[Harp-L] Re: Second Reed Failure on Suzuki Firebreath - Offlist




In a way I guess Richard's
post is a back-handed compliment, as reed failure seems noteworthy in
this case because it's a relative rarity with Suzukis. But the improved
overblow performance of the Firebreath reeds shouldn't be gained at the
expense of reed life, and I'll pass on his comments to the factory.

Brendan,
I have every desire that Suzuki continue to make Fire Breaths, as I love mine and will continue to buy them and use them.


Your 15 year history with their instruments is a serious reassurance, as is Os Leguizamo's wonderfully responsive approach to customer service.

However, while the relative rarity of reed failures on most Suzuki products can be backed by your long experience with their harmonicas, you may not have gotten the information Os gave to me about the Fire Breath. When I called to tell him what happened he already knew which reed had failed because there was a known problem with that reed on the Fire Breath and that they were working on seeing to it that whatever was causing this problem was fixed at the design level. (He may have even said that they have fixed it.) I will be bringing backup harps into the studio for insurance from now on, just in case it hasn't been fixed yet, but producers are noticing how sweet the FB's sound, so I'll be using them when possible. (I also love the increased vocabulary I get from the instrument, and the sense that whatever I reach for will be achieved - not common in most harps in my experience.)

I LOVE that Os was so out front about the problem. If I wasn't a loyal customer before that moment, that made me one. More companies of all sorts should realize that they can and should be out front about such things.

Best regards,
Ken Deifik





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