[Harp-L] Diminished-Tuned Harp Advice?

[Mojo Red <harplicks@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi gang,

After reading Brendan Power's great article on dimisnished tuned diatonic harps the other day, I decided I wanted to get one to fool around with. Brendan's article showed a 12-hole dimisnished tuning pattern as his example, and I thought that would be a great way for me to start as the larger harp offers a bit more range.

Anyway, I decided to get one from Seydel, since I know they offer custom-tuned harps, and so I dug out some old gig money (the Xmas money is gone) and am planning to order myself a dimisnished tuned Blues Solist Pro 12 from Seydel. Fine. 

Well, now I need to decide which key to get. I immediately thought of the key of C, since it's so "central" to music, but C harps can get a little squeaky in the second and third octaves, and since the point of the diminished harp is that it allows you to play (relatively easily) in any key, I thought maybe a lower key would be better... say a G harp. (I love the tonal range of the G harp), and spend a lot of time playing on G diatonic harps. I'm planning to get a little bit jazzier in my playing with this harp.

Can any of you guys who work with diminished tuned harps offer me advice on which might be the best key to get? 

Thanks!

Harpin' in Colorado,
--Ken M.