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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
Seydel Harmonicas
Seydel Harmonicas
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jbone
2908 posts
Apr 30, 2019
6:42 AM
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So a very good friend- Thanks and you know who you are!- sent me a couple of Seydel harps to try out. They arrived yesterday and I worked with them on several songs in several positions last evening.
One is a Soloist Pro Blues model in D. I played this one in both 2nd and 3rd position. Very good sound! Looks to be a solid built harp, with non vented covers, brass reeds, sealed wood comb.
The other is an 1847 in A. I played it in both 1st and 2nd positions. Very big sound both ways. Basically the same covers except for the model name. Sealed wood comb. I can't tell this morning if I'm looking at brass or stainless reeds. Any input appreciated since I know pretty much nothing about these harps.
Over all I like these harps a lot. Very good quality builds and tuning. I play acoustic a lot and that puts some demand on my harps to hold up at a bit more volume at the harp. I think these will be a very good addition to my kit.
So I wonder how many Seydel players are here and how you like them compared to say, MB Deluxe, Manji, SP20 etc?
Aaaaaaaaand GO!
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Music and travel destroy prejudice.
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Raven
155 posts
Apr 30, 2019
10:29 AM
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I favor Suzuki over Seydel. My main reason for buying Seydel is the fact that they manufacture lows and highs the other companies avoid. Only own one 1847 but I'm not fond of it as the covers are wide and my mouth doesn't care for the feel. It's a low Db, so I don't know if they use wider covers on their lows to avoid reed rattle or if they are all made that way. Started out with mainly SP20's, and they have most all held up extremely well. Of the various models Seydel makes, I prefer the Blues Session Steel. Had issues with the Soloist pro and swapped out the reed plates and converted it to a different key. Have several LO's, one Lucky 13 and even tried out a Turboharp, but still prefer Manji. Each to his own. Dennis told me he likes Crossovers OOTB, but if my picture was on the cover of the box, I probably would too...yes I do own some of them as well. Decent harp.
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nacoran
10102 posts
Apr 30, 2019
11:53 AM
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Tier 1-
Crossover/Manji (although my Manji was set up)/Seydel (haven't tried the 1847 yet but have a Blues Session Steel, Blues Faovrite and a Blues Session and they are all great harps)/Kongsheng Soloist
Tier 2
Lee Oskar, Special 20, (GM if it's been sanded, MB if it's got a custom comb), Blues Harp if it's been sanded)
Tier 3
Easttop (with a strong upside), Blue Midnight, (MBs/Blues Harps/GMs if they haven't been sanded). Why does Hohner insist on have sharp corners on everything?
Tier 4
Blues Bands, Piedmonts... only buy if you are in dire financial shape.
Caveats- The Kongsheng soloist has nickel covers so anyone with a nickel allergy should avoid them. They OB 4-6 nicely out of the box, but in an ideal world I think I would prefer a compromise tuning instead of ET, but it's a nice harp. I hated my Crossover at first. It's the only harp I've ever really experienced a break in period where it got better. In the near future I am going to actually finally buy an 1847. I'm also going to try a couple other of the Kongsheng models.
I still have a soft spot for pre-MS blues harps. I think maybe I'm not a big fan of side vented covers, so I prefer them over the MBs, but my favorite is on a Zajac comb. (I have an embarrassment of riches in the key of C right now, with the Kongshent, a pre-MS Blues Harp one a Zajac comb and a Sp20 on one of Tom's combs.
Meanwhile, my good Bb is awol. I'm having to play on a Blue Midnight in Bb and it's just not the same. (Normally I have a particularly good Lee Oskar for Bb).
That said, everything but Tier 4 is good enough so different people with different tastes may put any of them at any of the top 3 tiers.
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Nate
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First Post- May 8, 2009
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WoozleEffect
50 posts
Apr 30, 2019
4:04 PM
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I'm a big fan of my Seydels. I have a couple sessions steels (Bb and G), and a couple 1847's (D and Low C) and Ibhave a Yonberg Typhoon in A with seydel's stainless steel reeds and German silver reedplates.
**edit** I'd compare the 1847's to the feel of a well crafted marine band with a custom feel to the comb. They're up there with the manji for me. The Session steels play exquisitely, and feel a lot like a Special 20 or Lee Oscar when played (at least to me they do) but they're much more reliable. I'm still looking for an affordable custom comb that isn't plastic... (I honestly can't even figure out how to order combs from bluex labs... Their website confuses me as much as their products intrigue me!) **edit**
I've come to much prefer the stainless steep tone over brass, but I appreciate them both in different applications. I do some aggressive playing, including some beatbox/harmomica mix, and that tends to wreak havoc on the brass reeds, but that doesn't seem to happen with my Seydels.
