garry
252 posts
Aug 23, 2012
8:20 PM
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a while ago, i started replacing some of my suzuki bluesmasters with seydel session steels. i like both harps, though the bluemasters have the edge in responsiveness. my thought was that the session steels cost twice as much, so if they lasted at least twice as long, i'd come out ahead.
in practice, though, i'm not sure they're lasting longer at all, and probably not twice as long. i tend to lose the 4 blow reed, probably from overusing 4 draw bends.
admittedly, the seydels are the ones i use for practice, so they're seeing more use than the bluesmasters (and a few special 20's) that dominate my actual gigging set.
i'm thinking about going back to bluesmasters, buying replacement reedplates as needed to keep cost down.
are others out there using the session steels? what is your experience with their longevity?
ps. please no lectures on playing gently. i get that, and do that. all of these harps last reasonably long, just not as long as i'd hoped for the price difference.
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gene
1077 posts
Aug 23, 2012
9:43 PM
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Besides the comb, is there any difference between the Bluesmaster and the Promaster?
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GMaj7
75 posts
Aug 23, 2012
9:52 PM
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Hey .. They Session Steels are easy to repair and they also have fairly reasonable reed plate replacements.. I usually just do a single reed swap, but either is a viable alternative for Seydel stainless steel reed harps.. Email me if you are interested..
I'm sure others will have some good options for you...and you can't go wrong with Suzuki, either..
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Greg Jones
16:23 Custom Harmonicas
greg@1623customharmonicas.com
1623customharmonicas.com
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jim
1291 posts
Aug 24, 2012
1:37 AM
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>3 years with no reeds broken...
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Free Harp Learning Center
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wheel
104 posts
Aug 24, 2012
10:07 AM
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Mine session steel became broken after 3 months, but I bought 3 new reedplates. But I think overall it's a good harmonica. I think it was factory defect.
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http://www.youtube.com/user/wheelharp
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1847
153 posts
Aug 24, 2012
10:32 AM
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so some friends invite me to a rehearsal
i walk in, they are louder than deep purple
i go back to my car
grab a pair of earplugs
two amps and a kinder anti feed backer
it was fun for about two minutes
blew out 4 draw
no lecture here "just sayin"
other than that,with normal playing
i have lost about 4 reeds in two years
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HTrain
69 posts
Aug 24, 2012
11:19 AM
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I believe they are the same plates/reed as the 1847 - if so, 4 years with no reeds broken (Oh please no kiss of death)
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GMaj7
77 posts
Aug 24, 2012
2:20 PM
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They are not the same plates as the 1847. The 1847 is a grooved plate for a sandwhich style harp. The SS uses a non-grooved plate that fits in a recessed comb. However, the reed/reed slots are the same dimensions between the two models.
Fortunately, there are a couple of reasonable options. Occasionally, I'll sell a half-set (Draw or blow plate only).. Especially if I have a repair that requries the opposing plate.
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Greg Jones
16:23 Custom Harmonicas
greg@1623customharmonicas.com
1623customharmonicas.com
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jim
1292 posts
Aug 24, 2012
2:29 PM
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I occasionally sell half-sets
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Free Harp Learning Center
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HarpNinja
2628 posts
Aug 25, 2012
9:27 PM
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A few "myths" I can debunk from experience:
Steel can drop out of tune. It is most likely to occur when tweaking, but it is 100% untrue that you can't alter the tuning by playing or tweaking the reeds.
Steel will generally break rather than drop the tuning over time. However, it is very possible to have a reed sound way out of tune and still sound - just like with brass. I'd just replace a very flat steel reed whereas, I might retune brass depending on how off it is.
Steel doesn't necessarily last longer than brass. It may hold its tuning longer, but I have brass harps that are several years old and going very strong. It is a matter of how hard you are on either metal.
Honestly, I have a couple clients who frequently gig and are always sending me steel harps to fix. If the reed is audibly out of tune, I don't even check for a crack...I just replace it.
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Mike
VHT Special 6 Mods
Quicksilver Custom Harmonicas - When it needs to come from the soul...
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HarpNinja
2629 posts
Aug 25, 2012
9:30 PM
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Also, steel reeds are just as likely to drift when doing the reed profiles. Meaning, I am just as likely to have to regap a steel reed as brass. They are in no way set and forget.
The biggest benefit for me (and I am talking strictly manipulating the harp, not considering timber, feel, etc) is that you can get away retuning fewer times and more quickly than brass. While a much harder material to work on, if you like the steel tone and playability, they can make fantastic harps.
I have one gigging harp that I've give the full monte too...I generally just do the reed profiles on my personal harps... and it is an 1847 D (long slot!) with a bamboo comb. I LOVE it.
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Mike
VHT Special 6 Mods
Quicksilver Custom Harmonicas - When it needs to come from the soul...
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boris_plotnikov
759 posts
Aug 25, 2012
10:28 PM
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Yes steel reeds change pitch like brass while gapping.
Yes steel reeds can be broken too. Yes, steel reeds usually drop in pitch when broken (in my experience it they goes at least a halftone in a second). But for my exerience stainless steel reeds never change tone when just playing if they're unbroken and not touched by hands. Just because stainless steel don't oxidize. When I played brass reeds I had to check tunings before every 3 gigs and always I have to retune some reeds as octaves was out of tune. Usually it was not so deep changes about 20 cents, but it's enough to make octave sound like crap.
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Excuse my bad English. Click on my photo or my username for my music.
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