pharpo
307 posts
Jun 08, 2010
2:44 PM
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After playing with LO's / SP20's / MB's/ Blues Harps / and a few customs...on a whim I bought a Solist Pro at HCH. After breaking it in and playing it at a gig I am VERY impressed. I really do like it. It plays better than my "Crossover" and almost as well as my customs. Now I realize that this is one harp...played for a relatively short time...I'm looking for your observations /opinions on this harp. No need to flame. Thanks
Paul
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Music is your own experience, your own thoughts, your wisdom. If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn. They teach you there's a boundary line to music. But, man, there's no boundary line to art. - Charlie Parker
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isaacullah
1003 posts
Jun 08, 2010
2:58 PM
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Great playing harps. I, and a few others, have found that the reeds are less durable than Hohner's Marine Band/Special 20 reeds. Some might say that we blow too hard and that the Soloist Pro has tighter tolerances, and thus we blow them out by playing too hard, but I gap and emboss all my harps and play them all the same way (hohner, seydel, whatever). I blew 3 reeds on my Seydels within 6 months of owning them. I've never blown a reed in a Marine Band or Special 20 in three years of hard playing on them.
If the reed life on the seydels could be improved, they are definitely nicer instruments to play out of the box than most Hohners, and the Solosit pro does not need comb replacement or screw hole drilling.
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The magnificent YouTube channel of the internet user known as "isaacullah"
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pharpo
308 posts
Jun 08, 2010
3:05 PM
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Thank you .. that is exactly the king of information I am am looking for....and coming from you... lends it credence.
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Music is your own experience, your own thoughts, your wisdom. If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn. They teach you there's a boundary line to music. But, man, there's no boundary line to art. - Charlie Parker
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Blues13
41 posts
Jun 08, 2010
3:57 PM
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Really interestig topic. I've been playing Suzuki bluesmaster for the last 2-3 months and received my Solist Pro yesterday. I love it. Really nice bright sound, easy to play, easy to bend. My only problem is that i could taste the sealant while playing it for the first hour. There's a few other harp that I would like to try but I can easylly see myself playing only the Solist Pro.
Martin
Last Edited by on Jun 08, 2010 3:58 PM
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paul45
29 posts
Jun 08, 2010
4:46 PM
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I have pretty much switched to solist pro's and think they play great. My jury is still out on their durability...though so far I would have to give a slight nod to sp 20's. I dont notice any sealant taste. In my opinion the Hering Vintage harp had the worst taste of anything I've tried.
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MP
456 posts
Jun 08, 2010
8:03 PM
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i don't own a solist pro, but i've replaced reeds on two of them for guys who blew them out.
i think they are beautiful.
if i owned one i'd baby it.
i think isaacullah pretty much covered it.
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nacoran
2047 posts
Jun 08, 2010
8:08 PM
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Paul, although I've never tried a Hering I'd submit for you culinary comparison, the Hohner Piedmont. I could describe the flavor, but not without rightly offending the sensibilities of all but the least faint of heart. I can say that dishwashing detergent improved the flavor, but only as long as there was enough detergent left on the harp to remain as a masking agent. Once the detergent was gone the flavor returned.
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Nate
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Jim Rumbaugh
229 posts
Jun 08, 2010
8:18 PM
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I can second Isaacullah's comments.
I have one Solist (won it at Dave Payne's harmonica competition). I considered making it my harp of choice, but.
1) comb started swelling after 1 hour of play
2) blew out a reed after about 60 days.
I'm going back to Delta-Frost with Suzuki Bluesmaster reeds.
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MP
460 posts
Jun 08, 2010
10:43 PM
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Jim,
the nice sealed maple comb started swelling!?
that's weird, and not good.
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jim
134 posts
Jun 08, 2010
11:34 PM
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The Solist PRO and the Solist have NOTHING in common.
Solist was not sealed until recently. Now it's comb is.
Solist pro has a beautiful sealed maple comb, and it's the best wooden comb on the market. I play tongue blocking heavilly and never had a single problem with it. It is the same comb as on 1847 by the way.
JimRumbaugh had an old unsealed solist for sure.
About durability: yes they are a bit less durable. Baby them, and they will play well.
About taste: what you taste within the first hour is actually a smell of burned wood. The comb is laser cut, thus the distinctive smell of matches. It disappears quite quickly after playing. It is a good way to determined if the instrument is new or not.
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www.truechromatic.com
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Ant138
464 posts
Jun 09, 2010
12:16 AM
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I only play Solist Pro's and the 1847's
I have four Solist Pro's and i have never blown out a reed. My oldest Solist pro is now 18 month's old and it still plays great. I've personally never had a problem with a Seydel Harp (touch wood).
I think the Solist pro is the best harp in that price range for sure. If you want something even better, try an 1847, you wont regret it:)
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pharpo
310 posts
Jun 09, 2010
3:59 AM
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@nacoran....Thanks... you started out my day with a laugh !!!
It did taste funny at first but that has gone away.
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Music is your own experience, your own thoughts, your wisdom. If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn. They teach you there's a boundary line to music. But, man, there's no boundary line to art. - Charlie Parker
Last Edited by on Jun 09, 2010 4:00 AM
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ElkRiverHarmonicas
445 posts
Jun 10, 2010
5:06 AM
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Jim,
Jim Rumbaugh's Solist was not one of the unsealed beechwood combs. It was one of the sealed ones. It was the original sealed comb, the one they had 2007-2008 before the laser cut one on the Solist. @J. Rumbaugh, didn't you send that back and I re-sealed the comb? Or did I offer and you didn't get around to sending it? I can't remember.
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slobie
17 posts
Jun 11, 2010
2:20 AM
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I have been playing them for about a year and have no complaints. They are well put together and sound good no problems.
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jim
147 posts
Jun 11, 2010
3:20 AM
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well... I made a supposition. I just know that they switched to the modern solist pro and 1847 classic technology (except the wood is beech on solist.). The switch was in 2009 I think.
All I know is that solist pro maple comb is not only saliva-proof, it is even dishwasher-proof :) I'll be ordering the classic solist soon and let you know what I think of it. Haven't played one yet - only pro's.
BTW, about Hering Vintage:
one guy brought me a Hering Vintage with a comb that's sealed only at the sides. That made me wonder because mine is 100% sealed from all sides. Maybe they were unsealed before, or it's not an original Vintage model comb?
P.S. Dave, your Am.Chestnut combs still play like charm. I have sanded the 1847 combs and added water based non-toxic lacquer instead of beeswax. Looking good.
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www.truechromatic.com
Last Edited by on Jun 11, 2010 3:21 AM
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