Re: Which harps stay in tune longest?

[Steve Price <sprice@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Sun, 19 Feb 1995, Mike Curtis wrote:

> > 
> [...]
> As far as harps with greatest longevity, I'd have to go with Oskars, at
> least with my style of playing (did you see the Terminator II?  That'll
> give you an idea how gentle I am with my harps :-) Charlie Musselwhite
> says they last him 10 to 1 of "the others", and this was my initial
> impression of Oskars, too (before they had endorsees - I'm not much of one
> to swallow ad hype.) They outlast Suzuki Promaster valved, and Hohner Pro
> Harp, Special 20, Golden Melody, Marine Band, Blues Harp, and Vest Pocket
> (which I believe is now called a "Piccolo"), roughly in that order.  These
> are the Hohners I've managed to blow out, in order of best to worst
> regarding longevity.  I also own a Cross Harp (in A), but hardly ever use
> it and therefore can't give an opinion on it (except that the reeds are
> too mushy for my taste).  And I don't use my A harps much - I'd rather
> play E blues with a C harp in 5th position on most things. 
> [...]
> I don't
> feel the MS concept is in and of itself flawed.  However, the first tries
> at anything are usually rather experimental in nature.  We are in effect
> "beta testers" for Hohner.  I would expect that they would appreciate
> constructive feedback on the MS, e.g.  my Marine Band is leaky; the blow 3
> buzzes; the draw 4 goes flat too fast; and other specific and well defined
> complaints - but not "MS= Mighty Sorry, Made Shoddily", and other generic
> gripes that convey about as much information as a politicians election
> speech or other sources of hot air with no direction :-)
> [...]
> 
>  -- mike

If mike gets more work out of a Lee Oskar than the line-up of Hohner 
products, others might, too.  I don't, and certainly not 10 to 1, as he 
says Musselwhite claims.  In fact, they haven't lasted for me very long 
at all, and I find the reeds rather "mushy."  But that's why we choices.  

Also, as I indicated in my post that I had written a rather lengthy post 
outining what I saw as the problems with the new MS Cross Harps.  Since I 
spent about $200.00 on replacing a bunch of my favorite Cross Harps and 
got the new MS Cross Harps, I was very vocal about each and every 
objection I had.  My post was lenthy and detailed both here and to 
Hohner.  For $200.00, I don't want to be Hohner's "beta-tester," or as we 
laymen say, guinea pig.  Particularly when some of us rely on these 
instruments for our work.  I'll be happy to give anyone who wants one a 
complete detailed treatise on the failure of the MS Cross Harps based on 
my unfortunate experience.  

	Steve "Hohner is why I play the blues" Price