birdman
39 posts
Jun 29, 2008
4:36 AM
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after playing variouse hohners , i decided to take the leap and try a differen t brand which has it turned out is a suzuki fire breath all i can say is wow straight out of the box i have defo been converted sorry hohner
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eharp
48 posts
Jun 29, 2008
6:53 AM
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i have been hearing lots of good reviews on different suzuki models. i hear the bluesmaster is a good harp at a very reasonable price. next time i have a need and the opportunity is there, i will be trying a suzuki.
currently a bushman player.
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vicar88
1 post
Jun 29, 2008
8:35 AM
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Yeah, I play suzuki bluesmasters but recently bought a D harpmaster for a song off ebay. What a harp! I won't play anything else in future. I'm looking for an excuse to trade in all my old harp keys for harpmasters!
Ian
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eharp
50 posts
Jun 29, 2008
12:31 PM
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vicar- bluesmaster harps have a safety recall notice on them. they were made with a toxic metal by people that didnt wash their hands after leaving the bathroom (they ignored the sign!).
(is this reason enough for you?)
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superchucker77
52 posts
Jun 29, 2008
2:07 PM
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You are joking right?
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Bluesmaster Fan
Guest
Jun 29, 2008
4:15 PM
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If you are at all worried about cleanliness in harps I can vouch for the Bluesmasters as it is simply a matter of when dirty give them a bath in a denture cleanser and rinsing in cold water. They come out sparkling and sounding great. I have one Bluesmaster that has had daily use & abuse and heaps of washes for over 2 years and I can't kill it. I agree however with a previous comment re the Harpmaster which is a pleasure to play, is cheaper than the Bluesmaster but does not have the reed longevity of the Bluesmaster.
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eharp
52 posts
Jun 29, 2008
4:44 PM
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super- sorry. i forgot to put the obligatory "lol". my bad.
(for future posts, if you think it may be a joke, it most likely is.)[add little smiley icon]
ps: this post, though seeming sort of jokish is not a joke. the post it relates to is a joke.[additional little smiley icon]
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superchucker77
53 posts
Jun 29, 2008
6:30 PM
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lol
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Jeff
118 posts
Jun 29, 2008
7:50 PM
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I just can't wait until Suzuki comes out with their long-slot reed harp. I will most likely give up on Hohner at that point.
But for now, even though Suzuki's are amazingly air-tight and responsive, the short-slot reeds are too bright and "buzzy". And couple that with the equal-temperament tuning they use on ALL of their harps, it's just not the best harp for classic blues, in my opinion.
How can they have the 'Bluesmaster' in ET tuning? Which of any of the blues masters used ET tuning? If they really want to compete with Hohner, they're going to have to introduce the long-slot reed harp in some type of compromised/JI tuning. Otherwise, the lush chords of a Hohner will always sound better in a blues setting.
Last Edited by on Jul 01, 2008 8:33 AM
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oldwailer
101 posts
Jun 29, 2008
9:40 PM
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You know, Jeff, that's what I always wonder about when people extol the virtue of Suzuki's--I never could stand the sound of the two-cycle bikes either! ;)
I think maybe some styles just don't use the chords as much as I like to do--they would probably be great for more of a Blues Traveller--single note runs kind of stuff--but I like the rhythmic chordal quality of classic blues better.
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DutchBones
11 posts
Jun 30, 2008
1:33 AM
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Just finished my harp lesson with my (Japanese) teacher (I live in Japan) and he was "testdriving" a new "unmarked" Suzuki harp and it sounded as good (if not better/fuller) than his Hohners and custom harps.
It supposed to be a "high-end" (read:not cheap) harp and the design looks like a promaster, looks and sounds like a contender to me....just think of it...the sound of a hohner but the playability of a Harpmaster...
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Jeff
119 posts
Jun 30, 2008
5:42 AM
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Dutch, I think you're right because Joe Spiers (Jason Ricci's favorite customizer) stated on harp-l that other than working on pre-war and older Marine Bands, he's switching to customizing Suzuki's when they release this new long-slot reed harp that's in the works.
So it must be in line with the Marine Band sound but more air-tight for a guy like Joe, a Marine Band purist, to make the switch after years of working soley with Hohner harps.
Suzuki also made him privy to some knowledge on how to work with Suzuki's spot-welded reedplates.
Last Edited by on Jun 30, 2008 10:18 AM
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Joe Spiers
Guest
Jun 30, 2008
8:42 AM
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Here is a quote of what I actually said on harp-l about this subject.
QUOTE
"I'll also mention here that when Suzuki comes out with the long-slot diatonic, I'll likely be working with their harmonicas when not using NOS Marine Bands (I don't enjoy working with Hohner's current reeds). I recently recieved special jigs from Suzuki enabling one to easily replace their fused reeds, and I plan to do pro setup and tuning on these harps without extensive modifications. "
END QUOTE
To clarify:
The soon-to-be-released Suzuki long-slot harmonicas will likely be added to the very short list of harps that I personally prefer to work with. I have been graciously provided with special tools from Suzuki Japan to service their welded reeds. I plan to offer simple overblow setup and tuning services.
