rabbit
5 posts
Mar 24, 2009
9:30 PM
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I'm feeling the weight of age & infirmity.
Much as I'd like to struggle & learn classic
blues harp, I don't feel obliged to avoid
shortcuts for purist reasons, I'm hurtin'.
Disregarding acoustic volume, (there's a knob
for that) please comment from experience if
you can on the value of the purported extra
notes available from 350V's, XB-40's or
even Chrometta's. If I could more often find
that 'lost note' without overblow/bend I'd like to try.
I've done some searching but can't get
it straight. Thanks all.
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Aussiesucker
206 posts
Mar 24, 2009
10:39 PM
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rabbit > I know exactly how you feel but I don't believe there are any shortcuts to lots of woodshedding.
I avoided the 350v because of valve problems that persist with chromatics. A chromatic is possibly the harmonica to provide what you seek ie a 16 holer but then you are going to have to learn to play it, and it probably helps if you read music. Chromatics are big heavy beasts, they won't conveniently fit in your pocket, are expensive, more difficult to clean & maintain plus the windsaver valves give problems. Some folks do use them for blues but generally they are more suited to classics & jazz. I think the chrometta is a cheap small chromatic probably without valves.
I don't know about the XB40's. Other forum members will no doubt comment.
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wheezer
60 posts
Mar 25, 2009
2:58 AM
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I don't have any chromatic harps so I don't know how reliable the vaves are in those harps. I do have a couple of 350v's. I also have a Marine Band that I added valves to myself and none have given any problems.
I particularly like the expression you can achieve by being able to blow bend on the notes 1 to 6 but it takes a bit of practice to utilise those extra notes into your playing.
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rabbit
6 posts
Mar 25, 2009
5:57 PM
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Thank you for your efforts.
Trying to resist a Chromatic and
concentrate on basic classic blues proficiency.
I probably won't get this out of my
system without trying one or more of
these special harps.
XB-40 comments, anyone?
I have found the Marine Bands best so
far except for the big tongue blister I'm
nursing.
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MrVerylongusername
214 posts
Mar 25, 2009
6:44 PM
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XB-40 is very odd. Similar in size and tone to a chromatic. It's incredibly easy to bend - possibly too easy, making correct intonation hard.
It requires a whole new set of playing skills, but the pay-off is worth it for the flexibility it gives you.
They're expensive though. I like mine, but I've heard some negatives from other players.
Have you thought of the Richter tunes chromatics like the Koch and slide-harp? They're tuned like diatonics, but with a slide to raise the notes a semitone. Quite leaky though :-(
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