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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
Delta Frost Reed plates
Delta Frost Reed plates
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GEEZER1
93 posts
Nov 24, 2010
3:53 PM
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I have noticed that some of the Delta Frosts I have have riveted reeds, and some have the spot welded reeds, the welded reeds seem to be more responsive, whats the deal on this difference? Does anyone know
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the_happy_honker
46 posts
Nov 25, 2010
2:32 PM
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(Warning! Massive amounts of speculation ahead!)
A Delta Frost with riveted reeds? That is rather interesting!
Delta Frost exists because Suzuki used to make the Harpmaster with brass reeds and the Bluesmaster with a stiffer and arguably better material, phosphor bronze. The two harps share the same comb, so John Hall took the phosphor bronze reed plate from the Bluesmaster and the cover plate from the Harpmaster and voilá!
John Hall thus claims to have "created" the Delta Frost, a claim that some on this forum have called a lie. Well, it is a lie only if you think that "created" has to mean "made from scratch."
Let's give John Hall his due here. He saw that the gritty tone of the (at the time) not-so-well-known Harpmaster was ideal for Delta blues and that what was needed was a name change: Harpmaster is no name for a blues harp and Suzuki is no name for a blues harp maker. By making the reed plate switcheroo, he could make Americans happy who wanted an excellent American harp; he could make money and Suzuki would sell more harps. It should be a good deal all around.
Long aside:
(So what's with all the supply problems? Why is getting a Delta Frost from Bushman almost as hard as getting a B-radical from Harrison? Maybe Suzuki is yanking Hall's chain or maybe Hall is having trouble paying his bills. Who knows? Why is it you can get a Delta Frost from RockinRon on two days notice and but (by numerous accounts) get nothing but stalling tactics from Bushman itself? Maybe Bushman sold all its stock to RockinRon, hoping to use the cash to buy more harps from Suzuki.)
For whatever reason, it seems that Hall and Suzuki have a rough relationship. And a few weeks ago, Brendan Power said that Suzuki is now shipping Harpmasters with phosphor bronze reeds, which eliminates any real difference between it and Delta Frosts. Perhaps Suzuki feels that now the Suzuki brand is rising, it is time to move in on the market Bushman created. Or maybe making phosphor bronze in greater volume is cheaper than maintaining two types of reed plates.
Which brings me 'round to the subject of the post, the riveted reeds. Suzuki doesn't make riveted reeds, so it sounds like Bushman is now trying to assemble Delta Frosts with non-Suzuki parts.
Geezer, it would be interesting to know when you bought your harp and from whom.
Last Edited by on Nov 25, 2010 2:35 PM
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GEEZER1
94 posts
Nov 25, 2010
5:29 PM
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This could be a case of after market reed plates. I have replaced some reeds, all the reed plates I ordered from Rockin Ron are attached to comb. I have ordered some in the past from Bushman, some attached to combs and some just the reed sets or a single draw reed plate. I suspect the riveted plates came from Bushman. Thats the only explanation I have for the riveted reeds. All the reed plates work, but the welded reed plates seem to work better... Your guess is as good as mine.
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harpwrench
368 posts
Nov 25, 2010
5:53 PM
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I've seen replacement Suzuki Pro Master reedplates with rivets too.
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7LimitJI
212 posts
Nov 26, 2010
3:35 AM
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I bought a few promasters years ago and they all had riveted reeds.
I wouldn't but any more as its a pain to change the welded broken reeds.
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Last Edited by on Nov 26, 2010 3:36 AM
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