[Harp-L] Re: Second Reed Failure on Suzuki Firebreath - Offlist

[Ken Deifik <kenneth.d@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> In a way I guess Richard's
> post is a back-handed compliment, as reed failure seems noteworthy in
> this case because it's a relative rarity with Suzukis. But the improved
> overblow performance of the Firebreath reeds shouldn't be gained at the
> expense of reed life, and I'll pass on his comments to the factory.

Brendan,
I have every desire that Suzuki continue to make Fire Breaths, as I love 
mine and will continue to buy them and use them.

Your 15 year history with their instruments is a serious reassurance, as is 
Os Leguizamo's wonderfully responsive approach to customer service.

However, while the relative rarity of reed failures on most Suzuki products 
can be backed by your long experience with their harmonicas, you may not 
have gotten the information Os gave to me about the Fire Breath.  When I 
called to tell him what happened he already knew which reed had failed 
because there was a known problem with that reed on the Fire Breath and 
that they were working on seeing to it that whatever was causing this 
problem was fixed at the design level.  (He may have even said that they 
have fixed it.)  I will be bringing backup harps into the studio for 
insurance from now on, just in case it hasn't been fixed yet, but producers 
are noticing how sweet the FB's sound, so I'll be using them when 
possible.  (I also love the increased vocabulary I get from the instrument, 
and the sense that whatever I reach for will be achieved - not common in 
most harps in my experience.)

I LOVE that Os was so out front about the problem.  If I wasn't a loyal 
customer before that moment, that made me one.  More companies of all sorts 
should realize that they can and should be out front about such things.

Best regards,
Ken Deifik