RE: [Harp-L] Low Tunings

["Steve Shaw" <moorcot@xxxxxxx>]

> Want to know know your feelings on the low tunings diatonics in F, E, D 
> etc.
> Compare Marine Band , Gm's, Special 20's. Thanks Jerl Welch

Hi Jerl

I don't know whether my views on low tunings are relevant to your genre 
(mine's traditional Irish mainly), but quality and response-wise I guess 
we're all, more or less, in the same boat.  I have a low E flat Marine Band 
and I like it.  A nice, bright, perky little harp.  I use a Lee Oskar low F 
(for historical reasons - it won't wear out!!) and it's good, though I've 
found gapping to be fairly critical.   But my most pressing need, by a long 
chalk, is for a low D, and I haven't found anything as yet to match the 
Special 20 low D.  I wouldn't even consider any harp with the Hohner MS low 
D reed-plates.  I have a low D XB40, and it's a loud and powerful beast, but 
it has yet to inveigle itself into my affections (I live in hope).   It's 
freaky almost, but I've never even SEEN a Golden Melody!

Steve

http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/trad_irish_harmonica
HEAR my CD clips: http://www.gjk2.com/steveshaw/cd.htm
READ review of my CD: http://www.irishmusicreview.com/sshaw.htm