A self described wine expert once told me that some of the most expensive wines are not particularity tasty to the untrained palette, while the cheap stuff is instantly delicious to such a heathen because the flavors are far from subtle. As in, they lack nuance.
Anyway, got my third key of east top diatonic today and I continue to be blown away. All three harps to me seem faster, require less breath and bend more easily than my manjis, special 20 and crossover.
So, is this the cheap wine thing? They are a fraction of the price of my other harps but are the only thing I want to reach for.
I agree sleeping cat. Although I haven't done the customised harp thing I think I've got a fairly refined palate so to speak, with some great Manjis, Seydels and Hohners. I was shocked at the quality of these cheap harps! ---------- Lucky Lester
If you like how they play, and sound, that's what matters IMHO. There are some other factors which people find important to different degrees. To me, the availability of spare parts and ease of repairs and maintenance is important. I don't like to treat a harmonica as a disposable item. I don't even cope well with the idea of replacing entire Reedplates when only 1 reed is bad. Others don't care so much about that.
While the harp continues to please you, stay happy. Why not?
The Huang harps used to be favourite harp for many. These days they are not so good but there was a time maybe 15-20 years ago when they were great value. No reason another harp such as east top couldn't do the same
I have a question on the models. The $36 (on Rockin Rons) has a flat sanded resin comb (good!), but welded reeds (bad for replacing reeds.) The $28 model has riveted reeds (easier to replace), but an ABS comb. Would it be possible to have a model with flat sanded resin combs and riveted reeds?
@rogonzab I purchased 3 keys of the T008K model from Jiangsu East Musical Instruments (based in China) for $10 USD each plus $5USD shipping. So total of $35 ish dollars.
only complaints: A chemical smell on arrival that went away shortly after opening A misaligned reed on my b flat harp Don't like the raised hole number markings But, the pluses way compensate for the above, in my opinion
Last Edited by SleepingCat on Aug 24, 2016 7:39 AM
Never tried their diatonics,but I'm very happy with a Easttop 16 hole chromatic.Been playing it regularly for 6 months now and have had no problems with a sticking slide.I like the tone of my 280 better but I spend more time maintaining it than playing it. Easttop's tone is good enough.
here is what the combs look like. pretty sad looking. enlarge the photo and see what it really looks like. despite the fact it has a poorly made comb it played ok.
i damaged a reed tuning it, and i ended up tossing the reed plate and the comb in the trash. i kept the screws and the cover plates.
I asked Easttop at Spah if they were going to have individual reeds available. I got a funny look and was informed the the answer was no. I do not know if the reeds are the same as Hohner, or Suzuki, or Seydel, or what. So, if you want to fix one, you will have to buy more and cultivate the reeds. If you are one who constantly blows out 4 and 5 draw, then you will probably never cultivate the reeds you need. Just saying ----------
For my next trick I will magically fuse this thread with another thread...
The reed plates on my Easttop's look waaay thicker than those of the Manji.( I do not have calipers handy). Perhaps the extra thickness is what makes these harps take such little breath to play?
I've been dealing with several Chinese harmonica companies for a few years now, getting them to make my own-brand models in various tunings (PowerBender, PowerDraw, Slide Diatonic etc).
The first was the company that makes the Hohner Bluesbender harp, but they backed off after I mentioned that in my promo video. I think Hohner gave them a telling off, fair enough ;-)
Then I went to Kongsheng and Easttop. Both make good diatonics, which are getting better every few months, it seems! Chinese reeds were poor in the past, but both these companies (and others) have now switched to phosphor bronze, the same material Suzuki uses for their very durable reeds. The recent Easttop harps with PB reeds are excellent, as others here have attested.
Kongsheng concentrates on 10-hole diatonics, but Easttop already has a very big range of all types, including orchestral models. I've visited their factory and was very impressed with the combination of high-tech machinery and fantastic hand skills of the (mostly female) reed welders, reed tuners and assemblers.
Easttop were a natural choice to make my new Lucky 13 and AsiaBend harps. Though I don't work for the company, I'm happy to recommend that anyone who hasn't tried an Easttop harp should give it a go - you'll be pleasantly surprised, I'm sure.
Last Edited by Brendan Power on Aug 25, 2016 3:24 AM
Brendan, I like color coding my harps for each key. My scheme uses white bottom covers for major keys, and black bottom covers for sharps and flats (like piano keys). I paint black top covers with effect pigment paints for the colors. Would Easttop sell me an assortment of white and black covers? How would I contact them?
i recall at one time magic dick and pierre beauregard had planned on releasing some "magic" harps with various tunings. not sure they ever saw the light of day. but now we have brendan power working like a mad scientist with all his various tunings and harmonica creations. anyone considering an easttop harp would do well to try the lucky 13 especially with the alternate tuning possibilities. the big harmonica companies now have some serious competition. they don't seem to be open to innovative suggestions. if you have been doing something the same way for 150 years it can be hard to change with the times. it appears that brendan is poised to kick ass and take names. i bet he now has their attention.
