Martin
1036 posts
Jul 20, 2016
9:15 AM
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It looked like some people were set on buying a few of these a while ago.
Unfortunately they cannot be had within the EU, as far as I´ve been able to confirm, but if there are people here giving them a good review it could be worthwhile to take a shot at the chance that they would slip through customs.
How have they held up?
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Danny G
6 posts
Jul 20, 2016
11:43 AM
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Martin,
Contact your country's customs office and see what the duty is for the amount you want to spend. If it's not prohibitive, contact me .. dannyg@newharmonica.com
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grahamonica
195 posts
Jul 20, 2016
12:02 PM
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I bought one a few months back Martin...it cost £8.99....best cheap harp I,ve ever bought...plays great and i,ve had no problems whatsoever. I think its the t 004 model.
This site in uk sells them:
simpsonsguitars.co.uk
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Martin
1038 posts
Jul 20, 2016
1:23 PM
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Thank you! That´s within the EU, at least for a short time onwards (hmpf ...).
Strange: in the other pictures I´ve seen of the Easttops, they are black and gold. Not so on the pictures from Simpsons guitars.
Not that I care one bit about the look of a harmonica but I wonder if they have different models or just different colours?
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1847
3568 posts
Jul 20, 2016
1:40 PM
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the T008 is the top of the line black one
east top
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Last Edited by 1847 on Jul 22, 2016 8:23 AM
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Harp2swing
233 posts
Jul 20, 2016
6:38 PM
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I purchased the T008K (A and G) direct from China from this site...http://www.banggood.com Harps arrived within 10 days. They play brighter than my sp20s ,they're in tune and play well OOTB. At $16.50 Aussie dollars I'd recommend them.
Last Edited by Harp2swing on Jul 20, 2016 6:42 PM
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didjcripey
1049 posts
Jul 20, 2016
7:24 PM
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I love em. At well under 20 bucks they're a steal. I've had one that I needed to gap one reed on, but all the rest play great out of the box.
I've even swapped a couple of Session steel and manjis out from my gig bag with some.
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Lucky Lester
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Martin
1039 posts
Jul 21, 2016
5:47 AM
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So then it seems as if the one Grahamonica got is not top of the line -- but still OK.
@Harptoswing: Maybe the Australian customs is a bit more lenient when it comes to purchases from China -- don´t know about your trade agreements. But if you´re unlucky here in Sweden you end up paying at least twice the original amount if you get caught in the custom. That sort of defeats the purpose of the cheap harmonica.
@Danny G: Thank you, I will give it a check.
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MindTheGap
1716 posts
Jul 21, 2016
6:09 AM
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I also got a T004 from the same source as graharmonica, and it's basically as good as an equivalent harpmaster/SP20.
I don't know if the T008 is necessarily better quality. The T004 is a recessed comb type and from what I've seen the T008 is sandwich comb. No one stocks T008 in the UK, so I can't compare.
I don't use overblows, but I can do some of them. This one happily OBs on 5 and 6. So there's a bit of objective info for you.
Last Edited by MindTheGap on Jul 21, 2016 6:23 AM
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Martin
1040 posts
Jul 21, 2016
9:40 AM
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Thank you MindTheGap. That´s useful. (And after Brexit, the pound has become just a bit more attractive from the Swedish perspective.)
I´ve so far only come upon one or two harmonicas that would not yield an overblow upon being attacked with conviction (one was a Hohner Hot Metal -- not so hot, it quickly transpired), so I don´t fear that aspect. But I´m in dire need of affordable and lasting harps for practice.
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Martin
1041 posts
Jul 21, 2016
9:51 AM
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I also find it interesting (preliminary interesting: haven´t tried them yet) that at least one company picks up the torch and appears to show some interest in producing a, let´s say, affordable mid quality harmonica. Hohner and Seydel are very active in introducing new models, more and more expensive, and with no guarantee whatsoever of longevity.
Maybe this is provocative to some people, but, say, in the market for guitar, there has since long been good alternatives to top of the line products for those who decide thy can live and play without a Martin or Gibson etc.
