Ugly Bones Ryan
55 posts
Feb 24, 2014
9:14 AM
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How many harps does everyone have that work?
I have 5; four special 20's in G,A,D,E and one Crossover in A.
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Buzadero
1170 posts
Feb 24, 2014
9:55 AM
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None of my harps work. The little deadbeats just lay there and expect me to feed them.
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~Buzadero
Underwater Janitor, Patriot
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DukeBerryman
178 posts
Feb 24, 2014
9:55 AM
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I have 9 Lee Oskar Major Diatonics, from Low F to High G. Plus 3 Lee Oskar Natural Minors (Am, Dm, Em) and 2 Suzuki Promasters in C and D which are my luxury harps (just bought a leather case for them).
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timeistight
1501 posts
Feb 24, 2014
12:08 PM
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In my main case, I have 21 harps:
* Low Eb and F Maine Bands on Crossover combs, covers reshaped by Richard Sleigh
* Low F# Big River
* G and Ab MB Crossovers mounted on Corian combs by Richard Sleigh
* A, C and D Crossovers
* Bb Richard Sleigh-customized pre-war MB
* B and Db MB Deluxes
* G, Ab, A, Bb, C, D, Eb, E and F Golden Melodies
* A 64 Chromonica
Around the house I have:
* A low Eb Big River
* A few valved Suzuki and Seydel harps. Two of the Suzukis are tuned Paddy Richter
* Four old-version Hohner Pro Harps in oddball keys
* An old version Hohner Meisterklasse diatonic
* Maybe a half-dozen Marine Bands in various vintages
* Way too many Special 20s
* A couple of Lee Oskars
* A couple of Huangs
* Some Hohner Chromatics: a really nice Meisterklasse, two CX12s and a bunch of 270s in different keys
I'd still like to get a couple of Thunderbirds and some more Crossovers. I'd also like to send the old Marine Bands and Special 20s to Andrew Zajac for tuning and tweaking. And I need a bigger case!
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chromaticblues
1548 posts
Feb 24, 2014
12:22 PM
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I would recommend getting a Bb also.
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Littoral
1039 posts
Feb 24, 2014
12:36 PM
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Afflicted. These are the MB's in need of repair. Lot's of GM's and 20's too.
Last Edited by Littoral on Feb 24, 2014 12:38 PM
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jnorem
45 posts
Feb 24, 2014
12:44 PM
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Nine SP 20s, plus a Lee Oscar G minor that I got for a birthday; I never use it but it stays in my case, and there are a couple more that I never use, can't remember what they are, though.
I carry C D E F G A Ab Bb and Eb harps. With those I can play in pretty much any key without having to use any weird positions that hurt my mouth. :)
I also carry a chromatic. For a long time it was a Meisterclasse, but now it's a CX-12 since it got new reed plates.
Oh, and all my harmonicas work. I've never kept a lot of harmonicas, I just never saw any reason for having a lot of harps. I keep mine working with new plates and a bit of basic maintenance from time to time.
I do have one SP20 body, cover plates and screws, but without reed plates it isn't really a harmonica. Is it?
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Call me J
Last Edited by jnorem on Feb 24, 2014 12:49 PM
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isaacullah
2641 posts
Feb 24, 2014
12:55 PM
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Holy Mercredi, Littoral! That's a lot 'o dead harps!
I'd say I've got about 30, give or take. I've got a set of standard richters from Low C to high Eb (without the less common flat keys), and then a bunch of alternate tunings in various keys: natural minor's in G-D, Easy Third in A, Bb, and C, Dorian Minor in B and D, Modern Pentatonic in A and G, Power Bender in D and C, Harmonic Minor in Bb, a Suzuki Overdrive in G, several tremolo and octave harps, two bass harps, and a chromatic in C.
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YouTube! Soundcloud!
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FMWoodeye
825 posts
Feb 24, 2014
1:26 PM
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I keep three Zajac-improved Special 20s near my recliner for home practive, one in C, one in A and one in C set up for overblows. I keep 20 in my case (along with mics and pedals) at our rehearsal site. These consist of six Crossovers, seven Zajac-improved Special 20s, five OOTB Special 20s and a couple minor tuned Lee Oskars. Next I keep a small box at home for harps gone bad, usually a reed gone flat. When I accumulate five or six of these, I ship them off to Andrew to be repaired and "optimized." Optimized is my word. He repairs them, tunes and gaps them, makes them more airtight and opens the back of the Special 20s. When they come back from Andrew, they go in a "staging case" and will replace a practice or gigging harp that goes bad. So I have a pipeline or circuit of harps that insures that I always have a supply of quality harps available at my fingertips.