Your soloist may be brass reeds, but your 1847 almost certainly has stainless steel reeds, as that's standard on all 3 versions (classic, silver and noble).
I've got one another Seydel. It's a low F Session Standard with the brass reeds, and although I enjoy the feel of it just as much as my Session Steels, I definitely have to tune it up more often.
Three of mine were ordered already in PowerDraw tuning and PT Gazel half-valved. The other two, including the Yonberg, I swapped reeds, half valved, and retuned to PowerDraw myself. It definitely takes a sharper drill bit to bore out the stainless steel reed pads, and you need to be a bit more aggressive with the file to tune the reeds, but it wasn't too much more work, and the self-tuned harps appear to stay in tune as well as the factory set-up ones. I use tools from Andrew Zajac that Im really happy with.
TLDR?
I love my seydel harps, and wholeheartedly recommend them! :)
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Rob Laferrière
Russell, MB, Canada
www.woozleeffect.com
Last Edited by WoozleEffect on Apr 30, 2019 4:11 PM
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SuperBee
5919 posts
Apr 30, 2019
4:28 PM
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Hi Jbone,
Years ago i bought 3 of the Solist Pro. I sold 2 to Sarge and i still have the other 1.
As you said, they are brass reeds on a sealed wooden comb.
i think the comb is the same as used in the 1847 'Classic', but i haven't checked
Keys i had were Ab, E, and F.
i recall i bought them because i was looking for something like a marine band and these were a little cheaper and used screw fasteners.
At first i thought they were a good deal but 2 things turned me off.
I broke a 5 draw reed on the E fairly quickly. this may have been down to me. its not the only harp i've ever broken 5 draw on, but it did happen very soon after i bought it.
However, i also had this experience on a Sp20 in the same key, around the same time. E is not a harp i used a lot; really only on 1 song i was playing with my band of that time. So it was likely my approach. I'm still rather unconvinced about Seydel brass though, based on other observations over time.
the real deal-breaker for me was that the covers kept grabbing whiskers from my mustache. They were really good at it! When i inspected the damage i could see it was a design issue and that short of shaving there was no real cure.
I kept the Ab as a backup because i used that key for the big number at the end of the show where the harp line was a feature.
that Ab did have a problem on the 1 slot which i now know was down to the reed shape. it was a problem which seems somewhat more common in Seydel harps than others.
The reed is curved too much and sits at rest with its belly in the slot. to look at the gap on the free end it seems ok, but it acts like its gapped too close, inclined to choke out easily and sounds a bit weak. if you open the gap, then its leaky just like a reed gapped too wide.
im not saying this is exclusively a problem with Seydel, and i'm not saying its common. it does happen though, and i see it more often in Seydel harps than others. It can be difficult to resolve because its often in the low reeds which have a longer unmilled section on the end. Especially in the steel reeds i don't even bother trying to straighten them these days; i go straight to the spares box and find a replacement reed.
The 1847 is an extremely popular model. They use steel reeds.
i have a number of them but i don't have any in my kit of harps which i play. i do repair them for people, and i get plenty of requests to do so because they are expensive harps. i'm thankful that Seydel do make spare parts available, although i find their shipping charges relatively expensive; cheap as chips compared to postage from North America though!!
Ive just never taken to the Seydel harps. maybe thats because I'm quite happy with the harps i have been playing for the past few years and i can easily maintain them. I have tried numerous Seydel harps and they just don't grab me. I have played 1847 Nobel which i considered as good as anything in my kit, and i was impressed, but then i realised i'd repaired it before and done quite a bit of work on it at that time so it was essentially a harp i'd already customised.
Still, its hard to argue with the choice of some of the great players of the current era and i'm not knocking them. they just don't grab me enough to make a change.
People say they don't break. i can guarantee you they do. i have a shoebox full of reedplates with broken reeds. If you are a player who breaks reeds, you will likely break steel reeds too. Maybe they are more robust, and for some players that may be enough to keep them on the right side of the threshold. There is still a threshold though
One thing about the steel reeds i think is true, and it is not a small thing. If properly maintained, they do tend to stay tuned right up until they fracture. So that may be forever for some people.
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Tblues1
100 posts
May 01, 2019
7:09 AM
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Seydel are my go to harps.
I use 1847 (without wood combs) or Session Steel.
I prefer to use 1847 cover plates on the Session Steel
Durable harps with a nice sound.
I have a couple of Golden Melodies, but use Seydel about 90% of the time.
I've had a couple of Manji's, Special 20's and Marine Bands , but don't like them and don't use them.
