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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
My First - And No Doubt Last - Star Performer
My First - And No Doubt Last - Star Performer
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harp-er
366 posts
Mar 25, 2013
11:28 AM
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I decided to fulfill a curiosity I've had for a while about the star performer, so I took the plunge and bought a C# from Ray's Music on ebay, the guy who has all of Chamber Huang's original old stock, for $10 shipped. All the buzz suggests that these old ones are the best ever made, especially in comparison to current ones. I like a Db harp, so I figured if it worked out I wouldn't mind having another one around. Fortunately, I have my corian combed GM and my one and only stock Special 20 in Db to compare this Huang with. In a word......meh. Nah, I wouldn't buy another one unless I just really wanted an extra car harp for some unimaginable reason, and didn't mind spending ten bucks for it. It's worth ten bucks, I guess, and nothing more.
The main thing I don't like about it: it's way too leaky, and requires way too much air pressure to get it playing. Maybe that's why they say these harps are "preferred by rock musicians". It doesn't sound too bad, and I even got the 6OB going on it, but only possibly good for the hardest blow hards, me thinks.
It sure makes me appreciate my GM a whole lot, and the Sp20 is several magnitudes better too. That's the best thing to come out of this deal for me - I got to compare three Db harps, and readily see what a really good one, a good one, and a not good one are like side by side.
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SuperBee
1030 posts
Mar 25, 2013
1:41 PM
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I never played a star performer, but I did have a couple Silvertone Deluxe back in the day when I decided to learn to play. Compared to the Special 20 I had back then (an MS Sp20) and the Folkmaster (in G) the Huangs seemed pretty good. I recall they were kinda "brash" sounding. I expect they were quite leaky.
I quite liked the full length covers. Guy in the shop told me "(local harp playing legend) uses these, reckons they are the best value."
They disappeared from our LMS, otherwise I expect I'd have a few more. I'm a dedicated MB user these days, that's not likely to change.
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Kingley
2454 posts
Mar 25, 2013
1:46 PM
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"I'm a dedicated MB user these days, that's not likely to change"
Good man!
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Martin
284 posts
Mar 25, 2013
2:10 PM
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Almost my entire experience with the Silvertones have been very positive; not so much with the Star Performers. In tune, not leaky and long lasting. And CHEAP. The acoustic sound is unimpressive, I´ll admit that.
Can´t get them anymore, which is a pity.
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didjcripey
505 posts
Mar 25, 2013
2:51 PM
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Bought a Silvertone deluxe back in the day too, and still have it, and it still plays well. Its been bashed around without a case in rucksacks and pockets all over the world, had the cover plates crushed and been filled with grit, lint and god knows what. Its gotta be nearly thirty years old.
I have since tried some new Silvertones and Star performers; they are what you'd expect from a ten buck harp.
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Lucky Lester
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