selkentblues
2 posts
Aug 23, 2011
6:24 AM
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Hi to everybody on this forum.
My name is a Chris and and I live in London, England, and have been a musician for over 40 years (guitar/strings and keyboard) and have been trying to master harp for the last couple of years, and for the last 6 months seriously.
I'm getter better, it seems, every day, because I work hard at it, and am determined to get to Todd Parrot level before I die! (yeh!...right!).
I currently have the following harps...
Hohner Special 20 D
(loud, good tone, but mad!)
Hohner Big River Bb
(excellent all-rounder)
Hohner 150th Anniversary C
(my favourite, and best, harp_
Lee Oskar A Natural Minor
(weird and practically useless)
Hohner Marine Band G
(the CLASSIC/BEST tone,..but a mouthfull of blood??!)
Hohner Puck (fun but just a toy really)
Swan tremelo C (suprisingly decent, but its a solo-tuned tremelo so only good for traditional irish stuff)
I'm awaiting the arrival of a Suzuki Harpmaster in A and Hohner Blues Harp in A.
My question/thought for the day, concerns the (it seems) almost blanket recommendation by pro's and top players for beginners to get a Special 20 due to its easyness to bend/mouth comfort etc.
My own observatiosn of this have been that YES, it is all of those things, but speaking as a beginner (actually not a bad player), my own first thoughts on getting this harp that it was like an out-of-control Ferrari!
It was TOO easy to bend, to the point where I found it hard to play a straight note WITHOUT bending.
I certainly wouldn't advise this as a beginners harp no more than I would advise a 17 year old to buy that Ferrari.
Learn on a Big River, and then keep it and use it regularly as you get better too.
My only critiscism of the BR is that its quieter than the SP20, which DOES have a great tone and is LOUD!
But if you want to learn control, clarity of single note playing, AND, learn on a harp which (like most of Hohners harps) has the smaller holes, then make it a Big River.
Just my "twopennorth".
Any thoughts?
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KingoBad
853 posts
Aug 23, 2011
6:32 AM
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If you almost bend notes when playing normally, you play too hard...
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Danny
Last Edited by on Aug 23, 2011 6:33 AM
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HawkeyeKane
31 posts
Aug 23, 2011
6:33 AM
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Primary reason the BR is quieter than the SP20 is because it's an MS harp. About the only MS harps that might come close to the SP's are the Meisterklasse and the ProHarp.
A lot of folks prefer the 20 over most MS harps also because of the overhang of the reedplates, which can wear the corners of your mouth out a bit.
I dunno. I like MS harps, BR's included. My main axes are Blue Harps. I get better volume and tone with 20s. But I was blowing them out so fast it was REALLY getting expensive, so I switched to something more economical in that I could just change the reedplates instead of buying a whole new harp. But now Hohner is selling SP20 reedplates so....
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I entertain
By bringing a tone to your brain
Just like a west bound train
You wanna know my name?
Well, it's Hawkeye Kane
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KingoBad
854 posts
Aug 23, 2011
6:36 AM
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Volume comes with time, practice, and resonance.
Don't play so hard! If you are quickly blowing out harps then you play too hard.
Learn to use a mic if you need to be louder.
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Danny
Last Edited by on Aug 23, 2011 6:37 AM
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HawkeyeKane
32 posts
Aug 23, 2011
6:40 AM
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@Kingo
I agree. Problem with the band I'm in is that I HAVE to play harder just to be heard. It's a fight I'm always losing, but I'm working on getting mic and amp enough to compensate.
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I entertain
By bringing a tone to your brain
Just like a west bound train
You wanna know my name?
Well, it's Hawkeye Kane
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orphan
42 posts
Aug 23, 2011
6:49 AM
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@HawkeyeKane
Harpninja has a HG50 2X12 for a great price. It wil be heard and you can play with a lot less air.