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jbone
2909 posts
May 01, 2019
8:01 AM
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Keep it coming guys, I'm seeing a wealth of information here!
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Music and travel destroy prejudice.
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barbequebob
3572 posts
May 01, 2019
8:30 AM
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Stainless steel reeds will hold up better and stay in tune longer than most brass reeds, but if you've blown one out in less than 1-2 years time, it's obvious you're playing them much too hard and people who play too hard will ALWAYS kill reeds in a hurry and almost all of them will take take the easy way out and blame the harmonica and not own up to their own bad playing technique problems.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
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isaacullah
3276 posts
May 01, 2019
8:47 AM
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I have a couple of Seydel harps. I started with a couple of Solist Pro's. I found them very nice sounding, and well finished. The hole spacing is wider than Hohner, so that took some getting used to at first, but now it's pretty seamless. I did bust 4 draws on both of them pretty quickly (they are gapped tighter OOTB, I think). That was at least 5 or 6 years ago, and I haven't busted any since replacing those reeds. On one of them, I fitted Session Steel plates (they fit perfectly), and the other I tuned to Natural Minor. Both work very well. At one point I bought a Spiral Tuned version of the Blues Session (not Steel), and it played well. Sadly, I lost it in a bar one evening. Honestly, I would be happy with a full set of Seydels. They are expensive, and generally they last. Seydel proves over and over to care about the niche needs of harp players, and their configurator for special tunings is awesome. I'll likely do that more in the future. For now, my main kit is mostly Spec 20's and Marine Bands, and they are all going strong.
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John M G
305 posts
May 01, 2019
9:32 AM
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My only problem with the Seydel 1847 classics were they just didn't last!
5 draw reeds went in 4 months and 8 months and blew reeds on the others way too soon for the price you pay for them. I bought those 3-4 years ago now and wouldn't buy more.
To be fair, they sound great OOTB and overblow and overdraw OOTB for the most part. The Blue Moon combs are far superior to the Noble combs as far as comfort is concerned.
I've made a complete switch to Suzuki Manji and some Pro Master Suzuki harps and I'm very happy with them. I have custom Spiers and Blue Moon Manji harps and they are a real pleasure to play. At the time I bought the Seydel 1847 Silvers I bought my first Suzuki harps and have only blown just the one reed in a Suzuki harp and I play a lot. My experience leads me to believe it's definitively NOT an issue with playing too hard.
I have 30 year old Lee Oskar harps I still use in the car and in the bathroom and the only harps that have let me down were the Seydel and Crossover harps I tried.
My harp case has 22 Suzuki's (7 custom) with all keys from Low C to High G. Just 3 Seydel back ups and one F crossover back up.
I haven't blown a reed since retiring my Seydel and Crossover harps to just a back up roll where they don't get any use at all now. They are dead weight just sitting in the bottom tray of my harp case these days!
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SuperBee
5925 posts
May 01, 2019
1:40 PM
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My broken reedplates are all from a retailer’s warranty replacements. Over 4 years I’ve just about harvested all the common reeds to make repairs and restorations. I don’t use the brass reeds if I can help it, because the Seydel repair person told me they never would. If I get a brass harp in for repairs I install steel replacement.
I don’t think I’ve personally broken a steel one, but I also haven’t persisted with playing them much.
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jbone
2910 posts
May 01, 2019
2:11 PM
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I can't think of one brand or model I didn't kill a reed on. The frequency has gone way down since I changed my attitude and playing style. Yes sometimes one does wear out. It's more from long use than hard use these days.
It's very early days for the Seydels since I just got them. Comparing other similar class harps- Manji and MB Deluxe- may not be fair at the moment. I need to play the 1847 and Soloist at a gig or two before I really make a judgement. I will say this, they seem at first encounter to be very well built.
Unlike some players I don't worry about different hole sizes or combs past if it's sealed or composite or plastic. I adapt to the instrument. I have never cared for the mustache ripper thing, but my answer was to trim the hell out of my soup strainer! Works for me.
I want to always discover how I can adapt to the instrument at the time. Of course I've had harps that just didn't pass muster but between Hohner and Suzuki most of my needs have been met. Yes I have some Eastops as well, 2 of 3 I have flatted a reed on after very faithful service. Now, to have a new brand to explore is something intriguing and exciting.
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Spderyak
267 posts
May 01, 2019
3:14 PM
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I play some seydel silvers that I like, but the noble was a no go for me.
