[Harp-L] Bushman Delta Frost harmonicas in bluegrass

[Cara Cooke <cyberharp@xxxxxxxxx>]

I should announce up-front that I am a long-time Hohner player. I learned on 
a Marine Band and have played Bluesharps, Special 20's, etc., for most of my 
life. I have played Lee Oskar when the right key is available, and have had 
limited success with Suzuki. At John Hall's insistence, I gave the Bushman 
Delta Frost a try. 

I started with a G. Its tone was darker than my Bluesharp and the phosphor 
bronze reeds had a longer sustain -- interesting qualities. However, the 
reeds on the G were slower to respond than my Hohners and the sustain was 
sufficient enough to allow one note to blend over the next on really fast 
fiddle tunes. As a consequence, my faster tunes would come out less crisp 
and clear and would suffer minute moments when the reed would hesitate, 
which would throw my timing off a little. It was a beautiful tone that would 
work for slower tunes and was absolutely gorgeous when played on blues 
riffs, but, as I told John, I was not certain the instrument was going to be 
the best for bluegrass (at least not at really fast tempos in the key of G, 
Em, Am, or D). 

John felt I hadn't given the Delta Frost a fair shake since I had only 
tested it on a lower pitched harmonica. He suggested I try a D, in 
comparison. I had chosen the G to see how well a lower harmonica worked, on 
purpose, figuring that I would know how bad it could be, since the lower 
harmonicas usually have a poorer response and control. The test told me what 
I needed to know and I intended somewhere along the line to give a higher 
pitched Delta Frost the same test. So I tested a D.

The Delta Frost in the key of D tested quite successfully. For me, out of 
the box without warming it up, it performed beautifully. The darker tone 
works just as well in the higher key and even appears to soften the pierce 
of the higher toned harmonica to the ears of the listener. The sustain is 
not as long as it is on the G, but that works perfectly for fiddle tunes – 
the tone lasts long enough, then fades as the next note is played. I have 
been performing with the D Delta Frost since I got it a few month ago with 
no complaints and a few compliments (as astonishing as that may be from 
bluegrass musicians with regard to harmonicas).

At this point, I have made a plan. I have been enjoying blues riffs more 
than I ever have before because they sound so neat on the G Delta Frost. So 
I think I will try an A, too. However, I expect to still play my Hohners in 
the key of G and A in bluegrass. (I still have to be able to keep up with 
the tempos of the banjos and fiddles.) But, I am now wondering when the 
response on the reeds quickens and the sustain shortens. Is it in Bb? B? I 
also intend to start adding some higher keyed Delta Frosts to my collection, 
especially for the piercing keys of E and F, and perhaps C.

For anyone interested in playing bluegrass harmonica, you will need a D (for 
the keys of D, A, Em, and Bm) because fiddlers love to play things that fit 
well on a D harmonica. The Bushman Delta Frost is a good choice for this.

Cara Cooke

www.cyberharp.isonfire.com <http://www.cyberharp.isonfire.com/>