Re: [Harp-L] New Suzuki Diatonics

[Mojo Red <harplicks@xxxxxxxxx>]

--- Aeskow@xxxxxxx wrote:

> Is anybody playing the curiously-named new Suzuki
> diatonics--the Pure  Harp 
> and the Fire Breath--yet?  If so, what's your
> take on them?
>  
> Peace and Respect
> Johnny T

Hey Johnny,

I don't own any of these new Suzuki's yet, but when
Jason Ricci was blowing through town here a few
weeks ago, he showed me couple that they'd sent him
to try out, unmodified, out-of-the-box harps. He
let me look them over and blow on one for a minute.


The "Pure Harp" has dark wooden cover plates and a
wooden comb and played beautifully, though I didn't
care for how the wood ~felt~ on my lips (just not
used to it, I guess). However, the thing has
~awesome~ response (very similar to a good custom
harp) and overbent easily. Both the overblows and
overdraws seemed effortless and I'm no overblow god
by any means.

Though I didn't actually play it, Jason says the
"Fire Breath" is built to the same exact specs
(including hard-wood comb), but black the covers
are not made from wood (not sure what they're made
from). I'm sure it plays just as well as the "Pure
Harp" but appeals more to me because of the more
conventional cover plate material.

Jason is very impressed by them and told me that
they will be even better after Suzuki makes some
further tweaks at the factory. I told him I wanted
one, but he suggested I wait until after the 1st of
the year to buy one.

In short, great, great harps... very much
approaching custom harp responsiveness. Jason told
me that harp customizer Brad Harrison has been
working with Suzuki to get his custom-harp specs
into the factory-build. I own a Harrison harp I
bought from him back in 2000 and it's killer.

I certainly intend to get a "Fire Breath" at some
point. Very impressive.

Harpin' in Colorado,
--Ken M.


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