Re: [Harp-L] Re:Harp of Choice

["Tom Muck" <tommuck@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I haven't heard anyone recommend Hohner Pro Harps. To me, it seems like the reeds are a tad thicker, which makes bending more controllable. Special 20s seem like the reeds are made of rubber after I've played a Pro Harp for a while. As a guitar player, I compare it to light strings vs. heavy strings -- you can get a lot of speed and massive vibrato with the light strings, but the heavy strings make the playing more controlled. Maybe I'm offbase here, as I have never taken them apart and miced the reeds. One caveat is that when I get into the higher keys (F), it's harder to do a low bend on the Pro Harp. The Pro Harps seem to have a warmer, bluesier sound also.

I use Special 20s, Golden Melodies, and Lee Oskars too. The Special 20s and Golden Melodies seem to have a similar responsiveness to each other, and I'm trying to get used to using them to improve my control. Lee Oskars seem to be about halfway between a Special 20 and a Pro Harp, as far as feel, and seem a bit louder out of the box, but also a little squeakier.

Out of the box Marine Bands seem a bit leaky and not as loud, and the wood is not pleasant on my lips and tongue. The comb sits too far from the front edge, for my tastes. I ordered a couple of different Suzukis to try them out. I'm not a good harmonica player. . .I just fool around for fun, so take my comments with a grain of salt.

Tom