Let's bring this place to life for Harmonicas!

[Raviedes]

I've been playing harmonica for about 4 months and really enjoy it. In that 4 months I've tried a good assortment with my favorites being the low tuned Special 20s, the Lee Oskar Harmonic Minors, and my Huang Chordet 20.

 

Here's my rig, although I seldom play electric: Astatic JT30 -> Fuzzhugger Algal Bloom -> Biyang AD-8 Delay -> Bugera V5

 

I know there are tons of harp forums out there, but I joined here to talk other instruments as well... anyhow, what cool things have you all discovered in the harp world recently?

 

[TN.Frank]

I've been playing for a couple months and went threw the cheap, Chinese phase and I'm over and done with it. Not that they were bad mind you, my Hot Metals and Blues Band were decent enough but the Old Standby that I got blew out the 5 draw in less then a week and I KNOW it wasn't my technique because I have other harps that I've been playing for almost 2 months now.

Currently my "working" harps are my Special 20 in Bb which I just got TurboLids for(verdict is still out on weather I like em' or not) and my Suzuki HarpMaster in C, nice harp too. I have a couple Hohner Deuce and a Quarter harps that I bought more as a collector's item but man they do sound nice. I've also got a Hohner Golden Melody that's more of a keep sake, mom and dad bought it for me in '76 from an estate auction.

I recently sound off my Big Rivers(Low F,G,A,Bb,C and D) and now I need to get into a G,A and D harp at least, maybe a C also if I can find a decent deal.

This forum is DEAD, I've posted a couple threads here with NO reply. Most of the time I just post over in the Acoustic Guitar section since my "first" instrument is guitar and I've been on that forum for years.

Anyway, I would like to see this place come alive like it is over in the Acoustic Guitar section. I think if they'd add the word "Harmonica" to the title it'd go a long way in helping. "Woodwinds and Brass" just doesn't bring a lot of harp players our way over here. "Harmonica, Woodwinds and Brass" would help people who Google looking for forums find this place and let others who've been here for a while know that we're talking harp on this forum too. Not just "band" instruments.

[Raviedes]

What do you think of the TurboLids? How do they feel in the hand, and do they screw with your technique?

 

I've been messing with the combs. I got a mahogany and a lacewood comb off a guy (HarpCase) who started selling them recently. He seals them to prevent swelling, etc.

 

People seem to very much enjoy the combination of wood comb harps and TurboLids. Ah, what the hell. I'm gonna order one in a freaky color.

[Raviedes]

Hm, I came straight back to this thread instead of going through the forum. I saw your other thread on the TurboLids. I'll discuss 'em in there when mine arrives.

 

Mess about with any alternative tunings, chromatics, etc? I like minor tunings for chords, train stuff, riffing etc. I am not much of a melody player yet (and I haven't tried a tremolo at all).

 

RE: appending 'Harmonica' to the forum title thing somewhere - for sure. We need a harmonica pedalboard thread. I'd make it, but I'd get lonely. Haha!

[TN.Frank]

I had to adjust the way I play a bit to get my single notes back and I had to adjust the way I hold the harp too but all in all it wasn't that hard to do. I'm really starting to like the way it feels and the way the TurboLids sound. I'm about 80% sure that I'm going to go a head and get my G,A and D harps in Turbo Twenty's unless they cut me a heck of a deal on Lee Oskar harps.

[Raviedes]

I've got most of my keys but a lot of 'em are low. I have no regular D, E, or F harp. Just low ones. I perceive this slightly changes my style because of the quirks of the tuning (missing VI on the lower octave, etc).

 

Hm, I'll share some of my thoughts on harps I've tried.

 

Hohner: I have the Educator 10 (chromatic in C) and Special 20 (Low D, Low E). The Educator is the cheapest good chromatic I know of. Kinda shrill and hard to play, but it's good and loud and has a reassuring weight to it. The Special 20s are amazing. So dark and rich sounding, I would probably buy them exclusively if they had more tuning options.

