congaron
27 posts
Aug 08, 2009
5:29 PM
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You know how there is sometimes a "missing ingredient" in a solo you want to copy or closely mimic? You know that "one more tone" you wish you had for some songs, no matter how thrilled you are with your mic and amp and harps?
Today I bought a Marine Band in A and even got a 20% discount on it at my local music store. Happy birthday to me one day early!
Using the bellows in the store, i found one that was a notch raspier than the rest and had "that tone" I have tried to copy in some of our cover songs. You Gotta Move..Aerosmith version is a good example of the sound.
Yes, Hole number three misbehaved a touch for me even though the bellows sounded fantastic. I spent less than five minutes with a toothpick on both reeds and it is now free-blowing and easily bent all the way down.
Out of the box, every single standard bent note is there (not overblows or under), even before the tweak mentioned above. It was just a tad leaky until i closed them up a little. They are all perfect now...no leaks.
Hole six overblow is there out of the box, I am just learning to use it in a lick. In a couple of weeks i'll probably see about tweaking holes 4 and 5 to match it. I was able to do this to my suzuki with the toothpick on a Bb harp to use with Adam's videos.
This harp has tone for days. I truly love it. My first harp was a marine band and it disappeared years before I ever got past Old Suzanna, Home on the Range and Dixie as a kid.
I have shied away from it due to some internet reviews and finally decided to try one since I'm approaching 6 months playing and my 52nd birthday at the same time..lol. Rationalized that one didn't I?
I figured i know enough now to really know the difference if there is one. I am also confident enough with the reed tweaking to fix it if it was truly a lemon.
Boy Am I glad i got one. I am going to get more for sure. It is taking it's place in my case as the primary A harp and my special 20 will be my backup...or another sound if i want it. I actually like all my harps. I have even fixed a Suzuki folkmaster I originally bought in Bb to study Adam's youtube videos. It is my backup harp and very servicable for 12 bucks...no more leaks, very playable.
Marine bands rock.
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GobIronWard
5 posts
Aug 08, 2009
5:39 PM
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You're overblowing after 6 months of playing? That depresses me.
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congaron
28 posts
Aug 08, 2009
5:49 PM
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I am no good at it except for this one little lick i made up to use it in on hole six...lol I have a tremendous way to go. I won't quit though. I am very motivated and extremely happy with how musical the harmonica is as a true instrument. I really love to play it. I could care less about sonding exactly like anyone else at the moment. I am concentrating on learning to play the notes i want, when i want...every time. I will learn everybody else's stuff later...lol. Just kidding, i obviously have to learn lots of stuff I hear in my band covers. we do alot of originals though and I play ALOT of scales and parts that jump around to learn where things are. When I hear something that does that..I try to learn it as soon as i hear it...lovin' it.
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congaron
29 posts
Aug 09, 2009
4:11 AM
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Trust me, My overblows are little more than "wow I did one!" at this point. Like I said..one little lick with the six hole. Last night I managed the five hole and six hole together (in succession)in another lick I'm working on. So far, I haven't been able to transition to either of those licks in a real musical context. So, really I only know the overblows exist on those holes on my new harp. I have a suzuki that will do the same on holes 4-6. Most of my suzukis will overblow 5 and 6 the same way this marine band does. I am not good enough to do any more than that. No need to be depressed. Be Happy! I have a tendency to lean toward "jazz/blues" so I may be pushing it a little early in my learning curve.
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Bluzdude46
113 posts
Aug 09, 2009
9:58 PM
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Be of good cheer mates. He's been playing for 6 months, not much before that I didn't know an overblow was. Happy Birthday congaron
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congaron
32 posts
Aug 10, 2009
8:11 PM
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Okay, I'm really getting a kick out of this harp! I am working up licks with the 5 and 6 overblow now after just a little bit of playing at work today. I will be out for shoulder surgery beginning tomorrow night. My surgery is thursday morning.
This thing plays so great, i expect great progress over the next month or so as i recover. I wish i had taken the marine band plunge sooner, but admit it may have been too soon if i had not been playing intensely for 5 months first.
I like my Marine band far more than i expected to..bottom line, i WILL buy more as funds permit. I love my suzukis, But they may actually blow just a tad too easily, if that makes sense. I can really get wound up and still get the notes i want on my marine band without choking them out. At a gig, for instance, when energy is high...I'm sold. My wife may be inheriting a short set of harpmasters before too long since she is a very soft player.
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