LilWillieB
10 posts
Feb 01, 2010
6:22 AM
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I can't wait to try one, problem is everybody seems to be sold out of common keys. Has anybody found a source that they care to share with us?
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LilWillieB
11 posts
Feb 03, 2010
5:58 PM
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Thanks for the tip, Stickman. An E will have to do until they get back in stock.
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HarpNinja
140 posts
Feb 03, 2010
6:28 PM
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Anyone compare the Deluxe and Crossover? I dig MB's, but hate the idea of adding screws and sealing the comb.
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Mike Fugazzi
http://www.myspace.com/niterailband
http://www.youtube.com/user/NiteRail
http://www.twitter.com/NiteRail
http://www.facebook.com/mike.fugazzi
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Bb
163 posts
Feb 03, 2010
6:51 PM
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I have a 2 MBDs and 3 Crossovers. One overlap between the two – D harps. Now, D harp is pretty much the highest harp I really like to play – although I do play my F harps fine. That's a high damn harp, ya know? FOR ME, the Crossover is the better harp of the D harps. More responsive with less air. Now, this was the first batch of Crossovers out there. Did they pay more attention to them at the factory? I dunno. BUT, my Crossovers in A, C, and D are really good. I compare them favorably to Brad Harrison Custom Marine Bands that I have in those same key and they are my back-ups to Brad's harps. For me, (a decent blues player with aspirations to get even better) the Crossover for $60 is a pretty good alternative to custom in that they DO take less air to play, are easier to open up to tweak and clean and somehow FEEL more like a custom harp. For what it would take to fiddle around with screws, comb sealing, opening cover plates and whatnot to get from a standard MB to the Crossover – well, let's just say my time is worth more than that. Crossover is a very good harp FOR THE CURRENT PRICE. I plan on getting more IF Hohner keeps their game up on 'em.
-Bob
Last Edited by on Feb 03, 2010 6:52 PM
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Rick Davis
170 posts
Feb 03, 2010
6:52 PM
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I like the MB Deluxe very much. The Crossover is cool, but I can't see where the extra $10 goes, except for the bamboo comb.
With the MB Deluxe you pay a $20 premium over the regular Marine Band. I think it is well worth it. That seems a reasonable price to upgrade to the better playability and response.
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-Rick Davis
Blues Harp Amps Blog
Roadhouse Joe Blues Band
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Greg Heumann
269 posts
Feb 03, 2010
7:39 PM
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I tried the Crossover at SPAH and was favorably impressed. I like it a lot better than the manji, which I found to be very thin sounding.
But I haven't tried a Marine Band Deluxe. Do they still slice your lips up like Marine Bands do?
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/Greg
BlowsMeAway Productions
BlueState - my band
Bluestate on iTunes
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HarpNinja
141 posts
Feb 03, 2010
8:26 PM
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I just got a Manji in Low F. If it would overblow worth a crap, I would be in love. It sounds great and plays super well, but the obs and ods ring like crazy. I dampened the reeds to the point of almost needing to retune, but same issue.
I have a Low F Sp20 that I've put some time into. It plays just as well as the Manji, which was excellent out of the box, but obs and ods really well.
If I didn't overblow, I'd totally be buying more.
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Mike Fugazzi
http://www.myspace.com/niterailband
http://www.youtube.com/user/NiteRail
http://www.twitter.com/NiteRail
http://www.facebook.com/mike.fugazzi
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barbequebob
429 posts
Feb 03, 2010
9:09 PM
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The main differances between the MBD and the MBXover are the reed slot tolerances on the Xover are tighter, the comprimise tuning is different, and wheras the comb on the MBD are only partially sealed (meaning sealed only around the outer edges), the Xover`s comb is FULLY sealed, which is a longer, more expensive process on the production line.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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Chickenthief
8 posts
Feb 04, 2010
1:21 AM
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I haven't tried the Xovers with that improved sealing.
After an hour or so of playing my deluxe she's as
swollen as the Octomom.
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Rick Davis
175 posts
Feb 04, 2010
8:04 AM
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BBQ Bob, thanks for the info.