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KingoBad
855 posts
Aug 23, 2011
6:50 AM
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I hear ya Hawkeye. Maybe you should put shock collars on the rest of you band for a certain decibel level.
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Danny
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harmonicanick
1275 posts
Aug 23, 2011
6:51 AM
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@Hawkeye
Short solution is go thro' pa
Long solution is spend a load of dosh on high end harp amps
Alternative, difficult solution, is your drummer uses brushes and the bass does what he's told and shut the f**** UP and as for the lead guitar???!!
It will cost you money whatever you do but the cheapest is to get them to turn down!!
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selkentblues
3 posts
Aug 23, 2011
7:02 AM
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I don't think I'm playing to hard.
Or, maybe it is that Ive just gotten used to playing the smaller holed BR, MB and 150th anniversary harps, and then when the SP20 came along it just felt TOO easy.
Like when I got my first Fender Tele back in 1977 after playing a crappy Czechoslovakian-made "Futurama" for the previous 3 years.
The Fender felt amazing, and I DID improve dramatically, but I think I lost some of that indefinable Soul/Mojo through lack of effort really along the way.
It's like a lot of people nowdays are looking for all that old gear...especially old Kays', Silvertones, Teisco's, to get back to that old sound which was created by "struggling" with the equipment?
After all anything that worth getting is worht fighing for...isn't it?
Just speaking as I find.
Just not that keep on SP20.
Maybe either the Suzuki or the Blues Harp will be a good compromise when they arrive?
Or maybe I'll work on the Marine Band and smooth off the edges.
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HawkeyeKane
33 posts
Aug 23, 2011
7:11 AM
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@orphan
Thanks, but I just worked on closing a deal for a '73 Bassman Ltd., and I have my eye on a Peavey Delta Blues 210. That in addition to my Peavey Vypyr 15 and my loaned '68 Gretsch 115, think I'm gonna be covered.
@harmonicanick
The only goal I have, to be honest, is that I'm loud enough that I can hear myself so I know where I'm at. I mic or emulate my amp for every gig, so I am going through the PA. I'm not looking to blow anybody off the stage. That's something I detest as much as the rest of my band. But our band leader is finally getting the picture that everybody needs to come down and mix properly rather than everyone turning up, and he's gonna be enforcing that. I hope...
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I entertain
By bringing a tone to your brain
Just like a west bound train
You wanna know my name?
Well, it's Hawkeye Kane
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tookatooka
2425 posts
Aug 23, 2011
7:14 AM
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Hi Selkentblues another Londoner (Edmonton) here. I've been where you are going. Save yourself a lot of time and heartache and just settle on the SP20. I did in the end after various Suzukis, Big Rivers, HarpMasters, BluesMasters, ProMasters and Delta Frost Bushman. When you get better at playing you'll realise the SP20 has a superior tuning over the others.
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nacoran
4488 posts
Aug 23, 2011
8:09 AM
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If you don't like how the Marine Band cuts your mouth you won't like the Blues Harp either. Ouch! I dread the songs I have to use them for. They sound nice enough but they'll cut you. Of course, you can sand the corners and fix that. I just never remember to grab sandpaper when I'm out, and I like complaining.
I like SP20s. They don't take quite as much punishment as Lee Oskars, but they have nice tone. I'm slowly leaning towards Equal Tuned harps though, so I've got more Lee Oskars than 20's.
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Nate
Facebook
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groyster1
1302 posts
Aug 23, 2011
8:10 AM
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sp 20s are easy to bend but theres no need to bend all notes bending is to get the notes you cant get with a diatonic harp and I agree with tooka I try other harps and some play very well but value wise cant beat sp20s
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SonnyD4885
79 posts
Aug 23, 2011
8:11 AM
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@Selkentblues
do you play fast or do you play with the timing?
if you playing fast you won't have time to get those single notes. you'll just play everthing at once but it will sound like your hitting singles. if your playing with time you'll find that each note will sound. take it slow then fast. i own 48 sp20's and yes i'v blown out some and replaced them. playing hard is not good all the time but to take it slow like big walter horton. it lasts longer in music and harps.
