Re: [Harp-L] Advice on a First Chromatic

["Ken Wolman" <kwolman@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Two cents worth.

A bit of heresy: Huang 1248 chroms are very modestly priced, have a lovely sound,
and come in a variety of keys.  This way you see if you like the instrument
before committing to something more expensive.  Drawback: Mr. Huang himself told
me that there are tons of bootlegs out there.  He repaired the bum harp I bought
from a Long Island dealer on eBay (where else?) who claimed to have an inventory
of 20,000 Huang instruments.  Huang told me there aren't that many in existence.
The guy doesn't appear to be around eBay anymore.  In any case, Mr. H. for almost
no money fixed the harp.  It plays beautifully.  I am not sure when I say this
but it doesn't sound like the kind of instrument you would want to use to blow
the doors off a club.

Heresy #2: Avoid the Suzuki SCX-48.  Maybe I got a dog.  I hope so.  It's sad
because the tone is gorgeous.  The pricetag is high.  Even without giving it hard
use or abusing it, something caused it to lose partial sound in two holes, 1 &
2.  Ppartial sound on some notes, no sound at all on others.  Rupert Oysler said
he'd have to see the thing: it could be reeds, slide, windsavers, mouthpiece.  I
adjusted the slide with the screw on the front: I don't think it's the slide.
For a harmonica this pricey ($115 at Harphouse) to become unplayable after a few
months...well, I've got a real problem with Suzuki chroms at the moment.

I'm putting it off.  I have no idea what it costs to fix a bum chrom.  I hope not
as much as what I paid for it in the first place.

I should have bought the 270.  Down 'n' dirty ol' chrom which I gather is the
basis for all the other Hohner chroms with someone's name attached.  Just keeps
on rollin' along....

Ken

--
Kenneth Wolman
Proposal Development Department
Room SW334
Sarnoff Corporation
609-734-2538