gwayne57
1 post
Dec 30, 2018
5:37 AM
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Anyone familiar with these? They say they were made in Indiana on the harmonica.I have read that these are made by Seydel.
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SuperBee
5700 posts
Dec 30, 2018
6:31 AM
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I don’t believe they were ever made in Indiana.
I’m not big on the seydel story eithe. The story used to be they were rebranded Suzuki harpmaster but then the talk turned to them coming fromChina from one of the Suzuki - copy factories.
A bunch of people liked the harps back in the day, but supply was a regular topic.
I don’t know the current situation. I’d assumed they’d gone out of business but recently saw them mentioned (again in connection with a factory which i think was inChina rather than Germany but my recollection is vague and cant swear to it
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Sarge
712 posts
Dec 30, 2018
7:53 AM
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The Bushman Soul's Voice was made by Seydel. John Hall sold the Soul's Voice to Doc of Harp Depot and he sold them for awhile. I have some of the original Souls Voice and they are a good harp. The Bushman Delta Frost was the one that was rumored to be a rebranded Harpmaster.
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Wisdom does not always come with old age. Sometimes old age arrives alone.
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SuperBee
5702 posts
Dec 30, 2018
12:03 PM
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Thanks Sarge, now I get it!
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gwayne57
2 posts
Dec 30, 2018
1:41 PM
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Thanks, I don't know why they have Indiana on the harp. I guess they might be older, but they are in like new condition.
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gwayne57
3 posts
Dec 30, 2018
1:44 PM
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Sarge, what are they worth? Thanks again.
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Sarge
713 posts
Dec 30, 2018
2:51 PM
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Indiana is the home of Bushman Music Works that's why they are marked Indiana. Are they marked as New Palistine, IN?
Like anything else, they are worth what someone will give you for them. They aren't collectable, but they are a pretty good harp.
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Wisdom does not always come with old age. Sometimes old age arrives alone.
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gwayne57
4 posts
Dec 30, 2018
3:25 PM
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Yes, New Palestine. I have another question and I appreciate your answers. I have a Suzuki promasters MR 350 harp with no markings for the key C, etc. and I don't know what it is. Again, I purchased about 80 harps and I'm learning. Thanks
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dchurch
219 posts
Dec 30, 2018
4:16 PM
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I tuned up a second hand Bushman Delta Frost for my nephew a couple weeks ago. Yes, It did appear to be an exact replica of the Harpmaster other than labeling.
He paid $10 for the Frost, which looked like new. Naturally it was worth more after it was cleaned, gapped and tuned.
The common C harp is typically worth a bit less than other desirable keys.
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It's about time I got around to this.
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SuperBee
5706 posts
Dec 30, 2018
5:46 PM
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Ha! when i went to find mine i found they actually are the Soul's Voice model. and both Ab. one is black, the other silver. both very grtty and boken, but now i know they are built by Seydel i realise i probably have some reeds on hand which will be an easy repair. Maybe i'll mend one today when it gets too hot to do anything outdoors.'
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SuperBee
5708 posts
Dec 30, 2018
6:33 PM
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They appear to be Blues Session combs and Reedplates with some other sort of cover, a bit like a Solist but not.
I’d say don’t put them away wet. The black one I have is badly rusted on the underside of the cover plates.
This first one I’m repairing needs 3! Reeds. 4 blow, 4 draw and 5 draw. I think this is a first for me. Most people discard when the first one goes flat. These are just a bit flat either. 2 of them are a whole tone flat...I checked to be sure they’re not an alternative tuning!
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SuperBee
5709 posts
Dec 30, 2018
8:18 PM
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yep, Blues Session/Session Steel reedplates will fit these things, so rather than repair an Ab which i'll have little use for I'm building a Low E which will fill a gap in my kit. I just have to find 2 reeds...
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dougharps
1877 posts
Dec 30, 2018
8:50 PM
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My recollection is similar to what has been noted above: Soul's Voice was manufactured (not in Indiana!) for Bushman by Seydel, and Delta Frost by Suzuki. Delta Frost was essentially a Harpmaster. You could buy Delta Frost reed plates mounted on combs from Musician's Friend for a little over $20. The parts of that era Delta Frost are interchangeable with Suzuki parts.
Soul's Voice was later discontinued by Bushman, but Delta Frost was continued. I have 9 Delta Frosts and they play well. They do have thinner reeds, as does the Harpmaster, and may squeal if played too hard or if overblow reeds are not gapped properly.
Later than the time of my purchases Bushman decided to have the parts for the Delta Frost manufactured in China and Bushman would assemble them in Indiana. There were reported quality control and supply issues. I never bought this version and don't know if reported issues are valid on this version of the Delta Frost.
I like my earlier version Delta Frosts OK, but they are in the same 2nd string category for me as Lee Oskars and my riveted Easttops. They are decent mid level harps that I COULD gig with if I needed to, but they would not be my first choice. To me a Special 20 sounds and plays just a little bit better than Delta Frost. Manjis, Marine Band Deluxes, and Crossovers are even better.
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With regard to gwayne57's Promaster MR350 with no markings, in order to figure out the key, blow on hole 1 or hole 4 and play into a chromatic tuner to figure out the key, or find the note on a keyboard. That is the key of the harp
Used harmonicas seldom have enhanced value, so don't count on a good profit from your bulk purchase. Used harps would need cleaning, to be sanitized, and to be checked out by someone knowledgeable before being sold. Very few are collectable.
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Doug S.
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dougharps
1878 posts
Dec 30, 2018
8:52 PM
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I just noticed that your first 4 posts are in this thread.
Did you join the forum in order to learn to play, or were you trying to get an evaluation of your purchase?
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Doug S.
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SuperBee
5710 posts
Dec 30, 2018
9:12 PM
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Great; i scavenged 2 reeds from some Low F Seydel plates and now i have a Low E Soul's Voice
saved me a few$$. i was gonna buy some NOS Low E marine band plates i found
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gwayne57
5 posts
Dec 31, 2018
7:00 AM
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Doug S. Now that I have purchased these, I find them to be something I want to learn. I will sell some and keep some. Thanks for the info. Learning to play depends on the difficulties I encounter, I have COPD. Thanks, Happy New Year.
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dougharps
1879 posts
Dec 31, 2018
7:53 AM
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Happy New Year to all.
@gwayne57
You should Google about COPD and harmonica playing to supplement therapy. There is a lot of discussion about it, and at SPAH there have been workshops about it. Here is one link about a small study:
https://www.mdedge.com/chestphysician/article/178881/copd/playing-harmonica-improves-copd
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Doug S.
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jbone
2795 posts
Dec 31, 2018
8:11 AM
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Brand and model aside, I believe that playing harp has kept me from bad consequences of smoking. I am a 45+ year player and smoked for 35, now smoke free for over 7. Health has improved since I quit cigs. At any rate what could playing harp subtract from health or therapy? I would guess nothing at all, and the possibility that it helps would be worth learning. Not to mention all the fun and great moments a player can have. I have had many and anticipate more!
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Music and travel destroy prejudice.
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Thievin' Heathen
1097 posts
Dec 31, 2018
12:14 PM
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Ha #MeToo Seydel, you say? I think I will go revisit that Soul Voice Low D I got in that Ebay lot.
Last Edited by Thievin' Heathen on Jan 01, 2019 10:46 AM
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gwayne57
6 posts
Dec 31, 2018
5:16 PM
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Thanks again doug and Happy New Year. I read the article, great. Also, that unmarked promaster sounds like a C which a friend told me it probably was if unmarked.
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