Hi folks, Please check out two unique new harmonicas that will be officially launched at SPAH tomorrow morning:
The LUCKY 13: Bass Blues Harmonica The world's first 13 hole harmonica, it's a grunty 4-octave blues harp with standard hole spacing. All the normal 3 octave 10-hole Richter range PLUS a low octave to the left: Two Harps in One! Check the video:
The AsiaBend: All Draw-Bending Soul Machine Inspired by Chinese, Indian and Arabic music, this unique new harmonica gives the player unparalleled draw-bending expression. It makes ANY melody ooze with soul. Check the video:
I will demonstrate and explain the features of both harps at SPAH tomorrow, Friday morning 10.30am in the Trinidad room. I’ll have samples of both models for players to try at the Easttop booth in the Vendors Area throughout the day.
I wonder what the price will be on these new harps? Most likely out of my range. ---------- Wisdom does not always come with old age. Sometimes old age arrives alone.
Count me in. Others have already anticipated using PowerBender in the extended lower range with this harp.
I've been wanting to convert to PowerBender tuning but I would use the Lucky 13 to adjust the top octave and make it consistent with the middle octave. The layout for a key of 'C' harp would be as follows:
Thanks to Brendan for once again being at the center of harmonica innovation!
One curiosity - I see the reeds in Holes 2 & 3 are actually shorter than the higher pitched reeds in Hole 4. What is the reasoning behind this design quirk? I assume that those shorter reeds would have a significantly weighted tip.
Last Edited by Roverharp on Aug 13, 2016 7:26 AM
Edit Aside - Damn I bet you really knocked the wind out of the Hohner guy's sails with their rollout of the ACE down in San Antonio. You are pushing harmonica development ahead faster than anyone since Lee Oskar.
Last Edited by Thievin' Heathen on Aug 13, 2016 10:18 AM
The Hohner Ace is a completely different animal - I attended both introductions.
The Ace is a huge improvement in general in Hohner's chromatic build (though it comes at a price) and introduces insertable comb weights in both brass and wood, that sound different to me both as a listener and as a player.
Brendan's AsiaBend is an all-bend diatonic slide harp that gives you a new way to approach melodies with erhu-like pitch glides.
The Lucky 13 builds on the concept of the SBS (Steve Baker Special) but without the very highest hole. (By the way, the 14-hole Hohner 365, which is the frame for the SBS, is going away soon, though the 12-hole 364 will stick around). The 13 has a number advantages:
- Hole spacing is the same as on a standard 10-hole.
- The G and A are regular and low, instead of High G and High a with the added low part substituting for the regular range (a poor decision by Hohner).
- Plastic comb and screwed together construction offer this tuning in modern, serviceable, construction.
@Roverharp: that's an interesting PowerBender layout for the Lucky 13. Alternative ones could be:
1*...2*...3*...1....2....3....4....5....6....7....8....9....10 FG AB CD DE FG AB CD DE FG AB CD EG AC
1*...2*...3*...1....2....3....4....5....6....7....8....9....10 CD EG GB CD EG AB CD DE FG AB CD EG AC
1*...2*...3*...1....2....3....4....5....6....7....8....9....10 EG GB CD DE FG AB CD DE FG AB CD EG AC
On the reeds: Yes, the lower three are same lengths as the next octave up, but with different profiling (thicker roots, more weight at tips). It's the same with the Thunderbird and low Manjis: they have the same length reeds as the standard rage 10 hole harps, but different profiling to make them play an octave lower.
As Winslow says: my two new harps are quite different to the Hohner ACE chromatic, which is a really nice instrument with a clever design.
Heading home today after a great SPAH in San Antonio. Thanks to Winslow, Paul Davies, Michael De'ath and all the team who make this such a special event!
Last Edited by Brendan Power on Aug 14, 2016 8:11 AM
Hmm. I didn't know about the reed lengths on Thunderbirds, Manjis and now the Lucky 13.
This opens up even more interesting possibilities. Besides the low reeds you might install reeds pitched in the same octave as those in Lucky's Holes 4-6. Assuming a C harp you can get the missing F and A notes in the first octave. Or F# and A.
Yeah it makes a weird layout at the bottom but it preserves common Richter while allowing you to drop down for the V chord or bVII chord. Could be a rhythm machine.
I'm getting ahead of myself though. I'll need to try a couple in their current configuration to see if I can adapt. Should be fun.
I was speaking more in terms of convention booth traffic/buzz/activity. I actually felt a little sympathetic towards those guys who were manning the Hohner booth. No disrespect intended.
In lieu of a trip to San Antonio I have to rely on the reading that is available on all the products discussed here. The AsiaBend does not sound like an easy crossover instrument, but something well worth the effort. Modern blues needs more ragas. See Harry Manx. And it can be had for less the $100.
