chromaticblues
361 posts
Dec 07, 2010
8:30 AM
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I have never owned a big river harp and never saw why I should. Most of what is posted about the MS Hohner isn't very good so I never felt like I had to learn that lesson with my money! So the past weekend I worked on my first Big River. The Gaps are very wide on these harps. OK thats not good, but I didn't find anythng wrong with the harp and to my surprise there weren't any tuning marks on a single reed! That is wierd. I honestly believe it never got tuned. That is good. I wish I could buy all my harps untuned. There was one reed that wasn't perfectly centered so I embossed it a little more on one side and to my surprise again. It was unnoticeable while playing. It played very well. I had to do alot of work to seal this harp up and it took 8 hours. That didn't surprise me. I was expecting that! The part that did surprise me was man did that sound good when I was done! I was not expecting that. It really is a good sounding and very playable harp. I hate to give it back. TNF would have loved this harp!
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Tuckster
782 posts
Dec 07, 2010
8:41 AM
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I think Big Rivers are a good bargain. If I need a harp in a hurry,I'll go to my local music store and grab a BR. They are almost always gapped too wide. Question: Plastic comb- what did you do to seal it?
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chromaticblues
362 posts
Dec 07, 2010
9:15 AM
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Double sided masking tape. You'll have to buy an exacto knife. Its a thin razor with a handle. It works much better than micropore tape because it doesn't absorb moisture. It will dry out if you have a harp for a long time and don't play it much. I don't really consider that a problem.
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oldwailer
1431 posts
Dec 07, 2010
9:35 AM
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The BR covers are my favorite shape--they just fit my mouth better than anything else. I usually cut a custom comb for them--a bit of embossing and tuning and fussing with the reeds (would take me more than 8 hours all together--but I'm pretty slow at this stuff) and it is a great harp--I have BRs that I actually prefer over MB's of the same key.
I have one low Eb BR that I bought for 5 bucks at SPAH '09 and it just flat plays--I wish I had bought a lot more of them, but they only had low Eb and low F# for that price--not the most popular keys I would have wanted--so I just got one of each key. . .
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Joe_L
873 posts
Dec 07, 2010
9:52 AM
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I play them out of the box,but when I have worked on them, they are even more playable.
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The Blues Photo Gallery
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Jim Rumbaugh
339 posts
Dec 07, 2010
10:17 AM
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Here's my unscientific view of the one Big River harp that I play as my "knock around , always in my pocket, key of C" harp.
When I was new at playing, I did not like the way the brass plates felt on my lips. Now that I've had a few years playing, it's fine. I have no issues with the feel.
It seems slight thicker than my Special 20, BluesHarp, or Delta Frost. Now it may be my imagination, but I think it makes me open my mouth wider, giving me a deeper tone that my other 3 brands.
It may be those "wide reed gaps" mentioned earlier, but I get a stonger 1 hole draw with it than I do my other 3 brands.
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intermediate level (+) player per the Adam Gussow Scale, Started playing 2001
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chromaticblues
364 posts
Dec 07, 2010
10:22 AM
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Yeah Oldwailer I think your right about the coverplates. I didn't bother to bend the flaps in the back in because there isn't much there anyway. I believe that was a good move. They sound fine just the way they are. I have to be honest I don't know much about them. Are the reedplates on all the MS harps the same and interchangeable? If so I wonder has anyone tried the BR coverplates on a Blues harp?
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Tuckster
783 posts
Dec 07, 2010
10:36 AM
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Any of the MS series use the same reedplates. BR,Blues Harp,Pro Harp. I've tried the opposite-Blues Harp covers on a D BR to cut the brightness. It did help. No side vents on BH covers.
Did you just totally cover the comb with tape and then cut out the slots and screw holes or did you place it in specific places? I've got some seriously sticky double faced carpet tape that does not come off once you lay it down.
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chromaticblues
366 posts
Dec 07, 2010
10:49 AM
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I put it on the comb and cut the holes. The tape I use is for golf club grips. It isn't very thick, but yes it is very sticky. Make sure you have all the bugs worked out before you put that stuff down!
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Tuckster
784 posts
Dec 07, 2010
11:19 AM
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I hear you! One little wrinkle and it would turn into a real pain in the arse!
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