bigd
93 posts
Apr 30, 2010
8:57 PM
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---------- That is as closely related as possible to a Golden Melody in form, tone, and loudness please? I have a Special 20 Low F that a friend made sweet through some work years ago before he drank himself into the streets of NYC but i'm leaning on that one too much without a backup. And check this out: Once upon a time Hohner made some Low F GM's and I have one but it was unresponsive and "reed sticky". Since I'm not good with my hands I sent it to a new (non Olympian) customizer and got it back a little better but not performance worthy. Some time later I did a project with two other harp players: Diggs (who posts here) and Little Al from Scotland. I supplied the photos of Kerry-Ireland, Al provided the music, and Diggs made a movie of it. Al (a great player and a customizer) was so grateful for the photos I provided he offered to customize a harp for me for free. So I sent the GM Low F to him in Scotland from NYC for customization number 2. And guess what: There's no defeating a crappy GM. The international traveler still sticks! So- any good ones off the shelf. And please: no lectures. I know I should learn to tweak my own but it just "ain't' one of my gifts. My best. d
Myspace: dennis moriarty
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Greg Heumann
417 posts
Apr 30, 2010
8:59 PM
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I have a stock Special 20 low F that performs well. Seydel makes good ones too.
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/Greg
BlowsMeAway Productions
BlueState - my band
Bluestate on iTunes
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Cisco
112 posts
Apr 30, 2010
9:20 PM
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+1 on the Special 20 low F - works very well out of the box!
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ToddParrott
21 posts
Apr 30, 2010
9:37 PM
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Sorry I can't give much advice in this area, simply because I rarely use lower harps, thus I haven't really tried enough low F's in other models to make a fair comparison. I will say that out of all of my GM low keys, Eb, E, F & F#, my GM in low F plays the worst - not sure if this is just coincidence. Golden Melodies are not known for being the loudest harps, but the tone is nice, and in my opinion, more mellow. But with a low key you don't need mellow, you need volume. So, I would probably have to agree that a Special 20 may work best. Randy Sandoval had some low key Marine Bands on his table at SPAH that were mounted on Corian combs, and they were super loud. I can't remember if there was a low F. I thought I saw somewhere that Seydel is now altering the coverplate on certain low-key harps with a cone-shaped lower coverplate to prevent the 1 draw reed from rattling. For a key like low F, it would be great to have it customized, but I just don't use it enough to justify the cost for customizing. Hope this helps a little.
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nacoran
1788 posts
Apr 30, 2010
10:37 PM
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I wonder, has anyone tried a Turbo Harp lid as a solution to rattle?
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Nate
Facebook
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MP
214 posts
Apr 30, 2010
11:06 PM
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iv'e always found that oob gms, a,g, were muddy. lower than that must be hell. i use an 1896, but best you go with sp20.
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jbone
313 posts
May 01, 2010
2:45 AM
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suzuki manji.
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tookatooka
1375 posts
May 01, 2010
3:38 AM
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Special 20, but I haven't tried any other makes. Opening the gap up, stopped the one hole rattle.
Last Edited by on May 01, 2010 3:41 AM
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harpwrench
250 posts
May 01, 2010
4:22 AM
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Give me a shot at the GM Dennis....
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Kingley
1126 posts
May 01, 2010
4:44 AM
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Dennis take Joe up on his offer. He'll make that GM play like a dream.
Whatever happened to Al? He seems to have disappeared off the scene completely.
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GermanHarpist
1387 posts
May 01, 2010
4:52 AM
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I like my low Hering Vintage Harp 1923. With the thick reedplates it has a very intense/thick sound.
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YT
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GermanHarpist
1388 posts
May 01, 2010
5:12 AM
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I think there's also a vid by Ronnie Shellist where he describes a harp that is tuned down a whole step (and which apparently sounds (and plays?) different). So you could buy a normal G harp and tune it down...
Too lazy to look for the vid right now, but I'm sure somebody here knows of what I'm talking about.
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YT
Last Edited by on May 01, 2010 5:13 AM
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HarpNinja
418 posts
May 01, 2010
5:32 AM
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If you aren't overbending, the Manji killed the Sp 20 I had. For the cost and amount of use it will get, I would highly suggest the Manji.
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JimInMO
50 posts
May 01, 2010
6:00 AM
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I have a Delta Frost LF that plays as good as a G or A. Nothing real fancy, just standard blues stuff.
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Andrew
947 posts
May 01, 2010
6:22 AM
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Germanharpist, normally I like all of your posts, but when someone says they're not very good with their hands and you recommend they buy a G and tune it down a tone, my mind boggles a little! lol :-)
(I've got a low F MB, but I've gapped it)
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Kinda hot in these rhinos!
Last Edited by on May 01, 2010 6:24 AM
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baldyak
20 posts
May 01, 2010
7:31 AM
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I have a Delta Frost in low F, my instructor has a low F Manji and some old Huang - we both think the Delta Frost sounds much better than the others. I just really do not like the cover plates on Delta Frost harps - no matter what I do they have a tendency to catch and pinch my lips.
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congaron
859 posts
May 01, 2010
10:35 AM
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My promaster in low f is awesome. it's Et tuned like the GM also.
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MakaInOz
9 posts
May 02, 2010
8:17 PM
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I've got a Lee Oskar LowF. It played like all my other LO harps straight out of the box.
The lower keys all require a little more air, but the bent 1 draw is something else on the LowF!
And run it through the pitch shifter on the RP350 down two octaves and its a mean bass harp!
