Ultimos, Smoking, Sex

[KPGraham@xxxxxxx]

	I received my Tombo Ultimos the Tuesday after 
Christmas. They are indeed impressive harps, although at 
$29 each I won't be stocking up on them. They are the first
harps I could overblow, without any apparent effort, right 
out of the box.
	They are built like ultra modern chrome jets, only
with oversize screw heads and more screws than an ordinary
harp. The reeds are heavy and have a different feel when
bending. The lower harp is a little more difficult to bend on the
2 and 3 draw than a special 20. The special 20's seem very
sloppy by comparison. I have difficulty blow bending the
high holes on both keys, but this is probably because the heavy
reeds require a different embrasure.
	The thing is highly polished and has a slinky feel,
sort of like a golden melody. I like the rougher feel against
my lips of a marine band or special 20. It looks and feels like
you are playing the Silver Surfer's harp.
	The bad part was that they had been used at some
point by someone who smoked cigarettes. Yuck! My first
draw note had that pukey tobacco taste. I rinsed them with
alcohol and then warm soapy water. They now taste like an
Ivory soap cocktail, which is an improvement.
	Speaking of bad tasting harps: I remember a quote:

"Sharing Harps is like making a  move on a woman who smokes.
 Both might seem like a good idea if you've had enough to drink."

	I am not a professional musician, but I do a few parties
with a friend's band. I keep an A harp that I don't play so that
when some drunk comes up and tells me how great he is I can
offer it to him. These guys always accept. (although someone in
the band will turn down the channel in the PA after a few notes).
That harp must taste funky by now.

             How many Harp-Lers smoke? I would think that 
cigarettes and an activity that requires good wind would be
mutually exclusive, but I know  that logic has very little to do with 
this question.

      Keith