David Thomas
4 posts
May 27, 2008
9:37 PM
|
What a never ending no win topic but still I will have my 2c worth. I have been playing on and off for close to 50 years. Mostly I was not playing as I suffered severe lip blistering problems which I believed were caused by wooden combs and sharp cover plates. 2 years ago I learnt that a lot of the modern harps were plastic combed with recessed reed plates so I gave them a go with great results ie no lip problems and have been playing daily since. I since have found out that my problems were due to most of the old harps having nickel plating and I had a common but severe reaction to nickel ie it had nothing to do with the wooden combs. I have tried about 30 different types of harps since coming back and rate them:-
Suzuki Harpmaster - comfortable, great tone,bend easily, loud, not overly long lasting but cheap to buy.
Suzuki Bluesmaster - comfortable, good tone, loud, very durable and inexpensive.
Lee Oskars - comfortable (don't like much the big raised numbers) good tone, loud, durable and offer a great range of alternative tunings. A bit expensive but I believe should be durable.
Hohner Marine Band- uncomfortable - by far the best tone- loud, not durable ie fiddly to maintain.
Hohner SP20 - comfortable, good tone , loud, durable.
Hohner Blues Harp - uncomfortable, nice tone, not loud, MS should be maintainable but is it worth it!
Suzuki Promasters - very comfortable - nice tone- feel & look good - not loud, should be durable.
I have a full set of Bluesmasters plus spares in a few keys. The Bluesmasters are by far the most durable ie impossible to kill them. I have Bluesmasters that regularly share my feed of potato crisps and a few beers and it doesnt hurt 'em. I regularly give all my plastic bodied diatonics a warm bath in water with a denture tablet & they come out brand new.
----------
Harpoldie
|
oldwailer
54 posts
May 28, 2008
6:55 PM
|
Good Post, Harpoldie,
One question--how are the Bluesmaster harps tuned?
|
Jeff
90 posts
May 28, 2008
9:11 PM
|
All of Suzuki's line is equal temperament. It's the only thing I have against them. The chords can get a bit abrasive at times.
|
David Thomas
5 posts
May 28, 2008
9:30 PM
|
Without knowing the exact technical terms I would say that they are similar to SP20's. I don't have a set of SP20's but can comment on those that I can compare and would say that the SP20's are perhaps a tad brighter in tone but hey I can hardly note a difference. The Bluesmasters have phosphor bronze reeds which gives them incredible longevity - can't kill 'em! The Harpmaster on the other hand is very bright and loud and effortless to play. So effortless that changing harps to eg a Hohner Blues Harp straight after playing a Harpmaster I find I have to work so much harder or nothing comes out. I have no experience with the Bushman but see from illustrations that the cover plates are similar shape to the Harpmaster and I read in a previous post that a Bushman was compared to a Bluesmaster with Harpmaster covers? The Harpmaster offers incredible value. Sounds like a plug for Suzuki- not so -don't get me started on their Chromatix!!!
----------
Harpoldie
|
BeelzeBob
6 posts
May 28, 2008
10:56 PM
|
I haven't tried a lot of the newer harps but I did try the Hering 1923 and agree 100% with Jeff. It was initially a disappointing harp, needed a lot of air to get a tone. In fact, I only tongueblock with it. Wouldn't buy another, just keep it around as a chugger.
Anybody try a custom harp from harmonicagems.com? He also is the only customizer on eBay, I think. He offers several kinds from 40 to 55 dollars. I haven't tried him, I'd like to hear a good report before I buy one. The only other inexpensive custom I know is Dudeharp, someone upthread mentioned him. I got a plastic-combed Marine Band for $65, I think he now charges $75.
I have two from Tim Moyer dba Workingmansharps, I should've ordered 20 more before he quit. They were $55 each and I'll bet they compare well with all of the $100 and over harps.
I have a friend making them for me now, he may go into business at some point. His are not as good as Tim's, but they're still nice, and the price is right.
|
Preston
16 posts
May 30, 2008
3:00 PM
|
I just recieved my first Meisterklasse in the mail last night.
I have been spending alot of time on overblow.com and tenhole.com and was trying to emboss my reedplates on a fairly new Marine Band in the key of A. I shoved one of the reeds through the plate so hard while embossing, when I bent it back into shape I cracked it.
So anyway, I thought what the hell, I'll replace it with a Meisterklasse. I've always wanted one, but since I'm not a professional I hated to spend $90.
I've never played a customized harmonica so I can't compare it to those, but I found the Meisterklasse a definite step above my Stock Marine Band. The notes were bright and crisp and the lower notes seemed to play a little more effortlessly than the MB. The covers feel awesome on the lips and allow for good glissandos. I did notice it doesn't feel too comfortable to do octave splits, but that may just take getting used to.
The 4, 5, and 6 slots did need quite a bit of adjusting to get to overblow, but I think that's pretty typical of most Stock Hohners.
As far as overblows go, I have played Hohner, Marine Band, Special 20, Golden Melody, Blues harp, and now a Meisterklasse. I also own two Delta Frosts (Bb and Ab). In my opinion, the Delta Frosts overblow better. I get alot better intonation out of the different reeds they put in them. I have a blues harp that, while the 4 and 5 overblow sound good, the 6 overblow sounds like a cat with it's tail under a rocking chair. It is so far out from the other notes it is rediculous.
Until recently I had thought the blues harp was a cheap immitaion of the Marine band, but I actually enjoy playing it quite abit (with the exception of the six overblow, that is).