YMMV
Cheers
Maka
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bigd
100 posts
May 02, 2010
9:26 PM
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MakalnOz. Can you direct me to any examples you have of your experience with the RP350? Or comment on the exact (and simply comprehensible) settings for the above "bass harp" effect. Thanks. I Love Lee's music and verve and uniqueness and he has been very generous to me socially in my past but I'm not a big fan of his harps tonally. Joe Spiers is going to take a look at my "international" Low F GM. Thanks Oz (and all) My best. d
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Myspace: dennis moriarty
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ToddParrott
22 posts
May 02, 2010
9:29 PM
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Once Spiers gets ahold of that Low F GM, you won't have to worry about which low F is the best - you will have it.
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GermanHarpist
1393 posts
May 03, 2010
1:43 AM
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@Andrew, uups, I have to admit I actually didn't read it that far into the OP... (due to the format). It was less thought as an advice, more just to throw the idea out there.
But I see, the discrepancy is pretty funny :)
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YT
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tmf714
95 posts
May 03, 2010
3:02 PM
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Anyone hasd any expierience with the Big River low tuning?
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bigd
114 posts
May 10, 2010
4:26 PM
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Well I sent off my originally stock Golden Melody Low F "Frankenstein-harp" that had been worked on from the US to Scotland to Joe Spiers and within a few days Joe had it back to me singing! Especially noticeable is-when sent to Joe the hole 1 blow reed paralyzed upon a modest attack- even Superman couldn't paralyze that reed now. Thanks for the performance ready resonance Joe! My best. d
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Myspace: dennis moriarty
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bigd
115 posts
May 10, 2010
4:26 PM
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Well I sent off my originally stock Golden Melody Low F "Frankenstein-harp" that had been worked on from the US to Scotland to Joe Spiers and within a few days Joe had it back to me singing! Especially noticeable is-when sent to Joe the hole 1 blow reed paralyzed upon a modest attack- even Superman couldn't paralyze that reed now. Thanks for the performance ready resonance Joe! My best. d
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Myspace: dennis moriarty
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oldwailer
1245 posts
May 10, 2010
8:04 PM
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@tmf--I bought 2 low-tuned BR's at SPAH last year--they were selling them for 5 bucks a shot. I wish I had bought a few more--but they only had low F# and low E flat.
I love the shape of the covers on the BR's. I put new Plexiglas combs on both of them and did some messing around with the reeds--they are both very favorite harps now--but it's rare to use them a lot in those odd keys. . .
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DeakHarp
24 posts
May 11, 2010
8:02 AM
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I got a lo F from a friend i met first at Harpin Help when i was doing a workshop there in 07 ..me and Jason Ricci taught that day ... Jason was teaching O/B and my class was on T/B .. This cat came to my class .. And when i did the round the world with all the students .. when it got to him he played the S...T out of his A harp .. i even asked him in front of everyone ... Why are you hear at my class yur good ....He said that i play like his Dad that passed ..and he wanted to learn how to play the old scool way ...I said ok and went on with my class ...We got to be good friends his name is Travis fouch ... back then i dident do any reed replacing ... Just tuning and gapping ... i told him I like to play the lower tuned harps all the time A,B,G,Bb,if i can ... he said you need a lo F im going to make you one ... so he sent it to me from WV in the mail ....I call it my Secret Weapon ...lol...this thing plays so good so i was hooked on custon harps ... He taught me over the phone how to change reeds emboss and everything els that can go rong with a custom mod harp ... So one day just before the fest we were playing at i found the one draw note on my lo F was broke ...I fliped out i use that harp in like 5 tunes in our set The Kilborn Alley Band ... i had a hour to figure what i was going to do ... now i been changing reeds about 2 years .. So changing the reed wasent the problem , it was where am i going to get a 1 blow reed for a lo F when it is the only one i got ...in 5 min i fugured out i can get one out of a G harp the 2 blow was the reed i used .. Got the harp together tuned it quick and played the Fest it was the Hot Aug Blues Fest in Arora KY ... The harp is a lo F Marine Band .. still have it in use .. When i get a chance im going to build a lo D that i got from a friend that needs tuning and bees waxed ... I also shape the corners round .. It feels alot better on the corners of my mouth in the lower notes ... Im so glad i can do my own work on my harps now havent had to buy a harp for myself in 3 yrs ....but i do buy brand new Marine Band harps for the people that purchase my harps ...i think im going to make up a bunch of blank used referb M/B for MHC .at reduced cost ready to tune and wax on the spot in my time off during classes ...Cant wait to meet all you folks there ....
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Rubes
13 posts
May 12, 2010
6:19 AM
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Just got a Suzuki Hammond lo-F today and it's very nice indeed. Bit like dark chocolate actually,one hole draw bend's gonna need some practise/work maybe? May not be quite like the GM tone but I think I'm lovin' it!
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paul45
22 posts
May 12, 2010
12:44 PM
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I dont have a low tuned harp but am curious to try one. Is this thread about low f's because they get more use than other low tuned harps? I notice Seydel has a low D in there 7 harp sets, so, I guess I'm wondering what one makes the most sense to get.
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bigd
120 posts
May 12, 2010
7:24 PM
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Paul I just answered your question also put forth on harp l (I am the originator of this thread) over there. d
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Myspace: dennis moriarty
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Kyzer Sosa
518 posts
May 12, 2010
7:32 PM
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if someone brought a new low f (regardless of brand) to HCH id be happy to buy it...
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Kyzer's Travels
Kyzer's Artwork
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MakaInOz
10 posts
May 12, 2010
8:52 PM
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@ bigd
Dennis, Richard Hunter is THE MAN when it comes to the RPs. He has been playing with options to make "bass harmonica like" sounds I just play around with my 350 making silly noises. The pitch shifter seems to work better than the octaver. Select 'pitch' then I use -24 (down two octaves) and mix to the maximum (99 I think). Playing very very gently seems to minimise the 'breathiness'. Playing a 'tuba-like' riff is good fun.
Maka
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