Mostly I find myself playing the seydel or the rockets by hohner
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scojo
636 posts
May 03, 2019
11:32 AM
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I've been a Seydel endorser for ten years and I play the Seydel 1847... usually the Silver (composit comb) but sometimes the Classic (wood comb). I love them. They work extremely well for my style, which is eclectic but closer to jazz and rock than straight blues. I am an overblow player and my 1847s will OB/OD out of the box or with very little tweaking. A custom job from Ben Bouman or Mike Fugazzi plays like a dream.
Everyone's mileage may vary and the choice of a harmonica is very personal. For me, though, Seydels are fantastic.
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groyster1
3357 posts
May 03, 2019
2:24 PM
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seydels must be quite a harp though very pricey...….never played one but I have enough marine bands to last me if I live to be 200......some are customs,some are pre war and some NOS.….
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STME58
2079 posts
May 04, 2019
12:05 AM
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I have a Low D Session Steel and a Low F Nobel. I have broken reeds on both but they are replaceable. I just put a new set of reed plates on the Low F and it overblows with little adjustment just like it did new. The anodize on the comb is starting to get thin so I am getting a bit of a galvanic reaction between the brass reed plates and the aluminum come which gives it a salty taste, but it is not objectionable yet.
I just purchase a Sailor Tremolo in G. This is a very cool instrument, much better sound and volume than my other tremolo, a C Suzuki Study 24. The Seydel cost 10 times what the Suzuki did so I expect it would be better. I really like the Richter tuning on the bottom octave of the Sailor. You can bend notes though you loose a bit of the tremolo effect when you do.
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LSC
796 posts
May 07, 2019
10:33 AM
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My 2 cents. It's all subjective. I won't got through a list of brands and models I've tried in over 50 years but suffice to say I'd only buy Hohner in an emergency. "Gasp! "Blasphemer," I hear you exclaim. Although I have heard quality has improved in recent times I bear a grudge from two reeds breaking off and lodging in the back of my throat and Hohner telling me, when I sent the offending reed plates, that the alloy was not up to their usual standards but doing nothing to compensate. Not even the offer of a new instrument after admitting they had knowingly sold defective product.
I discovered Seydel several years ago and have used the 1847 as my diatonics exclusively. I've never had a reed break. Never had tuning problems. Never had any problem at all, ever. I have a Seydel chromatic as well.
Full disclosure. I have a limited endorsement deal with Seydel though only after I purchased two retail. Best OTB harp I ever came across. I purchase through 16:23 Custom Harmonicas, though having completed my kit including spares haven't had to buy one in years.
LSC
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jbone
2927 posts
May 20, 2019
8:29 PM
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These 2 I have are so far seeing light duty. Wife's spine is still healing and she can't play too much on guitar at a sitting, maybe 5 to 7 songs a day. And I don't use these 2 Seydels on everything. But everything I throw at them they respond well.
The more I use them and look them over the more I realize they are a very solid instrument.
Some years ago I sort of got sucked into helping out a known player who had just hit town. Aside from being roadie and lending him our p.a., and covering the door at his gig, he asked me to see if I could get his harps going. They were Seydels but I think they had plastic combs. Not much I could do in a short time. I pulled the covers, pulled the plates, did wash and rinse, and put them back together. I think those harps were beat to death before I ever saw them, and halfway through the show the guy was throwing them off the stage. I do not blame the harps. He was just very rough on them.
I used to be pretty hard on my harps. With time I learned to do focus and not force with my breath. My harps in general last a good while these days.
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nacoran
10119 posts
May 21, 2019
11:25 AM
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I've tried an 1847 now! After playing with my Kongsheng Soloist and the 1847 for a bit I've created a new '0' tier above tier one and putting those two at the top. My 1847 is in compromise tuning and the Kongsheng is in ET and after listening to the two I've decided that I am going to be slowly adding more harps to try to build out a complete set of both ET and Compromise.
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Nate
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First Post- May 8, 2009
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Bilzharp
185 posts
May 21, 2019
12:29 PM
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"Some years ago I sort of got sucked into helping out a known player who had just hit town. Aside from being roadie and lending him our p.a., and covering the door at his gig, he asked me to see if I could get his harps going."
Sheesh... did he want you to pick out all the brown M&Ms as well? :-P
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jbone
2928 posts
May 21, 2019
9:18 PM
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He is not who he seems to be. Contact with him really altered our trajectory in the music world. We could not believe a guy who was spoken of so highly was really that wrong. Did I mention he knocked our p.a. head over and cost us serious $$ when we got home from there?
You live and learn. That weekend marked a turning point in how I dealt with other musicians. Since then Jo and I have made a lot of smarter choices and a lot of progress.
A friend gave me the Seydels. They would be out of range for me to build a set but I can get these two repaired if and when. I like them a lot.
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Music and travel destroy prejudice.
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