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HawkeyeKane
37 posts
Aug 23, 2011
8:18 AM
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There's one stock diatonice I like better than the SP20 and that's the Seydel Blues Session. I absolutely love their tone. But the reeds are so damn fragile. I can only bend one maybe ten times, and then it blows out. Good thing the replacement reed plates are pretty cheap.
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I entertain
By bringing a tone to your brain
Just like a west bound train
You wanna know my name?
Well, it's Hawkeye Kane
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Icemaster
42 posts
Aug 23, 2011
8:40 AM
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I think SP20s are the perfect beginner harp. They are cheap, easy to play, comfortable, and most importantly, consistent. A new player is not going to gap or flat sand. Ive fixed and played a lot of special 20s from fellow students and I've never found a bad one. Unless someone has blown a reed or something. And when they ask me if they should try something else I usually just tell them to stick to SP20s for now. I've since moved on to crossovers but id take a special 20 over a lot of harps any day.
And an added bonus, you can pick them up at your local guitar center.
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"A harmonica is not just a souped up kazoo" -Mo Rocca
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WinslowYerxa
45 posts
Aug 23, 2011
8:55 AM
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Involuntary ending has more than one cause.
Too much breath force is one, as noted. This can kill reeds quickly whether you bend or not.
Trying to bend a note farther than it can go is another, and possibly the main reason some folks blow out reeds too quickly, especially Blow or Draw 4 (both reeds participate in the draw bend).
Also, some folks will have trouble with a particular key of harp. I note that the only Special 20 mentioned was a D harp. It's possible that a SP20 in G or A or C might not behave the same way. Anecdotal stories from both players and music store employees suggest that D harps are the most frequently blown out (i.e., the most frequent reed failures)
@selkentblues - do you sense either suction when you inhale or air pressure when you blow? If so, that may be the cause of your problem. Drop your tongue and open your throat (try yawning) - the entire air passage from the harp to your lungs should be a "fat pipe" - wide open and able to move a lot of air with no firce or drag whatsoever.
Another is mouth resonance, where your mouth is tuned to notes that either the harmonica can't produce - which wears out reeds - or to the bent notes.
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Tommy the Hat
228 posts
Aug 23, 2011
8:58 AM
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"There's one stock diatonice I like better than the SP20 and that's the Seydel Blues Session. I absolutely love their tone. But the reeds are so damn fragile. I can only bend one maybe ten times, and then it blows out. Good thing the replacement reed plates are pretty cheap."
I play SP 20's and I really like them. The only thing I have found that is very close, which means either the equal or maybe even a little better, has been the Delta Frost. I just got a Seydel Blues session just yesterday and I was a little disappointed. I expected it to be better. I like it, but feel the SP 20 plays better and with less work. I'm not saying the Blues session is hard to play, but all my sp 20's sound with the slightest breath. And loud! The blues session is kind of low.
It plays easier than my MB though and that was the point of getting it. It stays in my pocket.
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Tommy
Bronx Mojo
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HawkeyeKane
39 posts
Aug 23, 2011
9:05 AM
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"I'm not saying the Blues session is hard to play, but all my sp 20's sound with the slightest breath. And loud! The blues session is kind of low."
See, I've found the opposite. SP20's to me are great and require very little break-in time and sound good. But the Seydels to me have great tone and are so responsive with very little breath. They take longer to break in, and they can still blow out easily like I said. I dunno...maybe if I had an optimized one or something I wouldn't have that problem.
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I entertain
By bringing a tone to your brain
Just like a west bound train
You wanna know my name?
Well, it's Hawkeye Kane
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Rift
102 posts
Aug 23, 2011
9:11 AM
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A lot of people love special 20's. I tried them when i first started. I had a few of them and I couldnt do anything with them. I gave up on them and bought a set of Suzuki Bluesmasters and loved them. It was like night and day!