 

Huang: I have the Chordet 20. It has these chords in it:

 

Bb F C G D

F7 C7 G7 D7 A7

Gm Dm Am Em Bm

D- A+ E- B+ F-

 

It also has seperate bass notes for each chord so you can play basslines. I think that for the harmonica player, this is probably the most cost effective way to set yourself up as a rhythm player... you can play in F, C, G, Dm, Am and Em and sort of half ass other keys, all with minimal effort (for instance your IV is always to the left, V to the right)

 

Suzuki: Only tried the Manji. Got it in Eb so I could goof off doubling myself on alto sax. Haven't had it long enough yet, still in the honeymoon period.

 

Bushman: I got a Delta Frost, Bb. Purpleheart wood comb. This harp needs no introduction. Super responsive and gritty as hell (turn down the treble on your amp). It's probably the best "looking" harp I have.

 

Lee Oskar: I reach for the Lee Oskars most. I enjoy them more every time I play. I've only tried the Melody Maker and Harmonic Minor, love them both. The Natural Minor is perpetually sold out at the store I go to.

 

Seydel: I've only tried the Blues Session Low Low F. This is the lowest tuned diatonic harp I know of, and its sound is more like a bassoon or an accordion's bass reeds than a harmonica. Amazing instrument, but not for everyone.

[TN.Frank]

E is a key that I don't think you'd use much from all I've read. Probably better off going Eb since it'll fit in with horns better. As far as standard F goes, I'd rather have a Low F, just sounds better to my guitar trained ear. Main keys to have are G,A,C and D anyway so as long as you have those you're good to go for a lot of tunes.

[Raviedes]

Well, I write my material and jump randomly between styles but I got the blues keys covered. I mostly play first and third position and use the VII to substitute for the tonic a lot. Best harps I found for that are the Melody Makers, but I still like those LOs and SP20s for riffing.

 

I got started using circular breathing + harmonica for droning, shruti-box-like sound textures for practice purposes. Now I am using harmonica largely to replace the rhythm guitar, freeing the remaining guitar to explore melody lines and such. This also gives me a helluva lot more freedom with guitar tunings. I use DADFAD most of the time nowadays. Puts all the major, minor and modal right there... but this isn't the forum for that

[Raviedes]

Do you play with a harp rack? I haven't tried it yet. It's kinda hard to find out which one is most comfortable when you're wearing a guitar and trying to play 'em both.

[TN.Frank]

Nope, not played with a rack. I had to sell my guitar to get parts for my truck. That's part of the reason I got into harps, I had one sitting around and started playing it and this time I actually caught on a little bit so I just went a head and got a few to mess around with. It'll be nice to get a guitar again but until then playing harp is a lot of fun.

[Raviedes]

I am looking forward to the Turbolids. If I like 'em, I'll probably try to make my own cover plates for the most horn-like sound.

[Raviedes]

New harp day.

 

Bushman Delta Frost Bb, Suzuki Manji Eb, and wood combs for my Special 20s.

 

First impressions: Wow these are good harps, it's like cheating. I knew when I went looking for a Bb it would be a Bushman. Why not? Actually, I want to keep this brief so I can go back to playing.

 

I put the lacewood comb on my Low D SP20. The SP20 now plays like the Delta Frost did out of the box - WAY better. Not a big change in sound but a huge difference in ease of play. I wouldn't do this to every SP20 I ever owned (unless the combs went on sale again), but for the most used ones - wow. I have to wonder what the TurboLid's gonna do to this harp. The only original parts left will be the reed plates by then.

 

I get my harmonicas from Rockin' Ron's, by the way. He's got the best prices I found as far as the stuff he does carry.

 

All right, off to jam!

[Raviedes]

Ah, I should mention this. The combs. The, uh, "tines" between reed channels stick out a bit. I love this cause it makes tongue blocking and feeling your way around easier, but people reading this might hate it. They don't mention it on the site.

 

Actually, let me write a bit more about the combs: They are well sealed and taste fine. Holes 1 and 10 are a bit more narrow to make them far easier to play. It's those little details.

[Raviedes]

Edited my post above. Sorry if that was offensive.

 

I've been reevaluating myself as a harmonica player since I got these. There's a level of ease and comfort here that I haven't seen on an instrument before. This may well become my main deal, with guitar taking the back row.