The ACE sounds a lot like one of Brendan's 3D printed power combs except with removable ramps and a $700 price tag. Again, I must rely on what I've read. I do have a couple of Brendan's combs tucked away for the next time I tire of patching cracks in my 270's. I will soon have practical knowledge of fixed ramps in chambers.
The Lucky 13 pretty much speaks for itself. My only reservation is the Chinese manufacturing, but I have a few of Brendan's products and they are all of the highest quality so the only dilemma I'm really having is whether to try 1 or buy the 5-pack and the ensuing chaos in my harp bag.
@Thievin' Heathen: I did appreciate your positive comments, and you have a good point: the game is changing in the harmonica scene.
Seydel started it really, with their excellent Configurator, which allows players to choose special tunings and setups - never before possible from a manufacturer. But the entry of the Chinese harmonica companies and the rapidly rising quality of a few brands - especially Easttop- is starting to give the established brands some serious competition.
Not only are they now making really good harps of all kinds (diatonics, chromatics, tremolo models, bass and chord harmonicas), they are open to working with small operators like me to make specialist designs in relatively low numbers. Up to now it's just been alt. tunings or setups of existing models (my PowerBender, PowerDraw, Slide Diatonic, AsiaBend fit in that category), but the Lucky 13 represents a new level of commitment from both me and Easttop. It takes a lot of investment to make everything new (comb, reedplates, covers, case) and Easttop were willing to accommodate all my picky requests over 2 years to make it the best it could be - at their own expense.
The result is a harp that I really believe in and that I think lots of players will love. On that basis I'm willing to invest a considerable amount of my own money in buying in bulk to get the best price, so I can offer the final harp at a really affordable cost.
To be honest, I couldn't conceive of any of the old established manufacturers being flexible and open enough to consider such a collaborative project. They have their in-house strategy and design teams, and make their own product plans. I don't think they are interested in working with outsiders in this kind of way.
If Easttop harps were junk I would never have bothered, but they're not. People who tried their harps at SPAH came away amazed - like, $15 dollar diatonics that overblow out of the box, $50 chromatics that sound as good as Hohners and Suzukis of 5x the price. I don't work for the company but I like working with them. They're pragmatic, businesslike and will give you a decision on the spot - no waiting weeks for board meetings and all that malarky.
I was given an Easttop diatonic at the 2014 Asai Pacific Harmonica Festival, and was amazed at the quality. While Chinese harmonica quality has improved significantly in recent years, the Eastop model was a major step forward.
It would be great if your new instruments did well.
The problem however will be marketing and distribution. Good luck with it. Perhaps some online distributors could be involved, e.g. RockinRon, Mandoharp in Australia ---------- Tony Eyers Australia www.HarmonicaAcademy.com everyone plays...
I got to see and play them both. Good additions to the harmonica options out there.
The Lucky 13 is lots of fun. There will be a little adjustment as whatever physical clues you used to take from being on the 1 or 2 hole of your 10 hole diatonic will be lost. But, having that low chord option gives you more possibilities. Another big bonus will be the ability to tongue block/slap the 1 or 2 hole of the original 10.
I've been having a lot of fun lately with an easy third (Do It) tuning and was thinking if you continued that down the lucky thirteen you'd have 3 octaves of identical 3rd position layout.
I have a new Asia Bend. It is pretty intuitive when I pick out a melody by ear, although I don't sound nearly as Chinese as Brendan.
However, there are many versions of the same note, similar to 2 draw and 3 blow on a diatonic both being G. In order to familiarize myself with the different placements and tonalities I have been reading music and pushing myself to use the different placements in different verses. This has proven to not be intuitive. I really have to think it through. Of course, I have spent a total of 2 hours on the instrument.
Thanks for your feedback, AW and Michael, good to see you at SPAH!
The Lucky 13 is definitely the more intuitive of the two new harps, as it's just what you know plus more of it!
The AsiaBend is different to any other harmonica ever made, so does take some time to get your head around. The easiest way to visualise it is by relating the scale to Solo tuning or the middle octave of a 10-hole diatonic. The blow notes on those tunings are now slide-out draw notes (CEGC), and the draw notes on those harps are slide-in draw notes (DFAB).
Knowing the notes is one thing, but much of the soul that you can get out of it is by NOT playing the obvious note choices but using their bent-note equivalents from the notes above. If I'm holding a note I'd normally use the bent enharmonic, as it is much more expressive.
It's a subjective choice about which notes to bend or play straight, which adds to the interest. Everyone will play a given melody slightly differently.
I'll be making some instructional videos with notes and tablature for the AsiaBend to show what choices I like to make, and give some ideas for further exploration.
the idea of a 4 octave diatonic is a brilliant idea. sounds like it will be a huge success.
i had one easttop harmonica, it played well. the comb left something to be desired. i posted a picture of it on the easttop thread.
