clarksdale
23 posts
Nov 26, 2009
12:12 AM
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I've tried just about every harp there is EXCEPT for the herings. SO, i just ordered 3 in keys of A, D, and F.
(i'll update when they arrive)
Just wondering if anyone else out there plays this model?
I was addicted to Suzuki Harpmasters, but the ET tuning and the TONE is just starting to bother me, since I'm BIG on BLUES.
Marine Bands sound good, but like many of you, i've lost a bit of faith in Hohner's quality AND really despise all those NAILS.
I'd like to at least have the OPTION of opening up my harp safely in case it needs some gaping or such.
Seem's hard to find much good info out there on these Hering's, i know some say they are harder to find. That's why i'm just NOW getting around to trying them. They were out of stock everywhere for the longest, and then they came back and at a whopping $38.95
But i understand everything is getting more expensive these days. Hell, if i'd buy a special 20 for $30, may as well try these Herings for $9 more and get a wood comb harp that comes with SCREWS and is at least partially sealed.
I've read so much mixed stuff on these was just wondering if any of you guys out there are die hard HERING players?
Peace, and happy Turkey Day
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$Daddy Rich$
"The Blues is Ok!"
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The Gloth
188 posts
Nov 26, 2009
12:38 AM
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Recently I bought one in D. Sounded ok, but the wood comb tasted horrible, and its thickness makes it a little uneasy to play. I blew out a reed at the second gig I played it, so I bought a BluesHarp to replace it. (Now I need another D harp in case I break that one during a gig, but I wait till the Manji is available in Belgium).
My harp teacher tried the Hering and said he liked the sound, but it was not good for ob's.
Verdict : I wouldn't recommand that brand, unless you really want that special sound.
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Andrew
776 posts
Nov 26, 2009
12:39 AM
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I've only got one, in the key of E, so it's very difficult to tell, as E is not the most usual key, but basically I like it. I have gapped it, and I'll need to regap it to get it just right. I guess a properly gapped A will be really good. People complain about the taste, but I don't think it's that - I think it's the electric current it generates! I don't like thick harps, but I find the thickness of the 1923 OK, but I'm starting to angle my harps in my mouth slightly, and that helps a lot with thick harps.
P.S. I'm pretty sure Peter Madcat Ruth is a diehard Hering player, but they probably make up customs for him.
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Kinda hot in these rhinos!
Last Edited by on Nov 26, 2009 1:01 AM
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Gwythion
20 posts
Nov 26, 2009
1:07 AM
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I was going to ask a similar question, funnily enough. But I was also going to ask:
Do these harps actually have brass covers, or are they simply the usual steel, covered with yellow lacquer? I would like to try one, but I might want to take off the lacquer. I had some harps with black lacquer that went slimy after a while.
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Andrew
777 posts
Nov 26, 2009
2:37 AM
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It's certainly lacquered, but it's not brass and I don't think it's the usual steel, because there's definitely a voltage generated that's not noticeable on a Marine Band which has steel in contact with brass.
(For those who aren't aware, any two different metals in contact generate an electrical voltage [unless there are exceptions, just to satisfy the people with chemistry degrees!])
P.S. bent and unbent OBs and ODs are as easy as on any Marine Band deluxe.
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Kinda hot in these rhinos!
Last Edited by on Nov 26, 2009 2:48 AM
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apskarp
63 posts
Nov 26, 2009
4:11 AM
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I have also one of those harps. At first it really tastes like putting your tongue on a 9V battery - very unconvenient taste which doesn't encourage to TB at least.. :)
I haven't played it very much since it's in the key of E which I rarely use. But now that it was mentioned I must try the OB's on it.
It sure looks nice!
Last Edited by on Nov 26, 2009 4:12 AM
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XHarp
220 posts
Nov 26, 2009
5:40 AM
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I got 4 of them about 5 or so years ago.
I like them, they play equally to the other brands out there.