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Kingley
3478 posts
Feb 24, 2014
1:37 PM
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I have 14 working diatonics. Two of each in the keys of G, A, Bb, C, D, Eb and one in F, plus an A that I use as a carry round. Also two Chromatics in C. One 12 hole and one 16 hole.
Last Edited by Kingley on Feb 24, 2014 1:38 PM
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SuperBee
1699 posts
Feb 24, 2014
1:39 PM
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19 on my table ATM. + 3 I just found under a towel
6 on my wardrobe + 1 super chromonica
3 more I just found on the sofa
And there are at least 5 more in a drawer which work insofar as they aren't any more broken than they were when they came from the shop, but 1 is an Ab solist pro , and I don't need more than 1 of that key in play at a time, and solist pro is not moustache-friendly. The others are Suzuki harps and I just find them too different to bother with.
So I think that's 31 diatonic in "regular" use.
13 of them are my gig set, and I think that's only 7 keys. Bb, Standard F, C, G, D, A, and a single Eb
3 of the others are country-tuned, 3 more are lo tunings, an Ab and an E I don't currently use for any songs, and a full set of practice harps, some I'm experimenting on with different set-ups.
And some which were broken and later repaired but replaced in the interim and now somewhat redundant.
And those suzuki harps...every now and then I see a 'bargain' Suzuki and snap it up in hope I'll find a harp I like...of course this never works. The bargains are always compromised in some way.
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Jehosaphat
694 posts
Feb 24, 2014
2:22 PM
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Sydel 'big six' in Bb C D F A.
Hohner Crossover in A
Hohner Bluesharps in G and A (set up for third position)
Suzuki Bluesmaster in A F G(never use )
Huang Sivertone in Ab (very nice harp)
Lee Oscars in Am Gm plus two melody makers C and G
Lee Oscars in Bb C D F G A all now with aftermarket wooden combs.
These L/Os are a big step up from the standard ones.
The tone is(imo) like a Crossover and much louder than stock.(If you have any L/Os lying around spare worth a go )
Only work i do on them all now is some gapping and tuning.Tried embossing once or twice but to me pesonally not worth the effort
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snakes
721 posts
Feb 24, 2014
4:01 PM
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It took me a long while to determine which out of the box harp I was going with. I have about 70 if you count all flavors and types.
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snakes in Snohomish
Last Edited by snakes on Feb 24, 2014 4:01 PM
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Ugly Bones Ryan
56 posts
Feb 24, 2014
4:10 PM
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@Todd Parrott from your videos it seems like you have a few. How many do you do have sir?
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hooktool
114 posts
Feb 24, 2014
7:16 PM
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I have about 40, I guess-they aren't close enough to me to count. Pretty much all current and playing. MS, XO, MB deluxe, Special 20's that MP, and others tuned up. I bought several Suzuki Firebreath, but haven't used them much. Hard to pass them up when someone has few nice ones for sale here, though there haven't been many lately.
John
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rockmonkeyguitars
3 posts
Feb 24, 2014
9:35 PM
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11 blues harps (my personal favorites)
3 golden melodies
13-15 marine band that actually work and a box full that don't
5 Steve baker specials (three of which haven't been used and are up for barter)
a handful of various others in special tuning and what not.
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dougharps
568 posts
Feb 24, 2014
10:05 PM
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I have built up quite a harp collection over the years, well over 100! All the harps that I am counting work adequately, but at least half of the diatonics I couldn't overblow the 6 hole adequately.
I have many, many kinds of diatonics. Some are lower end, some are more pricey. I currently favor SP20s, MBDs, Crossovers, Manjis,(EDIT: I like my 1847s and Session Steel, too!) and my Deak Harps. I like Delta Frosts OK, and sometimes use Bluesmasters for less used keys.
I still have a bunch of my old LOs from the 90s up to about 2003 that I seldom use now except for cold weather gigs.
I have 14 keyed Hering and Hohner chromatics covering 8 different keys, Eb thru E by 5ths.
All these harps are a history of my playing and my exploration of different brands as they came out, all bought gradually over many years with gig money, many no longer regularly used. My harmonica needs have changed as my skills and musical interests have changed.
