[Harp-L] Answer to Several Seydel topics

["Michael Timler" <mail@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hello all of you,

today I was able to read all those postings regarding Seydel and I put them 
together in one posting.
If this is not common here, please let me know.
My comments are within the following lines.


> Date: Sat, 17 Dec 2005 10:11:22 -0500
> From: "Don Z" <dzeller@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: [Harp-L] Seydel harps
> To: <Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Cc: samblancato@xxxxxxxxxxx
> Message-ID: <001601c6031c$24469190$b35be147@fam>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
> Sam,
> After Mike Timler's recent Seydel post I looked at their  website.  Tried 
> posting to their English forum but it hasn't shown up 2 weeks later.

Hm, I don't like to hear that, as you might imagine.
I checked our site and found, that the forum is German, a thing we should 
generally change.
I arranged a topic to our English readers
http://forum.seydel1847.de/viewforum.php?f=4

However, the surounding is German which seems to be very inconvenient to 
American users.
Result will be now, that we will stress now to get a true English Forum 
section.

> Followed that up with a personal email to Michael Timler there 2 weeks ago 
> but still no reply. If I hear anything I'll let you know.  (Michael, are 
> you lurking out there???)

Here I am ! All I can say, that I answer every mail I get under 
michael.timler@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Daily !
I look at mail@xxxxxxxxx once a week, which is my private account. I use 
this one for firewall reasons to read harp-L too, at least once a week.
My email is listed at 
http://www.seydel1847.de/epages/Seydel.storefront/?ObjectID=3431&Locale=de_DE 
and I am open to any question.

> ............ I'm trying to suggest/get a mini tuned to high 4 holes of an A 
> harp ("The Precious" to any Jimmy Reed fan!...can we get a special harp-l 
> group order!)

Well, if this is serious I will try to get it out of the factory then. :))))

Next topic is for Chromatics:

> Message: 1
> Date: Sat, 17 Dec 2005 12:15:33 EST
> From: MilwHarmonica@xxxxxxx
> Subject: [Harp-L] Re: Harp-L Digest, Vol 28, Issue 53:Seydel harps,
> where in USA?
> To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> Message-ID: <1ea.49eed77b.30d5a1b5@xxxxxxx>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
>
>
> To Sam Blancato, from John Broecker, Milwaukee Harmonica Club: Sam, I love
> the Seydel harps, too! The chromatics seem to be a little breathy, but the
> Weltmeister Chromatic (made by Seydel) has helped considerably here in the
> Wisconsin winters. It's unvalved-each reed has its own separate chamber. 
> No
> popping, gurgling or stuck valves to contend with.
At this point, the following information might help:
We DON'T distribute the valveless Chromatic officially any more.
Reason is, that Chromatic without windsavers will not be very airtight.
It can't.
However, some dealers still order it and have it for sale.
You can play our valveless Chromatic Standard very easy, however it's not 
matching a tonal quality standard you usually can expect from waht we would 
call 'a Chromatic'.  Therefore we decided not to offer it officially 
anymore.
What we offer ist the 'Chromatic DeLuxe'.
It's a fully valved Chromatic that matches every standard you can expect 
from a Chromatic with wooden comb.
http://www.seydel1847.de/epages/Seydel.storefront/?ObjectID=3432&Locale=en_GB

However, I learned, that there still is a steady demand for the unvalved 
Chromatic and I am very astonished to read a review here.

> I was also impressed by Seydel's tuning experiments on the diatonics,
> especially the augmented, diminished, whole tone, and "Zircular," which 
> promises
> chords, arpeggios or single notes up through 13ths (great for jazz 
> players). I
> haven't tried any of the newer models, but some of our club members  have, 
> and
> all reports are positive.

These are no experiments, to be a bit hare-splitting.
It's a reaction on the demands of the market and we are proud to be able to 
carry the special tunings from an experimental point done by skilled players 
or some experienced customizers into a professional enviroment, where they 
are available now to an acceptable price (which naturally must be a bit 
higher anyways, because the numbers are not that big.)

>


Another topic was:
............. Are reeds riveted or soldered on plates?

Riveted!

Soldering reeds (in fact it's a process called 'spot-welding') may be a 
fast procedure in production, however, reeds are not to be corrected 
afterwards, and -what is far more important to our philosophy- you can't 
replace spot-welded reeds any more.
Well you can....... but you need to be very skilled.
However, if you use the methods shown here:
http://www.seydel1847.de/epages/Seydel.storefront/?ObjectID=3425&Locale=en_GB
(Take workshop 4 and follow ups)
you need to have riveted reeds to repair your harmonica, and it can be done 
even by a beginner.

You may say, that you better buy a new harmonica if a reed becomes faulty, 
or you may buy a replacement reedplate.
Well, do so, you can get it from Seydel, no problem.
However, many advanced players work on their reedplates, and we don't want 
to set up obstacles to do so in spot-welding reeds to the reedplate.

Thank you for your interest!

Yours
Michael Timler from seydel
michael.timler@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.seydel1847.com