Out of the box, the new Marine Bands are better than ever for 99% of the traditional players- that's who they're intended for. They're fine harps. BUT--How well they play out of the box doesn't matter, they are all just PARTS.
The Hohner Marine Band is still my first choice- when I have access to NOS (New Old Stock) from a few years ago. I like certain qualities of the older harmonicas better because of what I can do with them on a very advanced level.
My preferences are based on the fully developed end product, after an extreme amount of work. Maximum performance overblow harmonicas in other words. Harps that in the right hands can do things they weren't ever intended to do, and do them extremely well, without compromising normal playing. It's a very tough order to fill.
I'll state again- it has NOTHING to do with how well they play stock, i.e. airtighness out of the box. Please do not use my words and/or choices of instrument as a guide for purchasing new harmonicas. The harps that I enjoy the most also happen to require the most work, and often play the worst out of the box!! :) So anyone with a crappy-playing-but-brand-new-condition Marine Band from 5-10 years ago, that's something I could use. If interested in getting rid of it, let me know via my website.
Thanks
JS
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Jeff
122 posts
Jun 30, 2008
10:06 AM
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Thanks for the input Joe. I find it very ironic that it's the older very leaky MB's that you want for parts. I'm assuming it's because of the softer brass Hohner is now using?
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Joe Spiers
Guest
Jun 30, 2008
11:52 AM
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Yes the current brass is softer, which is actually better for some parts of the harp. It's certainly more responsive, and allegedly more durable.
But, I prefer harder brass as an artist's palette to work from. It lends me a significantly increased ability to influence specific tonal characteristics and playability parameters of the end product. Softer brass limits the possibilities of what I can do. A reed is a spring. I can loosen up "stiff" brass where I need it loosened up, but can't stiffen up "loose" brass in those areas that I feel need it.
Customers who've played the very best top-tier custom harps from over the last ten+ years have very high expectations. The reputations of those customizers were built with different reeds. This is the very challenging standard that has been established, and the standard that I try to meet or exceed. I can't do it with softer brass. Hohner understandably has to do what's necessary to satisfy traditional players and to make money as a whole, without concern for what I need.
Suzuki is hungry for a larger market share. They see the overblow players growing in numbers and have responded. I have been exposed to the new long slot reed platform and very much liked what I saw. I will be able to use their product if it isn't priced too high to be practical.
Brad Harrison will also eventually come out with harps that will do what I need, and as my friend will get my business when that time comes.
These are good times for harp players, with all these wonderful choices!
JS
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Violin Cat
2 posts
Jul 01, 2008
3:20 AM
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Man...Joe you rule! and Jeff your on the money! Brad's harps will be the best eventually, if not right away....Joe's words are true I feel privelaged to even read him writing about what he does here or anywhere, he is an "Artist" a brass artist and more...I have never played anything like a Spiers harmonica... The suzuki fire breaths even now (short slot) are the best out of the box overblowers but I think almost anyone can do better with a hohner MB, sp 20, or a GM and a little practice embossing, arcing and gapping...
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harpmonkey
62 posts
Jul 01, 2008
4:37 PM
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Come on Oldwailer, all harps are two strokes.
Now if HD built a V-twin harp from Milwalkee Iron, I would be first in line.
Built in vibrato.
Course all you could play is that "potato potato" beat.
Almost Bo Diddly, but not quite...
Oh yeah, the requisite LOL...
LOL
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New_B
15 posts
Jul 01, 2008
9:41 PM
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My sister just recently gave me a Marine Band G-harp, that my mother gave her when she was a kid. It has to be atleast 35+ years old. It looks almost exactly like the current MB, but has some slight difference to the back of the harp. The engraving on the cover plates appears to be etched a little deeper, as well.
The harp appears to have hardly been played, but the reed plates are discolored with a dark, mold-like residue. Anyone know a good way to clean them, without damaging the reeds? I'm afraid to draw on it until I can properly clean it.
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Guest
Guest
Jul 01, 2008
11:12 PM
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Joe,
Hohner wouldnt cop to the brass change when I asked two different techs about it, One in the US, and one in Germany. They swore up and down that the profiles only have changed. The actually laughed about the brass change. What gives? Someone else (unnamed)I spoke to in Germany that runs one of the bigger harp parts source in the world confirmed that the brass had indeed changed.
Profiles, brass, or both ? Thanks
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Joe Spiers
Guest
Jul 02, 2008
7:29 AM
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The older brass that I prefer is obviously yellow! Maybe they haven't changed, and just added food coloring? ROFLMAO :))
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Aussiesucker
Guest
Jul 03, 2008
8:51 PM
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For what it is worth I received ca 1 year ago an email from Hohner Germany re the changes in production of their harps ie they no longer use nickel in their diatonic line up. Nickel for some people, incl me is very much a no no ie I am allergic to it and gave up playing years ago. I took it up again a couple of years ago & now no problems. I'm not sure but I believe that the inclusion of nickel with other metals adds to it's degree of hardness. This could be a possible explanation of the changes in the MB brass being softer? Note that in Australia nickel in jewellery like watches, bracelets, necklaces & earings is banned because of the allergy problems.
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