My ear doesn't lean toward the Just tuning as the 1923's have and getting more of them became a big problem so it was back to the MB's and LO's for me.
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"Keep it in your mouth" - XHarp
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Ant138
193 posts
Nov 26, 2009
6:06 AM
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I have one in Bb and it plays pretty well considering the price (£17.00)There is a funny taste with them but i think thats the vintage look cover plates, and the taste does fade with time. On the whole a very good harp.
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barbequebob
128 posts
Nov 26, 2009
7:12 AM
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I`ve played these and Rod Piazza has been playing them exclusively for the last 5 years. They were the first diatonic to have any kind of sealing at all. In fact, the sucess of this model, given the fact that every online harp specilist store reported them outselling the MB, it forced Hohner to come out with the MB Deluxe. Most from the traditional blues approach like myself much prefer the sound of 7LJI, which Hohner stopped using in the mid 80`s (then went to
19LJI until 1992, and comprimise since then, with the exception of the GM, which has always been ET). These harps have a tighter reed slot tolerance than Hohner had been for years, plus a very thick reedplate (1.20mm), making it play louder & more than the MB & bend easily, but in the hands of a player with a low skill level who constantly uses far too much breath force (that`s 98% of newbies and 50-75% of intermediate players) will blow them out quick and they will need to work on correcting that FIRST before playing these. If you do OB`s, you absolutely HAVE to regap FIRST. Traditionally oriented players tend to use far more double stops and chords than those who prefer ET.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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walterharp
133 posts
Nov 26, 2009
8:49 AM
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i agree with all above, including the taste, and it fading with time. they have a really warm tone, even if put into other tunings... not sure how to describe it, but it is a different harp, looks cool, fun to have in the arsenal
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ZackPomerleau
473 posts
Nov 26, 2009
1:13 PM
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I have some, I never liked them. They were horribly gapped. I did do some modifications to one or two of them. The overblows aren't so great, either.
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clarksdale
24 posts
Nov 26, 2009
2:05 PM
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Thanks everyone, didn't expect so many responses so quickly. That's REAL interesting about the electric current! I wonder how responsible the current is for the "taste"
I have read about the taste thing before.
Gaping is luckily one this that i'm very decent at. So that won't be a problem. I don't expect decent gaping these days, I just appreciate it when it happens to be good.
Well, thanks and keep the info coming.
I'll post on here what I think when mine come in (if you don't hear from me in the next couple weeks, just assume I got electrocuted to death :) and nice talking with you all)
Ha! take care,
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$Daddy Rich$
"The Blues is Ok!"
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jbone
214 posts
Nov 27, 2009
4:31 AM
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i liked them for a while. i'm one of those who managed to blow out draw 4 on a few of these very quickly. nice tone to them. never noticed the electric current or bad taste. the comb is only partially sealed, seems more for loks than a real practical function. the comb will still swell if you're a wet player.
one thing i highly recommend you check before even playing them when you get them is, pop the covers off and make sure the reed plate screws are all snug. most of those i bought had loose reed plates from the factory.
on the other hand, the hering chromatics i swear by. very nicely built and playable. nice to look at. round holes not square. i have a 7148, 6148, and 5248. very good instruments imho.
i may revisit the 1923's one day, or get the ones i have worked on. i couldn't get used to the tuning really after so many years of playing different tunings.
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Leanground
90 posts
Nov 27, 2009
6:35 AM
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I like the weight and feel as well as the sound of the '23 Herings.Whiskey cured the taste problem quickly. I improvise to traditional tunes in bar settings so they suit me fine.
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clarksdale
25 posts
Nov 29, 2009
1:27 AM
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Got the harps in today. They are listed on Ebay 3 of them keys A,D, and F for $85 shipped in USA
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260514989914
Great tone on these but just Terrible quality control. I'm sticking with my HarpMasters.
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$Daddy Rich$
"The Blues is Ok!"
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