Re: [Harp-L] Silk purse from sow's ear.

[philharpn@xxxxxxx]

Big Rivers came out in about 1993 (I have a Hohner dealer video) and had a list price of about $10.


The Big River is a modular system (MS) harp, meaning it is machine made, not hand made. About the same time as the Big River came out, Hohner started selling reed plate sets. But the Big River was discounted by dealers and the reed plate sets weren't. So it was cheaper to buy a Big River, take out the reed plates and install them in another MS harp.


I don't know how many people did this, or still do this -- but I figure if I knew about it then everybody else already knew about it. And those going through a lot of reed plates were taking advantage of it.


And if the Big River is in the MS family, it is probably as good as the rest of the line: Special 20 and Blues Harp etc. The only dfference being the combs and covers. All of them assembled with screws, not nails.


hope this helps
Phil Lloyd


























-----Original Message-----
From: Mike Rogers <bullfrog9@xxxxxxx>
To: Steve Webb <swebb@xxxxxxxxxxx>; Harp-L <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tue, Sep 11, 2012 10:19 am
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Silk purse from sow's ear.


I think Big River is a good bet for the money.  They aren't comparable to 
MB's or Sp. 20's, but much cheaper.  I sent one to Matthew Smart a few years 
ago and he customized it for me.  It's a key that I don't use as often, but 
it's in my kit and sounds and plays great.

Bullfrog
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve Webb" <swebb@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Harp-L" <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2012 10:01 AM
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Silk purse from sow's ear.


> Unless they have made major changes to the Big River, I have always found 
> this an almost unplayable harp.
> Steve in Minn.
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
> On Sep 11, 2012, at 8:13 AM, "Dan Axt" <dapperdan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>> I disagree. I like Big River harps and I've had no problem playing them. 
>> For the money I think they are one of the best values out there.  They 
>> remind me of what Marine Bands used to be like when I started playing 
>> back in the 60s. Dan Axt
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dennis Michael Montgomery" 
>> <gaulay2@xxxxxxxxx>
>> To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
>> Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2012 3:32 AM
>> Subject: Fw: [Harp-L] Silk purse from sow's ear.
>>
>>
>> A Bluesmaster, yes. But a Big River, no way. I am no where near a 
>> professional harp player, but even I know Big Rivers leak air like crazy 
>> and aren't the easiest to bend. Big Rivers are what re-inforced my 
>> dislike for Hohner (before the Big River came along I was playing the 
>> Marine Bands and Blues Harp). I have mellowed since then upon discovering 
>> the Special 20 and the Crossover. If you are a professional, please, 
>> remember that unlike us amateurs professional musicians have the earned 
>> ability and gift of making Eidsels look like Cadillacs. We amateurs need 
>> all the help we can get.
>>
>> Dennis
>>
>>
>> ----- Forwarded Message -----
>> From: Mike Fugazzi <mikefugazzi@xxxxxxxxx>
>> To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Cc: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx; MundHarp@xxxxxxx; pneupco@xxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Sent: Monday, September 10, 2012 6:47 AM
>> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Silk purse from sow's ear.
>>
>> What are you hoping to accomplish? A gigging blues harp? Overbends?
>>
>> I'd just get something like a Big River or Blues Master and call it a 
>> day.
>>
>> On Sunday, September 9, 2012 4:39:25 PM UTC-5, (unknown) wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>> Sadly,cheap harps are almost unplayable & I wish it was not the case...
>>> OK.... Buy a Chinese Rolex watch for a $100 and will it be as good as a
>>> real
>>> Rolex watch? at $6,000?
>>> Probably not.
>>> It is likely be made from inferior material... It is the same with
>>> counterfeit harmonicas. They might last 5 minutes... But perhaps who
>>> knows?
>>> Not worth customizing in any event.
>>>
>>> You get what you pay for!
>>>
>>> John "Whiteboy" Walden
>>> Just now in:
>>> Scotland
>>>
>>> In a message dated 9/8/2012 11:35:34 P.M. GMT Daylight Time,
>>> pne...@xxxxxxxxxxxx <javascript:> writes:
>>>
>>> << A couple of questions: First, has anyone out there taken one of the
>>> cheapest Chinese made Sp20 clones that are around and tried to do a
>>> complete customizing job on it - retuning, reed work, embossing, in
>>> short - everything? If so, how did it turn out? Next, are there any
>>> Chinese made harmonicas that right out of the box approach the overall
>>> quality of Seydel, German made Hohners or Suzukis?
>>> >>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>> -----
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>>
>>
>
>