner Proharp series. They don't make them anymore. Real shame. The MS version is just nasty nasty nasty. I still have one from the early 90s that plays OK because it was a key I never used to use much. I have another with just a single dead reed I need to replace. I will keep them alive as long as I can!
My favourite harp to play otherwise is my self custom Golden Melody. The GM is the only current Hohner I'll buy (other than maybe a crossover to try).
For gigging, my trusty LOs which just go on and on and on and on and on. I have a fondness fore them and don't understand their bad press. They are like they cockroaches of the harmonica world. Everyone seems to hate 'em but they just don't die!
I have a post-apocolyptic vision of the future, where 'roaches have inherited the irradiated rubble that was once our civilisation. One day a cockroach archaeologist will unearth the shattered remains of those annoying, rotating, glass harp cabinets. Inside they'll find a bunch of unplayable Hohners, their wood combs long crumbled to dust; and there - in it's undamaged box - a single Lee Oskar harmonica. The harmonica that would not die; the last playable instrument on our planet!
Last Edited by on Nov 06, 2009 5:57 AM
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harmonicanick
443 posts
Nov 06, 2009
6:03 AM
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you are right mrv I still have many very old LO's and they play fine
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toddlgreene
99 posts
Nov 06, 2009
6:45 AM
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@ Mr.VLUN-Lee Oskar owes you money for his new slogan you inadvertantly came up with:Lee Oskar-Official Harmonica of the Apocalypse!
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GO SAINTS!
crescentcityharmonicaclub@gmail.com
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congaron
234 posts
Nov 06, 2009
7:10 AM
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Marine band in A..marine band in D a close second. Both are tweaked to overblow holes 4,5,6. Covers opened in back, reedplate edges sanded and corners rounded, combs trimmed after swelling with an exacto knife. They play awesome. They are loud and responsive. I guess i am a long reed guy. I like all my harps, but seem to naturally be moving toward Marine bands..I have two out of two that i simply hate to put down. I don't mind tweaking a reed out of the box. The first thing i do with a new guitar is change the strings....lol. I changed the mouthpiece on my trumpet.
Marine bands are my favorite, but six months ago I didn't know the difference and liked them all the same.
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ElkRiverHarmonicas
326 posts
Nov 06, 2009
7:33 AM
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This Elk prewarified Seydel Solist Special A I did, one of the first harps I did that came out decent, I've carried it around for a long time. Started out life as a pre-2006 Seydel Solist, back when they were nailed and I left the nails in. It's my everyday carry harp, in fact, I'm wearing it in a beltcase right now. The covers have been beaten to a pulp and I keep hammering them back into shape. I used to have chromatic Deluxe supports on the coverplates, but then the harp kept getting bent up anyway, so I ultra-prewarified the coverplates, they now bend up at a 90 degree angle, which gives the coverplate a lot more strength than supports, because it makes it like an I-beam.
I played it at the WV state championship last year. This morning, I used it to scrape frost off my car's windshield.
I mostly play it in F# minor. There is something about the key of F# minor that I love... that might have something to with why I like it so much. I also play it in A. Sometimes E. Mostly F# minor.
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www.elkriverharmonicas.com
Last Edited by on Nov 06, 2009 7:34 AM
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Shredder
33 posts
Nov 06, 2009
7:38 AM
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I have I have 12 Golden Melodies, 3 Special 20's, 2 Bushmans and 1 Lee Oscar that I play on a regular basis.
I have a sack full of S/P 20's,Pro harps and a few Marine bands I keep in my truck and my room of the house for extra spairs when I get the itch to just pick up a harp and play.
S/P20's were my 1st choice for a long time but I've migrated over to the G/M's for the pure sound they make. OTB G/M's have been consistant for me 95% of the time, mostly I just regap them to my liking.
Now I've come to the conclusion that Harps are like guitars each model has it's owne charicter and feel. Just like a LesPaul differs from a Strat and a Strat ftom a Telecaster. I now use diffrent model harps for diffrent songs just like some use diffrent Mic's for diffrent somgs. I mostly have G/M's in the starting line up followed by S/P20's then Lee Oscar and Bushman. I have no Marine bands that I play out with or record with.
That being said every one has their owne prefrance justlike some guitarist prefurr Fenders over Gibsons.
I would say try diffrent models and manufactures to see what feels right for you.
Keep pusihig your self,
Mike
P.S. I know my spelling sucks so just laugh and go on :)
Last Edited by on Nov 06, 2009 9:24 AM
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nick67
5 posts
Nov 06, 2009
7:40 AM
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i like my jambone and silverstar collection.lol just kidding love lee oskars hohner sp20 and hohner slide harp plus the suzuki promaster is nice and fluid to play its all personal preference
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asilve3
41 posts
Nov 06, 2009
9:00 AM
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Currently my GM in C... Waiting on my Bb and C Buddha harps which undoubtedly will become my new faves.
I have som Delta Frost harps A, Ab, and C which I really enjoy playing as well.
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nacoran
326 posts
Nov 06, 2009
9:13 AM
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My thoughts on my harps:
Piedmonts- Actually fairly reliable. Not real loud. Taste nasty for the first couple of days. Probably give you cancer.
Lee Oskars- Sound with very little air. Catch my mustache.
Blues Harp- The plates stick out too far. They cut my lip.
Special 20- Nice harp.
Golden Melody- Nice harp, but the plates stick out too far. I love how they feel in my hand, just not how they feel on my face.
Blues Band/Pocket Pall et al- Very hit or miss, but cheap enough to experiment with.
Puck- Anyone making custom Pucks? That would be awesome, although their plates stick out to far too, and it actually helps hold on the cover so you can't just file it off.
Blessing Tremolo- The cover is way to soft. It always bends.
Huang Musette- They taste worse than the Piedmonts.
Hohner Chrometta 12- Why do some plastic harps taste fine and others taste terrible. The wind savers are tricky.
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Shredder
34 posts
Nov 06, 2009
9:21 AM
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Nacoran,
YEAH! you got that right, the Peidmonts taste horrible. I havn't done it yet, but if you could put metal cover plates on them they may sound louder.
I played a gig one time and the place was real smokey.
The next morning I broke out the harps to play in church, DAMM! if they all didn't taste like an old cigarett butt! Glad they finally aired out back to normal.
Mike
Last Edited by on Nov 06, 2009 9:26 AM
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