I had a decent day job before I retired, so any money I earned playing music could go to gear to build my "harmonica business" without affecting day to day living. I am fortunate in this.
It scares me to add up the replacement value of all the harps I have bought over the years. Most are playable, but just don't meet my current needs. I could get by quite nicely with far fewer harps.
I am tempted to try the Rocket, but I really don't need another harp. Really!!!
The harps I played in the 70s thru the 80s are long gone, and darn it, I didn't save the plates to use for spare reeds!
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Doug S.
Last Edited by dougharps on Feb 25, 2014 8:56 AM
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groyster1
2549 posts
Feb 24, 2014
10:48 PM
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last inventory 122....Im addicted to ebay auctions of marine bands
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jbone
1505 posts
Feb 25, 2014
5:31 AM
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15 various 10 hole. 1 14 hole 364. 3 chromatics.
I have some working sparesm someplace but I keep 2 of my high use harps in my case for that on stage moment when a reed goes out.
I sent a box of dead-reed harps to a guy some years ago and never heard from him again. I do have a few dead soldiers laying around these days. I may work a deal one of these days to clean house and get a few repaired.
I have 1 MB and a Sp20 or 2. Manjis; Delta Frost, a Hammond, a Pure, a Big River or two. I have a few Oskars I never play. A 270 that I consider to be a good enough paperweight.
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http://www.reverbnation.com/jawboneandjolene
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000386839482
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wa7La7yYYeE
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jiceblues
288 posts
Feb 25, 2014
5:57 AM
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I have 1 SP20 JOE SPIERS stage one in A , 1 SP20 in Bb from Chromaticblues , 1 SP20 in C tuned and tweaked by a french good player ,1 stock SP20 in A , another in Bb .I have 4 BH's : D G F Eb .Nine harps .I am selling a few more that i don't need (1847 , Big six , Bh's , MBDL ).
I tried a lot of brands , but i play SP20's , now .
Maybe i'll try a Rocket or a SS in C , not sure .
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dougharps
569 posts
Feb 25, 2014
9:01 AM
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I am convinced that Special 20s are the current bargain harp on the market. A little gapping adjustment, and you have a really good harp that is screwed together.
MBs are OK, but I don't like repairing nailed harps, or putting in the time to convert to screws, and it costs to have someone else do it.
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Doug S.
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rogonzab
473 posts
Feb 25, 2014
9:24 AM
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I dont have many harps, but I dont need more so I am OK whit that.
I have, G, A, Bb, C, D, E, and a C minor and a Sp20 Low D.
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nacoran
7559 posts
Feb 25, 2014
10:08 AM
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Quite a few. I've got over a dozen Magnus plastic harps for a craft project (no one in their right mind would use them for a music project) and probably 3 dozen 'real' harps in various states of playability, and some more cheap ones and oddballs, 6 tremolos, a chromatic, a couple Hohner Pucks, some terrible little keychain harp...
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Nate
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MP
3099 posts
Feb 25, 2014
10:48 AM
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At least 35 diatonics and three chromatics that work. But like Buzadero I have a lot of unemployed guys.
Good One Buzz!!!
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Affordable Reed Replacement
Marks Harmonica Tune-up
Click user name MP for contact info
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florida-trader
430 posts
Feb 25, 2014
11:09 AM
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I have too many to count. I have about 30-40 that I play pretty regular. About half of them are Marine Bands (mixture of pre-wars, CrossOvers, Deluxes and a few 1896's). The other half are Suzuki ProMasters and Manjis and some Seydel 1847's and Session Steels. Oh yeah, I almost forgot. I have several low tuned MS Cross Harps.
I also have about 100 - 125 pre-war Marine Bands (and maybe 20 Old Standbys) that are in various stages of restoration.
Lastly I have about 100 new Suzukis and Hohners that are inventory for sale.
Do you think that is a bit extreme?
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Tom Halchak
www.BlueMoonHarmonicas.com
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Gnarly
919 posts
Feb 25, 2014
1:24 PM
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Yup, too many to count, many in altered tunings.
Main kit has 40 harps in it, I have an additional box with another 40 Special 20s. I have over a dozen chromatics! My new harp is the SSCH-56, which is a chord harmonica that plays in all 12 keys but looks like a 14 hole chromatic.
Here's the demo from NAMM.
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