Philosofy the covers on the easttop are black, i am sure other covers will fit. you can mix and match to accomplish the desired results.
I have an EastTop Bb Blues Player model with aluminum comb; the comb and overs are metallic green. It's a powerful sounding harp, rivals the Seydel 1847 Bb that's been living in my harp case for awhile. =========== Winslow
@1847 -- I was supposed to be involved with Magic Dick and Pierre Beauregard regarding the Magic Harps line, which ultimately never saw the light of day. It took quite a long time for them to get their patents approved and they had wanted Hohner to manufacture them but Hohner just mainly wanted to concentrate on their own lines before anything else. ---------- Sincerely, Barbeque Bob Maglinte Boston, MA http://www.barbequebob.com CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
I remember when I was a little kid if you got something from Japan or Taiwan it was junk, but slowly the quality improved until now lots of your high tech gadgets are built or designed in Japan or Taiwan (or South Korea, or Hong Kong). I remember that every time someone complains about the quality of Chinese goods and says they will never be any good and sort of chuckle.
It's like a rock rolling down a hill. Progress gets faster and faster.
The Bb has the worst performing 3draw bend I've experienced.. I tried to gap it but it's still takes tons of breath force to activate the bend.. I'm not sure what's wrong with it.
The A is okay but the draw chord is sour and needs tuning.
Not impressed. I bought a Ab Manji on the same order and it plays totally great and it was like $5 more maybe?
oh well, live and learn
edit to add, I sent Ron a note about it and he contacted me back and said he would get it taken care of for me. Great service as always, buy your harps from Rockin' Rons!
---------- 4' 4+ 3' 2~~~ -Mike Ziemba Harmonica is Life!
Last Edited by slaphappy on Oct 16, 2016 4:32 PM
In contrast I bought a Bb T004 (the only ones we can get in the UK at the moment) and it was fine. Same kind of response as a SP20 or harpmaster. It didn't need gapping, although I did some just for interest.
Slaphappy asked "Has anyone besides jbone tried the top end silver blues diatonic model?"
I have the diatonic with the metal comb in the Key of D. I am sorry to say I have never learned the model name for this harp. It was a gift from my student. He bought it from Danny G at out HarmoniCollege 2016 event.
It has become my favorite D harp. Maybe favorite period.
I never liked the Promaster metal comb due to the "funny taste", but I have never had a problem with any taste with my Easttop. It plays the same or slightly better than my 08 series Eastop in C
It's a fine harp. Danny G says he has stopped carrying that series due to cost increases. He said it would now be a $120 diatonic.
Don't take this as authoritative but her is what I've found on the various East Top models:
T002 Jam Cat - recessed plates; rivets; ABS comb; full length covers T004 Jam Cat - recessed plates; rivets, ABS comb; tabbed covers T005 Blues - sandwich style; welded; resin comb; tabbed covers T006 Silver - sandwich style; welded; chrome/brass comb; tabbed covers T008K Blues Pro - sandwich style; rivets/1.2 mm plates; resin comb; tabbed covers T008S Blues Pro - sandwich style; welded/1.2 mm plates; resin comb; tabbed covers
I hadn't heard of East Top until a month ago. Brendan's Lucky 13 piqued my interest and while waiting on those I also ordered four Blues Pro harps with rivets. I've only had them a couple days and opened up one, an Ab, but here's my early impressions:
I like'em. I hope to come to love them but they require work. Comb needed to be flat sanded as did the draw plate. Even after sanding the comb had a bit of a bow but if sanded the leaks are eliminated when everything is screwed together. (I think Brendan has demanded that the Lucky 13 combs are flat sanded at the factory if that is a concern).
Gapping is a process. Seems to me that after setting gaps the reeds want to return to their previous setting. Gap them two or three times and they'll eventually stay. Response is good when the gaps finally settle in.
I also put a dab of nail polish at the reed roots and half valved it.
Fit and finish are very nice. Covers remind me of MS covers and don't have a seam at the corners. Rather they are nicely rounded and have a little spacing at the fold. This is much more comfortable than the rough edge of Marine Band harps but that spacing might catch mustache hair more. I'm clean shaven so I like it.
The matte finish on the covers looks really sharp but might cause a bit of lip drag compared to a slick stainless cover. I don't know for sure; I'm still evaluating this aspect.
Tuning is poor. I *think* the one I worked on is Equal Temperament but I've not yet confirmed that.
Tone is lovely. They don't have the shrill excess of treble that I normally associate with Asian harps.
@ slaphappy - The 'F' harp I have has an non-bendable 3 Hole and the 'C' seems leaky as well. Having said that I rather enjoying the Ab I've fixed up so maybe don't give up on them just yet if you're okay with working on your harps. I'll update after I've worked on the others and especially when my Lucky 13 arrives.
Cheers.
Last Edited by Roverharp on Oct 18, 2016 7:27 AM