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MindTheGap
1717 posts
Jul 21, 2016
9:51 AM
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Martin - yes, the overblow thing isn't important in itself as I don't need them. But as my OB technique isn't great, when a harp responds easily it says something to me.
BTW a short while ago you were asking about pedals/effects to get a nice amped-harp sound direct into the computer. Have you tried The Blue Dadi software? I think it's excellent. This could do it for you...
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1847
3570 posts
Jul 21, 2016
9:52 AM
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kong sheng
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http://www.aliexpress.com/item/10-blues-harmonica-ks-10bh-dull-black-premium-harmonica-Black-played-professional-use/32330454308.html?ws_ab_test=searchweb201556_8,searchweb201602_1_10057_10056_10055_10049_10017_405_404_10059_407_10058_10040,searchweb201603_2&btsid=a0dab1df-8454-4600-9779-ae513e6814ed%3E%3C/a%3E
Last Edited by 1847 on Jul 22, 2016 7:59 AM
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1847
3572 posts
Jul 21, 2016
9:59 AM
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seydel is afforable....
if you purchase the reed plates 30.00 dollars a set.
if you blow out say a 4 draw you only need to replace the bottom plate. so it is 15 dollars to repair.
you still have the blow plate in case a reed on the top plate goes.
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Martin
1042 posts
Jul 21, 2016
12:29 PM
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@MindThe Gap: I bought a Harp Attack the other day. A fine little thing but perhaps not the Holy Grail. Also, of course not geared to computer recording, but it works there.
The Blue Dadi is something I will check out immediately! Thanks a lot.
@1847. They cost considerably more over here, and you have to buy them in pairs. (And I always blow out 9B. Always.)
But, you´re right, they are an affordable option in their way. Still, the price (here) is three times the Easttop, plus some handiwork required.
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SuperBee
3935 posts
Jul 21, 2016
3:14 PM
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Yeah I think harmonica generally gets in under Australian value limit for customs duty. There's been some noise about tax on low value imports ($1000 limit) and I think there might be some movement on that although since the $ tumbled from parity to 75 US cents the heat has come off the issue of domestic imports. But gst is only 10% anyway which is no big deal on a $16 item.
I'd probably check these out if I had to buy harmonicas, although it seems they are being compared to Suzuki so probably not my cuppa in any case.
That's a drag for you folks in Europe with big import duty. Australia is probably paying in other ways for its less protectionist policy. no local harmonica manufacturers here of course.
Personally I just repair my Hohners if I blow a reed. Works out at about $2-3 per repair. Plus my labour but I don't charge myself for my time and skill.
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1847
3574 posts
Jul 21, 2016
4:09 PM
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http://www.ebay.com/itm/KONGSHENG-KS-10SG-10-Holes-Blues-Harmonica-Key-of-C/182045994280?_trksid=p2045573.c100033.m2042&_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D37466%26meid%3D86a51ef11bb44661a439e0f566b6d8e3%26pid%3D100033%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D272244745716
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MindTheGap
1718 posts
Jul 22, 2016
5:13 AM
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Martin - IMO the Lone Wolf pedals are brilliant for what they are intended for. But they don't add a characterful voice to the sound like a nice old amp seems to. That Joyo AS pedal does do it a fair bit, and The Blue Dadi can do that a lot. That's where I think it excels for direct-input recording.
Last Edited by MindTheGap on Jul 22, 2016 6:23 AM
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1847
3576 posts
Jul 22, 2016
8:25 AM
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1,Imported phosphor bronze reed(Sound Spring):Copper content 99.99%,anticorrosion,antifatigue with brighter tone.
2,Germany equipment:The Sino-German joint venture DMG CNC planer spring machine,guarantee the sound spring intonation.
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1847
3599 posts
Jul 31, 2016
3:16 PM
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here is a photo of the easttop comb...
as you can see there are craters ... not at all flat.
a prime candidate for a blue moon upgrade i would say.
i did install it on a bamboo comb, the plates are a little too wide to fit.
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