RE: [Harp-L] Special 20s "built in obsolescence"

["Steve Shaw" <moorcot@xxxxxxx>]

I think the other guys are right, Tony.  Going from my own experience:  I 
started using low D SP20s about ten years ago when I was "less than 
intermediate" shall we say.  I don't think I ever made one last a whole 
month.  I was trying to play as loud as possible all the time to keep up 
volume-wise with fiddles and mandolins in noisy pub settings.  I started to 
amplify myself, and of course I had terrible amplified tone at first.  I 
read a lot of very good advice about tone and projection, mostly here, and 
worked hard on these aspects.  I can now cut through the others without my 
amp sometimes if the pub's quiet.   A Special 20 will now last me about six 
months before I have to do any reed-replacing (and I do use them a lot - I 
can be playing for 3-4 hours and use that harp for 60% of the time, once or 
twice a week AND use the same harp at home for practice).  For me it was all 
about playing technique.

Cheers

Steve


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> I am 1 year into things, and am getting frustrated with the ease at which 
> the Special 20s blow out, or actually bend out. This last C of mine lasted 
> only about 3 weeks and I don't think I was working it all that hard. In 
> fact, I have been in different keys of late, so I reckon it hasn't lasted 
> well at all. It seems they go flat quickly, and I reckon it is the tuning 
> method in the factory that puts many diagonal scores in the base of the 
> reed, where it later cracks. Not good method I reckon. If the reeds need to 
> be flattened initially, well there is something wrong with the initial reed 
> design. I would have thought a reed should only have to be sharpened by the 
> factory. If I am right, well this is built in obsolescence. I was told by a 
> seasoned performer that he uses Lee Oskars as they are significantly 
> stronger reedplates. Is this true? Even my one and only customised is off 
> pitch on one hole using my guitar tuner, and my ear too surprisingly, but I 
> daren't take to the base of a reed intentionally. Any advice or opinion 
> gratefully appreciated.