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Author Topic: All you harp players!  (Read 3623 times)

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Offline simonjandrews

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All you harp players!
« on: September 28, 2006, 02:40:05 AM »
Ok so my 21 birthday is in dec and I was thinkin of gettin a set of harps.however I dont want to waste money so I'm gonna get the best. What would you guys suggest, I want somethin that will give me that country sound.dont matter about price or anythin.
   What sort of comb is best ,

Offline uncle bud

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Re: All you harp players!
« Reply #1 on: September 28, 2006, 07:18:37 AM »
I'm also not a harp player, though do have a bunch of Hohners and am not good enough to notice they suck (or blow). Take a look at this thread where some folks have chimed in with harp advice: http://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?amp;Itemid=83&topic=2316.0

One brand that isn't mentioned there is Lee Oskar.

My inclination would be to try a couple different brands and see what you like before buying a whole set.

Offline uncle bud

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Re: All you harp players!
« Reply #2 on: September 28, 2006, 07:48:40 AM »
Also, you might want to search and browse the Harp-L archives: http://harp-l.org/pipermail/harp-l/

Offline waxwing

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Re: All you harp players!
« Reply #3 on: September 28, 2006, 08:14:49 AM »
There has been some pretty good discussion over on the IGS board concerning quality of different harps. You should be able to use the search function there and find the threads.

All for now.
John C.
"People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it."
George Bernard Shaw

“Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you.”
Joseph Heller, Catch-22

http://www.youtube.com/user/WaxwingJohn
CD on YT

Offline Cambio

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Re: All you harp players!
« Reply #4 on: September 28, 2006, 10:28:34 AM »
I played Hohner Marine Bands for years, but had a string of bad luck with them  The price kept going up and the quality kept going down.  A lot of the time I'd get a harp with bad notes right out of the box.  As a result I've switched to Herring 1923 Vintage Harps.  I've been playing them for the past year, and have been extremely happy with them.  They're made in Brazil by Germans who immigrated there in the 20's.  They have a wood comb and heavier reed and cover plates than Hohner Marine Bands.  As a result they are considerably heavier than other harps on the market, and they actually seem like real instruments, comparable to the pre-war Hohners.  They sell for about $20, and you can get a set of the six essential keys that come in a wooden box.  I got my last set from www.harpexpress.com .
While plastic combs are easier to play, a wooden comb will give you a slightly warmer tone and will give you a closer sound to the old stuff, if that's what you're after.  Herring does a really good job of sealing their combs (and they round the edges), which prevents them from swelling and tearing up your lips.  You obviously don't need to worry about a comb swelling when you're playing a harp with a plastic comb, like a Special 20, Golden Melody or Lee Oskar.  The sealed comb also prevents air from leaking out  between the reed plate and the comb, so you'll get more sound and volume with less air.  Since you don't have to blow as hard, it makes it less likely that you'll blow out a reed.
Another thing to consider, both Herring and Lee Oskar sell replacement reeds, so you don't have to replace the entire harp if you blow out a single note.
Good luck,
Todd

Offline Bunker Hill

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Re: All you harp players!
« Reply #5 on: September 28, 2006, 11:27:07 AM »
Going off at a tangent (but sort of on topic) in 1993, for reasons best known to themselves, Simon & Schuster sent me a complimentary copy of a book entitled 'Harmonicas, Harps and Heavy Breathers: the evolution of the people's instrument". The writer is a player but the book is not an 'instructional", purely a general reference work on the history of the instrument and its practitioners. Basically an "idiots guide" ideally suited to the likes of myself. :)

I guess it's long out of print but if there's cheap copies floating about on the internet probably worth picking up. Here's the table of contents:

Chapter 1 : East Meets West   19
Chapter 2: America   33

Chapter 3: The Bands   43
Borrah Minevitch and the Harmonica Rascals   44
Johnny Puleo and His Harmonica Gang   54
Carl Freed and the Harmonica Harlequins   55
The Cappy Barra Harmonica Ensemble   57
The Philharmonicas   60
Johnny O'Brien and the Harmonica Hi-Hats   60
Jerry Murad and the Harmonicats 61
The Mulcays   66
The Stagg McMann Trio    68

Chapter 4: The Soloists 75
Larry Adler   76
Charles Newman   84
Leo Diamond   86
Mike Chimes   87
Pete Pedersen    87
Richard Hayman   89
Alan "Blackie" Schackner   90

Chapter 5: Folk Music 95
Sonny Terry   98
Harmonica Frank Floyd   100
Peg Leg Sam   102
Mel Lyman   104
Mark Graham   107
Phil Wiggins   111

Chapter 6: Country Music 115
Dr. Humphrey Bate   117
Herman Crook   118
DeFord Bailey   122
Lonnie Glosson   129
Wayne Raney   132
Jimmie Riddle   134
Onie Wheeler   137
Charlie McCoy   138
Don Brooks   149
Mickey Raphael   151

Chapter 7: The Blues 157
Jaybird Coleman   159
The Memphis Jug Bands   161
Will Shade   161
Noah Lewis   163
Jed Davenport   164
The Chicago Players   165
John Lee Williamson    165
Jazz Gillum    167
Rice Miller   168
Little WalterJacobs   171
Walter Horton   177
Junior Wells    180
James Cotton   185
Jimmy Reed    188
Charlie Musselwhite    189
The Southern Players   196
Slim Harpo   198
The Future   : 199

Chapter 8: Rock and Roll 201
The British Bands   : 204
Bob Dylan   207
Paul Butterfield   211
Lee Oskar   216
Magic Dick   219
Kim Wilson   225

Chapter 9: Soul Music 233
Stevie Wonder   234

Chapter 10: Jazz 24 1
Charles Leighton   243
Don Les   249
Jean "Toots" Thielemans   253
William Galison   259
Howard Levy   263

Chapter 11: Hollywood 269
George Fields   270
Eddy Manson    274
Tommy Morgan   276

Chapter 12: Classical Music 283
John Sebastian   288
Cham-Ber Huang   292
Stan Harper   297
Tommy Reilly   300
Robert Bonfiglio    305

Epilogue 311
Selected Discography 315
Bibliography   327

Offline Slack

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Re: All you harp players!
« Reply #6 on: October 08, 2006, 07:30:20 PM »
Well. I really want on of these harmonicas - would look great in my music room.  Afraid the spouse might ask how much it cost though - so if anyone gets on, I want a review... you gotta love them brining back the 'good ol' days'.  :D

http://www.harmonicasandstuff.com/shop/hohner-harmonica/hohner-diatonic-harmonica-harmonicas/hohner-trumpet-call-harmonica.html




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Orb Mellon

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Re: All you harp players!
« Reply #7 on: October 09, 2006, 03:18:48 PM »
BUSHMAN DELTA FROST .... Period.  I've played hohner, lee oskar, hering, suzuki. The delta frost is the best diatonic harp made. Bushman is a small company and they have had some production demand difficulties recently, but they are the best. Try Coast to Coast Music on the web and see what you can get.




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