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-Rick Davis
Blues Harp Amps Blog
Roadhouse Joe Blues Band
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barbequebob
431 posts
Feb 04, 2010
10:34 AM
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Chickenthief, you showed just why partial sealing isn't close to being moisture proof, because in either a very dry climate or high altitude area, or if you really play both too hard as well as with a ridiculously wet mouth (to the point of slobbering all over your harps), the comb can still swell and the extra money for a fully sealed comb is a better deal.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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Chickenthief
9 posts
Feb 04, 2010
12:41 PM
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10/4. Please keep posting BBQ. Trying to catch
catch up on some of what you and the other vets
already know insofar as it keeps tyros such as
myself from throwing a lot of bread at the dubious
stuff.
Considering the price of a Xover,.. Richard
Sleighs Marine Band kit. He does no reed work
on these instruments but for fifty bucks you get
screws, planed, fitted, SEALED comb, corners
and edges smoothed. I'm thinking about trying
one out along with his book.
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dfwdlg
91 posts
Feb 04, 2010
1:01 PM
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@BBQ Bob - can you say mor about the tunings. I play mostly Delta Frosts which I heard were comprimise tuning and they sound OK for everything I play. I have an A Marine Band that sounds better on the bottom chords. I have no issues with how it sounds on any of the non-blues stuff I play so I'm leaning towards switching to Marine Bands. I tap and wipe the MB frequently when I play it and haven't had any comb swelling for the year that I've had it, although some of the orangy finish is coming off the lower tines. I don't gig with it yet so I think it will be harder to keep it from swelling if I play a few songs in a row with one harp. What would you suggest to get the MB tuning with more durabilty? Am I limited to the MB deluxe or Sleigh kit?
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barbequebob
433 posts
Feb 04, 2010
1:22 PM
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The Delta Frost is tuned to Equal Temperament and NOT to a comprimise tuning at all. Some unsealed wood combs that a tendency to swell quicker than other wood combs that aren't sealed is due to the fact that the comb was cut too close to the knot of the tree.
Personally, I'd take the Richard Sleigh MB kit in a heartbeat over the MBD because of one thing: Richard FULLY seals the comb and the MBD is NOT fully sealed. Richard sands the combs to remove the sawmarks, which is very important. MB's made from 1981-1995 had huge sawmarks on the combs, bad rivet jobs, reeds not centered in the slot, and that's just for starters.
As far as harp durability, it all comes down to your personal playing technique FAR more than the harmonica and if you're playing each and every note, ESPECIALLY the bends with way too hard of a breath force all the time, your harps will blow out quick, so for durability, the big thing is learning breath control, which too many players, especially newbies often never learn.
As far as I'm concerned, The MB Kit Richard Sleigh offers is worth the money, hands down, over any Marine Band Deluxe (and the price is clearly comparable to one) tho if you want the actual reedwork, spend another $130 and you will have an actual custom harp whcih includes the single most important part of the customization procees and that's the reed work.
Anyway, I'm gonna repost the links to the different tuning setups below:
From the Delta Frost Forum:
http://www.deltafrost.com/diatonic-harmonica-tunings-an-update_topic6473.html?KW=Diatonic+Harmonica+Tunings
From the Harmonica Space Forum:
http://www.harmonicaspace.com/viewtopic.php?topic=688
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
Last Edited by on Feb 04, 2010 1:36 PM
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Bluzdude46
447 posts
Feb 04, 2010
1:33 PM
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Question because I've yet to start trying either MBD or Xover If what Bob says is true why not just unscrew the Harp and seal it yourself? It's by far the easiest thing I do to a harp. The big deal is the nails with MB's If there are screws What's the biggie?
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The Original Downtown Philadelphia Fatman... Accept No substitutes!
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barbequebob
435 posts
Feb 04, 2010
1:38 PM
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The MBD is sealed with shellac, which I've never been a fan of as a sealing agent and I'd rather see something more along the lines of a polyurethane type sealer used instead. Bees Wax is OK, but can be dangerous to work with if you aren't carefil, but it is not completely moisture proof.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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