Re: [Harp-L] Seydel vs. OTC harps

[Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

The Seydel Blues Soloist Pro in Db that I bought at SPAH is an okay 
harp, not a mind-blower.  It's not enough better (if any) than a Lee 
Oskar to make it worth the price difference, in my opinion.

The Seydel 1847 that I bought at SPAH is amazing for a mass manufactured 
instrument.  It's the loudest and most responsive G harp I ever owned. 
     I purposely bought a G because it seems to me that problems with 
harp designs tend to show up strongly in the lower keyed instruments 
(and not coincidentally, I never seem to be confident in my G harps). 
This thing barks as hard or harder in the low end as any harmonica I've 
ever owned.  It sells for $80, but I can certainly tell the difference 
between it and a $25, $35, or $50 harp.

Both these impressions are based on a single instrument, and therefore 
are not statistically valid.  So try for yourself.  But I'd spend the 
$80 and get the 1847 first, because it makes a useful yardstick for 
everything else.

On the other side of the price divide, the $16 Suzuki Harpmaster in A 
that I bought at SPAH is a responsive harp with a decent, big tone, and 
it's holding up pretty well under prolonged playing.  Its only apparent 
weakness is that it doesn't overblow very well, certainly not as well as 
my Lee Oskars.  Otherwise, I wouldn't hesitate to take it to a gig.

Regards, Richard Hunter
hunterharp.com
Latest mp3s always at http://broadjam.com/rhunter