About a year later I pulled them out of a drawer and sent them to Chromaticblues. He said they were a mess and it looked like i had gotten a bad batch.
I have thought about trying them again but I am hooked on Suzukis now. Mostly Manjis but i still break out the bluesmasters a couple times a week.
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Tommy the Hat
229 posts
Aug 23, 2011
9:20 AM
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Well, my blues session is going to be my carry harp and will be with me in my car and pocket so it will have time to grow on me. I also have an optimized soloist pro on the way. I wish Rockin' Ron's still had delta Frosts.
Back on topic: I'm a beginner and can see the points raised (RE: SP2/Farrari comparison). But I haven't experienced that particular problem. I have found that SP 20's are easy to bend but not floppy; in other words I can control the bends. On harps with stiffer bends or where I have to fight a little, my MB for example, there is a chance to miss the bend. I find the bends on a SP 20 smooth. While I do find them fast (a good thing) I still find them controllable. That's why I like them. As a beginner I can play with control enough to learn (controlled and correct bends) whereas I use the MB like a workout...lol.
P.S.
I wish I could get more of those little leather cases the Blues session came with!
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Tommy
Bronx Mojo
Last Edited by on Aug 23, 2011 9:26 AM
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Rift
103 posts
Aug 23, 2011
9:27 AM
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@tommythehat
ROckin Ron has Suzuki Harpmasters. They are exactly the same as Delta Frosts.
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Tommy the Hat
230 posts
Aug 23, 2011
9:37 AM
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I'll have to make that my next harp try.
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Tommy
Bronx Mojo
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bluesharpslc
3 posts
Aug 23, 2011
12:01 PM
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Rift said "ROckin Ron has Suzuki Harpmasters. They are exactly the same as Delta Frosts."
I'm not absolutely certain of this, but I believe this is not "technically" correct.
They may be the same externally, but as far as I know, the Suzuki Harpmaster is actually synonymous with the Bushman "Soul's Voice". Brass reeds, equal tuning. The Suzuki Bluesmaster, though having different coverplates, is the one that is the same as the Delta Frost. Phosphor bronze reeds, JI tuning.
Again, since this may have changed since I last looked into it, I'm not absolutely certain of this. I would ask Ron himself, he always seems very happy to answer my questions. Perhaps the Suzuki reps on this forum could chime in too.
Last Edited by on Aug 23, 2011 4:42 PM
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bluesharpslc
4 posts
Aug 23, 2011
12:09 PM
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Just took a look at Ron's site and it says the Soul's Voice is Just tuned, so I was wrong there.
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Blues13
142 posts
Aug 23, 2011
12:12 PM
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The Suzuki Bluesmaster and the Harpmaster are the same harp with different coverplates and they are both E.T. like the Delta Frost. Harpmaster are now made with Phosphor bronze reeds.
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Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.
Isaac Asimov
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bluesharpslc
5 posts
Aug 23, 2011
1:02 PM
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Yep, checked around a bit and I had the tunings switched. Are you sure about the reeds on the Harpmaster though? Suzuki Music.com and Suzuki Harmonica.com both say the HM reeds are brass.
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Blues13
143 posts
Aug 23, 2011
2:35 PM
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I don't remember where I read it, I think it was last year. Somebody from Suzuki saying that from know on the Harpmaster will use Phosphor bronze reeds. If Brandon or somebody from Suzuki reads this can you confirm or correct me.
Martin
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Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.
Isaac Asimov
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selkentblues
4 posts
Aug 23, 2011
2:59 PM
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Thank you all for your contributions, they have been informative and friendly.
After reading them I went back tonight and compared the SP20, The MB, and the BR, and these are my conclusions...
1. I will NEVER like the SP20. The holes are too big, and I personally find it hard to control.
In fact, I hate it.
2. The Big River is a very good all-rounder and my favourite plastic combed harp. It instantly felt better to me after playing the SP20.
and...