So my favorit harps in order would be
#1/#2 Meisterklasse or Delta Frost (Meisterklasse is still to new to be sure, I may still be star struck)
#3 Blues Harp
#4 Marine Band
Well that's my two cents worth, but I think it really is on the individual and your own tastes.
|
bluzlvr
48 posts
Aug 12, 2008
12:41 PM
|
Brand new Seydel Soloist Pro in D, barely used. First use in a jam session, four hole draw goes bad. AAAAAARRRRRRGGGG!!!!
|
wheezer
24 posts
Aug 13, 2008
2:56 AM
|
Yes Patrick, the Soul's Voice is a really nice harp. I don't know what the black coverplate finish is but it moves over the lips better than any other harp. It is easy to bend and very airtight. I only have this harp in an A and at the moment it has a dead 2 draw. Bushman will supply the draw reedplate only for $10.50 so instead of replacing the reed myself I will buy a new plate. Only problem is Bushmans overseas minimum order is
$50! Luckily i have a brother living your side of the pond
so I will have the plate delivered to him and he will post it on to me.
On the subject of the 'best' harps to get you could go on forever. On old harps my favorites would be the pre MS Hohner
Special 20, Pro Harp and Cross Harp. Standard Marine Bands are fit only for spare parts, I have Victory (cheap Chinese) that play better out of the box than MB'S.
The best 'modern' harp I have is the Promaster 350v from Suzuki. The one I have is in D and I am about to order a Low F. They are beautifully made and play like a dream straight from the box. The only thing is that Suzuki have just increased their prices and the 350v now costs $41.50 but even with postage that makes them appx. £26.00 here in the U.K.
|
buterfieldsociety
1 post
Dec 17, 2008
7:11 PM
|
Hi folks:
This is Gabriel Butterfield's wife Salli writing and I noticed a post as follows and wanted to make a correction and also give thanks for the support for PBFS:
The post read:
...was on Genesisharmonica.net this morning. I think this is Paul Butterfield's son Gabriel who is building these harps. Paul Butterfield was the reason I started playing the harp. Have you tried one of his harps yet? If you get a moment join the Butterfield Society and vote for Paul's induction into the rock and roll hall of fame.
Correction: Gabriel Butterfield-Paul Butterfield's son is not making custom harmonicas. I believe that the site is Randy Sandoval's site. Gabriel is a singer, songwriter & drummer and founder of The Paul Butterfield Fund and Society (PBFS) established in honor and memory of his father Paul Butterfield and in support of the arts.
I also want to send special thanks for the fond words on Gabriel's father and the support for PBFS.
I would like to note that today Dec 17th is Paul Butterfield's Birthday and we have lit a candle in his memory and radio stations nation wide are playing Paul's music in his honor.
Thanks so much.
Our warmth,
Salli and Gabriel
|
HarpMan Freeman
37 posts
Dec 23, 2008
8:27 AM
|
Has anyone ever heard of or used Blue Bayou Synsonics Harmonicas? Are they some sort of entry level harmonica?
|
simple jim [uk]
Guest
Dec 23, 2008
10:27 AM
|
hello to you all. i am very much a novice to harp blowing.in fact i started 6 days ago the first two i brought last week were a marine band 10 hole in c. at the same time i brought a hohner pro harp in c .they both sound brilliant but i am very inexperienced and cant put anything together to tell the truth i really play the blues the proper way so time and practise is much needed. i was reading about the special 20 would it be of a benefit for to purchase one these. me train chugging is not bad well it sounds okish to me but you proper players would probally boo me for misuse of the harp.if anyone has friendly advice on these matters i would be very gratefull; cheers
|
TrueBlue
Guest
Dec 23, 2008
11:56 AM
|
Has anyone out there used a Suzuki Harpmaster? I have & I think they are a brilliant harp for the price. Can't stop playing my Harpmasters.
|
Jeff
178 posts
Dec 23, 2008
11:57 AM
|
Jim, the Sp20 uses the identical reeds as the MB. The only difference in sound is that the Sp20's coverplates don't have open vents like the MB. So its sound is slightly "sweeter" or "warmer" due to it being a bit more muffled in its closed design. The MB's unique side vents give it a more in-your-face crunchy bite in the texture of the sound. But 18/20 players wouldn't be able to really tell that much of a difference between the two from an audience's distance away.
|
dfwdlg
Guest
Dec 23, 2008
11:57 AM
|
Either of the harps you have should be fine. Nothing wrong with SP-20s, but your technique is far more important with these harps than which specific model you have. If you buy more harps, focus on getting different keys (e.g., A, D and Bb).
|
djm3801
4 posts
Dec 23, 2008
8:08 PM
|
Jim,
Adam has a lot of free stuff on Youtube and lessons here that are very reasonable and a good way to learn. 6 days - I have been learning for 6 months and others for much longer. Have fun with it.
|
simple jim [uk]
Guest
Dec 24, 2008
12:40 PM
|
thankyou very much to the above posters for your advice it is much appreciated.i will check out you tube for the lessons .i have practised for seven hours today my lips are dry but i will continue long into the evening. by the way meery xmas to one and all.
|
bluzlvr
95 posts
Dec 24, 2008
12:47 PM
|
Has anybody tried the Suzuki Fabulous harp yet? I'm curious because these babys are going for almost $200. I have two custom made harps that I paid a hundred bucks apiece for and I don't see how harps could get any better.
Also noticing the Brad Harrison harps, which are supposed to be amazing, are going for "only" $150 to $175. Are the Suzukis the most fabulous harps ever?
|
