[Harp-L] (no subject)

["Tom Halchak" <thalchak@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I am rapidly approaching the one year anniversary of my subscription to
harp-l (Sept. 9th).  I'm not sure if I should praise you guys or curse you.
It is safe to say that I have learned more about the harmonica in the past
year than I did in my previous 36 years of playing combined.  For that I am
deeply grateful to all.  The problem is that sometimes when I read my harp-l
emails and then follow the multitude of links to youtube or myspace or where
ever, I get too distracted to get any work done!  I need an intervention!

 

But to get to my point, here is my question today.

 

I have been a Golden Melody guy forever -  with a few Special 20's mixed in.
However, last December after reading a zillion harp-l posts, I decided to
try some new harps.  From our good friends at Coast2Coast Music, I ordered 3
harps that are all a little more expensive than Golden Melodies:  A Marine
Band Deluxe, a Seydel Blues Favorite Standard and a Suzuki Promaster.
Unfortunately, I have experienced problems with all three of these harps.
First I had a reed go dead on the Suzuki.  I sent it back to the service
center and it was repaired at no charge.  Then the same thing happened to
the Marine Band Deluxe.  It was sent back to Hohner and repaired under
warrantee.  Now, the Seydel has a dead reed and I'll soon be sending that
off for repair.  While I am pleased that each company has stood behind its
product, I am mystified by how poorly these harps have held up.

 

In anticipation of your responses, here is a little more information.  I am
an amateur.  I play the harp perhaps a half hour to an hour a day - max.
Most of my harp playing happens in two places - in my car while I drive, and
at night while I walk my dogs (the neighbors love it).  I own about 40 harps
- mostly diatonic with a couple of chromatics and tremolos mixed in.  I play
them all.  The point is, at a half hour to an hour a day, spread out over 40
different harps, I ain't puttin' a lot of mileage on these babies.  

 

Some of my Golden Melodies are 20 years old.  They still play perfectly.  No
problems with fatigue.  Still in tune.  

 

So what gives?

 

Is it me?  Or have I just been unlucky?  I am perfectly willing to invest
more money to get higher quality harps,  but I'm at a loss on which way to
go.  The three harps I got in December were purchased with the thought in
mind of going through the process of elimination to identify which harps I
would continue adding to my collection.  But so far I am a bit disappointed
with the results of my little experiment.

 

I'm open to suggestion.  Anybody have any good ones?

 

Thanks,

 

Tom Halchak

Clearwater, FL

 

 





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