3. The MB is just UNBEATABLE.
After blowing the other two first, when I got to the MB it was just like a different thing altogether, and all those harp players of old came flooding back to me.
I'm not being a romantic here, I really DO think that the MB sounds just SOOOO much better.
So, I have decided to learn how to make the MB more player friendly by smoothing off the edges, and then I'm going to get a set of MB's and do the same to them.
They WERE the first, and still the best.
In my opinion.
So if anyone can give me tips on how to smooth and buff the edges etc, then that will be great.
Otherwise I'll just pull it apart and take a file to its edges.
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Morrel
15 posts
Aug 24, 2011
1:35 AM
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I cleaned up an old big river harp with sanding sticks for model builders.
I used a medium to smooth the corners and edges, then the finest to polish it
Sanding sticks
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Rubes
399 posts
Aug 24, 2011
3:52 AM
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....be....very....careful..... :~}
( or do yourself a favour and custom comb it for superior results!!!!
ps....and don't give up on the SP20, the time WILL come..
Last Edited by on Aug 24, 2011 3:53 AM
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Tommy the Hat
235 posts
Aug 24, 2011
3:55 AM
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I guess trial and era is the way to go as has been through the ages. Today we have the internet which is great for getting information we never had access to. But it is also bad for putting a lot of ideas in peoples heads that may be unnecessary or in many cases just plain wrong or only one mans opinion and then many who follow blindly.
Harp selection is subjective and I've seen the same things go on with guitar players. Some love Les Pauls and say strats are unplayable (like a friend of mine) while others play anything. Reading through threads here and going through the search function since being a member here, looking for reviews, I have seen reviews of harps that counter each other. I love harp X from 3 people and I hate Harp X from 3 people. This harp is leaky and so has every one I ever bought. While another claims to never have had a leaky one. Good OOTB while another says no good without work. Some love a certain harp while someone else threw there's in the trash.
Personal taste.
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Tommy
Bronx Mojo
Last Edited by on Aug 24, 2011 3:57 AM
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jbone
623 posts
Aug 24, 2011
4:52 AM
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i would not be quick to get rid of any harps. if you are that new to playing you are bound to go through some changes over coming months and years. those sp20's can sit in a box on a shelf for any amount of time and be there when it's time to revisit them.
i may be a hypocrite, i have but one sp20 in my case. the rest are manji, delta frost, and some other brands and models. but if it came down to it, desert island, 1 harp only, i would pick the sp20. i blew a lot of them up until i learned to play responsibly. that meant not trying for so much volume without an amp and mic or p.a. it also meant honing my acoustic chops for best lifespan of harp and also best volume i could get on the street. these factors have kept me from blowing up so many harps for some years now.
i used big river for a while as well but it cost me nearly as much to get new plates in one as to buy a fresh harp, and i was obsessed with the best harp for the buck. still am to an extent and i'm quite taken with manji at the moment. the absolute point to me though, is forcing too much air over a tiny fragile piece of metal is pretty much guaranteed to deform the reed past repair. the best way to keep harps in decent playable shape is to respect them and not try to take therm past their capability.
i can make most any harp sound decent without gapping etc. but a harp that will last and sound good over time is another matter. all the makers have a decent work horse model or two. one can adapt one's style and habits to get the most out of many different harps. the choice is always with whomever has their wallet out!
if you like playing harp, learn the instrument's limitations and stay within them. get an amp or a low z mic for the pa.a and take over a channel so you can set it for harp. or go all acoustic first just to get the total feel of the harp, then you will find that your dynamics have improved greatly when amped.
to me it does not matter so much what brand, it's more important to find harps that you like regardless of the maker.
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Michael Rubin
230 posts
Aug 24, 2011
5:25 AM
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Try teaching 100 beginners (one at a time) without the Special 20, then with. See if you have any hair left after the first group. (I still have some on the sides.)