Another big bonus will be the ability to tongue block/slap the 1 or 2 hole of the original 10. aw... you can also tongue block the 1 and 2 holes of a 10 hole harmonica.
I wonder if blue moon will be making any combs for it. I don't have anything against Easttop, but a heavy brass comb is definitely something I really like. Once I get my set of lucky 13s I wouldn't mind sending one over if he needs to get some measurements.
@1847 and Mahcks: Esattop use solid resin combs for their diatonics which they then sand. The sanding flattens the important areas around the comb chambers but sometimes leaves low spots in outer, non-critical areas. They won't affect performance but are unsightly if you disassemble and want to find a comb which is flat everywhere.
I've insisted to Easttop that they flat-sand the Lucky 13 resin combs all the way, and all the samples have come out that way. It's an excellent comb, and gives the payer a bit of wriggle room to adjust the reedplates flush at the front if they desire. That's my preference.
However it would be great if custom comb makers offer specialist combs for the Lucky 13, Blue Moon or others - the more the merrier.
Last Edited by Brendan Power on Aug 17, 2016 2:29 PM
Andrew Zajac's site indicates that he will consider special projects. Might be worth asking. A custom comb is a quick, relatively cheap and sure way to improve performance. ---------- Tony Eyers Australia www.HarmonicaAcademy.com everyone plays...
I wet sand (1000 or 1500 grit) my Manji (resin composite) combs and would surely attempt it with a Lucky 13 unless they look like a soft plastic that might gouge.
I am most curious about embossing a plated reed plate and the availability (present and future) of replacement reed plates.
I'm curious about the note layout on the Lucky 13 and how it compares to the Hohner 365. I assume that the difference is in the draw holes of the low octave.
The 365 is CEGCEGCEGCEGCE FGBDGBDFABDFAA
Is the Lucky 13 layed out like this? CEGCEGCEGCEGC DGBDGBDFABDFA
Fish lips, I think that does not look like a 365 draw plate. The draw plate in a 365 DGBDFABDFABDFA. The 365 SBS is laid out a little differently DGBDGBDFABDFAB
I know the layout you posted is what it says on the Hohner website at the moment but it's not right
Another difference is that the 365 in G and the 365 SBS in G and A don't have the lower octave. That is, the lowest note on those is the same as hole 1 on the standard 10 hole. I believe that the Lucky 13 G starts at G2 rather than G3 (I.E. The 365 G starts at G3)
@ SuperBee: That's correct, the Lucky starts an octave lower than the SBS on all keys below C (G, Ab, A, Bb, B). It's the same as the SBS from C on up.
Thanks for the mention about custom combs guys. Always nice to be included in the conversation. I think before we start worrying about custom combs for these new models it would be a good idea to just get some of the harps into circulation. Brendan and I worked together extensively back in 2012 to design the BMH30 combs for the Suzuki SUB-30. Although he was the chief designer, I’d like to think that he picked up a little bit of useful information from me about comb making. His insistence to East Top that they flat sand the Lucky 13 combs is a good indication. The fact that they are making combs out of solid resin vs. injection molded plastic tells me that they are making an effort to manufacture a harp that won’t necessarily need a custom comb. I’m not opposed to making combs for any harmonica as long as the demand is there. My SOP is to make large batches of combs in order to leverage the economies of scale and keep my costs down. It is bit early in the game for me to make up a batch of 100-200 combs for a harp that probably doesn’t even have a market penetration of 100-200 units yet. Let’s hope that Brendan’s new design takes off and in the future there will a market for custom combs. In the meantime, Andrew might be a better option for making one-off combs.
Congratulations Brendan on your development of two more innovative harmonicas. Best of luck. Hope they are a hit. ---------- Tom Halchak www.BlueMoonHarmonicas.com
Last Edited by florida-trader on Aug 18, 2016 12:52 PM
I like Hohner 365 for their "real estate". I think the Lucky 13 will be a strong contender for the creation of custom tuned harps using 4 and 5 holes per octave. I played the harp at SPAH and liked it! Also liked the AsiaBend--especially when Bren plays it!
I'm a intermediate player and have just watched the Lucky 13 demo on Youtube. My first harp (Special 20 in C) has just died and I'm considering a Lucky 13 in C to replace it.
@ Tyler: they are welded phosphor-bronze reeds, similar to Suzuki. Reed replacement is not difficult - an MBH member has done an excellent video on it:
We now have spare single reeds available, and have supplied a few customisers around the world with reeds so they can service Lucky 13 owners close to the main markets.
Thats good news Brendan.....i'Ive just blown a reed on an A....... I love the harp! Its beautifully bright and requires minimal breath force just like a nice hot rodded MB....but the reeds do feel a little delicate.... ---------- Old Man Rubes at Reverbnation Dads in Space at Reverbnation
