RE: [Harp-L] HarpMaster vs. Delta Frost (was Bushuki vs. Suzman)

["Tom Klingl" <tom.klingl@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Daniel,

please allow me a few comments on your post.

First: I am not interested to start a discussion on
'...what's the best harmonica brand', since all
may have advantages or disadvantages based on
personal likes, dislikes and judgement. If everybody
would go for the same type of harmonica life
would be boring, wouldn't it ;-)? 

Thus I only snipped a few of your comments
and reply to them.
 
> I've got to go along with the earlier analysis to a point.  I
> don't think either the Delta Frost or the HarpMaster sound 
> gritty, gnarli, or crispy, as described on the web.  I would 
> say that both are much brighter, louder, and the two most 
> free blowing harps on the market. They play the same for all 
> that matters.

I do not have any problems with that. As a non-English speaker
the words may have a different meaning for me anyway.
Fact is: Other harmonica brands sound less bright, smoother...

> The BluesMaster with it's bronze phosphor 
> reeds plays much differently.  It is harder blowing and one
> of the quietest harps you can buy.

This is not my experience. And I think that the DF and the
Bluesmaster use the same reed material if not even the reedplates.
I think it's the lid that makes the difference.

> Maybe it is the way I play them.
> My experience has been that the HarpMaster with
> it's copper reeds is more durable than the BluesMaster with 
> it's bronze phosphor reeds.  I've blown a BluesMaster flat, 
> and not put a dent in a HarpMaster.

Sounds very promising

> I haven't played the Delta Frost much at all, so who knows.

I did and what I wrote was my (subjective) impression.

> The real purpose of this post is to
> defend Bushman.  I'm surprised that I'm the first one to do 
> so. Defending someone against posts that could conceivably 
> be construed as negative seems to be the norm here.

Unnecessary, I play their harmonicas too.

> The implication is that the Bushman products are the same as
> Seydel and Suzuki seems to be derogatory.

Why? LO never made a secret about his cooperation with Tombo.
I was just curious about what was behind the story. Since the
place where I normally bought my DFs ceased to sell them
I got curious. Only then I discovered the HarpOnline review
http://www.harponline.de/index.php?page=specials/bushman/specials111_delta_0
1&lang_id=en_GB&
And they do sell both brands! Why does this have to be a secret?

I was responding to a post a few weeks ago, when somebody
on Harp-L complained that DF deliveries were so much
delayed these days. And I pointed out that there probably
is an alternative and promised I would get back on the list
with my results. Thus I bought the two Suzukis to compare
them with my DF.

> The implication is being made by a Suzuki representative
> no less.  The proper response by Bushman should probably
> be to stop "remarketing" and "reselling" Suzuki harmonicas with the 
> Bushman name on it, or demand a lower price since Bushman is just a 
> remarketer and reseller.

Bushman is a reseller. They live from marketing and
re-selling. The customer is paying the price if he/she thinks
it is worth the product. Suzuki builds and sells more
harmonicas due to Bushman. What is wrong with that?

> It wouldn't be that much of a sacrifice.  I really don't
> think the Bushman Delta Frosts, made to order by Suzuki, are 
> much of an improvement over the Harpmaster, although I have 
> no intention of purchasing another one of either.

Just a few lines before you called my implications being 'derogatory' ...

> The parts are not interchangeable between the Delta Frost and the Suzuki 
> models, even if they  are identical in many other respects.

Did you try? How do you know? Please share your knowledge with us!


Regards,

Tom (Berne)