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hvyj
1707 posts
Aug 24, 2011
5:40 AM
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FWIW, Soul's Voice were made by Seydel. Delta Frost were made by Suzuki.
Personally, I'm not wild about Sp 20s, but they are an excellent choice for a beginner. Of course, Sugar Blue and John Popper play Sp 20s.
Last Edited by on Aug 24, 2011 5:40 AM
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Tommy the Hat
236 posts
Aug 24, 2011
6:40 AM
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This probably could be its own thread but...
It seems that the more you know the more questions arise. Or the more you know...the less you know. I never even thought about beginner harps or advanced player harps. Now it seems that SP 20's may be for beginners? So what does that make a MB? I thought the SP 20 was an advancement to the MB.
Anyway, with all that has been said it leaves me with questions. (like I said, this could be a whole other thread of its own) what is a beginner harp and why? Which harps? What constitutes an advanced or pro harp....why? Sure, I know there are cheap harps. I have a Bluesband that is total crap but then again it costs $7. And it is hard to play also. But a SP 20, for example, is around the price range of other harps. I payed the same for a Delta Frost and I payed less for a Seydel (Blues session). A Marine Band, if that is supposed to be more of a pro harp (many pro's play them) costs the same as the SP 20.
I thought-other then the obvious toys like Bluesbands/pocket pals etc- that a harp is a harp and it was all a matter of taste/preference.
What gives?
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Tommy
Bronx Mojo
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selkentblues
5 posts
Aug 24, 2011
8:15 AM
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I hear what your your all saying, but I have come to the conclusion that some mouths prefer a smaller hole! (ooh er missus!).
...and Ive got one of 'em!
I just find the holes in the SP20 too big and I feel much more in control with the smaller holes of the MB, BR, and the 150th Anniversary models I have.
I DON'T make mistakes with any of these, and particularly the BR, but I make plenty with the SP20.
I just dont like it, and that goes for the LO's as well...which I have the same complaint about...too bigger holes (though not quite as bad as the SP).
As for the notion that try teaching a class with and without the SP, sure, it bends very easily, TOO easily for my liking, and I suppose if that is what you are trying to do, then its fine, but as a melody player I just can't control it the way I can the others.
Just an example I suppose of how we are all different.
So its probably, almost definitely, going to be a set of Marine Bands for me.
Now where's that file....
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HawkeyeKane
59 posts
Aug 24, 2011
8:31 AM
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@hvyj
Not to mention Corky Siegel, and, dare I say it? Charlie Musselwhite from time to time.
Heh, I heard a story that he'd taken SP20s and put Lee Oskar plates on them. He was actually the one who recommended Seydels to me when I met him after a Hot Tuna show this past March. I guess that's who he's endorsing now.
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Hawkeye Kane
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nacoran
4495 posts
Aug 24, 2011
8:43 AM
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"They WERE the first, and still the best."
-Selkent
Just to clarify, Seydel has been making harmonicas longer than Hohner. :) Marine Bands do sound nice. I just haven't had the patience to sand them down to make them comfortable. If you prefer the sound of MB's to Sp20's you might get your Sp20's to sound a big more MB-y if you open their backs.
edit: as for bendablility, or over-bendability you might be able to fix that with a little gapping.
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Nate
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Last Edited by on Aug 24, 2011 8:44 AM
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HawkeyeKane
60 posts
Aug 24, 2011
8:48 AM
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Speaking of MB's....has anyone tried the Crossover or the Deluxe? Are they any more comfy than an 1896?
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Hawkeye Kane
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groyster1
1307 posts
Aug 24, 2011
10:35 AM
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I have 1 crossover and 2 mb deluxes-to me the only difference is the comb bamboo vs sealed pearwood I just got the 2 deluxes which were bargains @33.00 apiece they actually outplay the crossover when it was ootb-hopefully the wood will not swell over time
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selkentblues
6 posts
Aug 24, 2011
12:26 PM
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Ive now filed down the sharp edges on the MB, and got it all nice and smooth and it is a whole lot better.
A 5 minute job. Easy.
Just took a file to it to get the main meat off, and then sanded with wet and dry to smooth.
I can't understand why Hohner dont do it?
Or is that part of the "originality"?
"WITH ORIGINAL RAZOR-SHARP EDGES"
...it should say on the box!
I mean, I'm all of authenticity, but come on!, these things lacerate your mouth, and if they can do them with all the others models with similar reed plates, then why not the MB?
Oh yeh...thats right, they DO do it, only they call it a MB "Deluxe" and charge another ten bucks for it.
Rant over.
Yes I KNOW that Seydel were making harps before Hohner, but only by a few years as far as I can recall.
I'm not knocking Seydels. I have no knowledge of them, and therefore that might be what I get next.
Theres an old vintage Seydel Bandmaster on evil-bay U.K at the moment I'm watching...its the same one that Jason Ricci raves about on YooTooB with the "fangs".
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groyster1
1309 posts
Aug 24, 2011
12:36 PM
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@selken
cant understand why hohner dont do it thats a very good question and why do they still put nails in the mb1896?I hate them
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HawkeyeKane
76 posts
Aug 24, 2011
12:38 PM
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@groyster
Probably because they don't want folks to figure out that the SP20 reedplates WOULD fit MBs if they started making them two post.
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Hawkeye Kane
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selkentblues
7 posts
Aug 24, 2011
12:47 PM
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...and yet for all my moaning about the MB it STILL think it sounds the best, closely followed by the SP20.
I'm expecting my Suzuki Harpmaster and Hohner Blues Harp tomorrow, both in A...so will report back on my findings soon!
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Tommy the Hat
239 posts
Aug 24, 2011
5:14 PM
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As far as Hohner making a MB deluxe and "why don't they do that to the regular MB." While I'm sure the extra $10 has something to do with it, it's not uncommon. Many manufacturers who make a product for many years and eventually come out with an upgrade, still offer the "original." Not everyone wants an upgrade and some people are perfectly happy with the original. And they would bitch about it too if it was discontinued or changed. So they offer both.
And there are also those who will just choose to buy the older model and modify it themselves. The manufacturer leaves something for everyone.
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Tommy
Bronx Mojo
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groyster1
1311 posts
Aug 24, 2011
5:21 PM
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@selken
yes the mb1896 does sound better so much great harp as been played on it but the sp20 is so much more airtight and easier to play hohnerknows what they are doing and has us where they want us but suzuki and the customizers keep them honest
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zipperhead16
39 posts
Aug 24, 2011
6:02 PM
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Yes, sp20's for a newbie. Actually anything but a MB imho. Newbies slobber like a hound on a hamsteak. They aren't doing anything wrong,everybody does at first.MB's sound great but swell. Easy fix to sand and screw them but you'll wreak your first one. I did. Get some chops then a MB.
When people ask me what they should get, I say sp20's. If a shop sells harps they are mostly Hohners, they probably have them. Again imho, stay far,far away from anything made in China. I had a Bluesband as my first harp for like 5 days before i got a sp20 and found I could play single noted and bend. Gave it to the kids. Night and day difference. You're going to have to learn alot and cheapys just make it harder.SBW could play them but I ain't him.
Sp20, Harp/Blues master,Delta Frost,LO are fine to me.
If they cut you, swell up, fight you or are just so shitty you can't make them work your going to quit.90% of us play for our own enjoyment. Why handicap yourselves?
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groyster1
1316 posts
Aug 25, 2011
11:16 AM
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as far as comparisons go you could buy 2 identical brands be it hohner or suzuki and more often than not 1 harp will outplay the other buying a new harp is like a box of chocolates,you never know what you get
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hvyj
1710 posts
Aug 25, 2011
11:26 AM
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You know, i have a full set of Suzuki Hammonds and a just about full set of Suzuki Firebreaths and they are VERY consistent instrument to instrument.
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