[Harp-L] Re: Harp-L Digest, Vol 72, Issue 77
Oh no not this annoying 'issue' again. Let me firstly say I am not generally a 'whinger', I however expect products to be functional when purchased be it harps, amps or mics.* [I have exchanged emails before with Steve Baker obviously it's a drag after a while! he's a very amiable decent guy]...however I just purchased three Hohner Special 20 keys A,C,D which quite frankly I wanted to return before I'd left the mall carpark. They ALL have a whisppy, slow reaction and they need to be 'sucked extra hard' when I play to get the response and volume my last batch had. (Obviously I compared them).This is not imagination amigo's... I'm fully sick of this! It seems to smack quality control are they getting just too hungry for the dollar? I am a professional player over here [even if you guys havn't heard my music I've won awards in the Hohner Golden Harmonica Championships '06,'07,'8. In fact I play similarly to Steve Baker [who I must say makes great products eg: Play-alongs and CD's]!
At $55 a harmonica I expect the darn things to be of professional quality. I don't care about the excuses of modern industrial manufacture it's a major frustration to buy inferior instruments. My last batch of Marine Band Deluxe had problems out of the box sticking in performance [some still do]. I'm using a blend of Lawrie Minson 'tweaked' Spec. 20's with Stainless Steel Cover Plates, Special 20's and the Deluxe.Possibly it's because I'm often doing full 4 hour shows but still to get these 'lemons' out of the box and find it's not up to scratch is a another corporate 'rip-off' in my opinion and $55 AUD is not cheap. One really begins to desire the 'hot-rodded' models [I don't have the time to fiddle around in the shed], the only thing I wonder is if they are long lasting instruments with any warrenty for your dollar? When I began playing and in the 70's I'd be lucky to meet a blues harmonica player every 5 years. Obviously, there are millions of enthusiasts these days. Avid hobbiests, up and coming players and many more living the dream. One wonders if since the demand has risen the quality has diminished and greed flourished [we only have one Hohner distributor over here].. In my collection [and buckets of used harps and parts] I have years of various harmonicas. Some diatonics are still kicking along pretty well including early Seydel. They were made with so much more care it seems? I like the You Tube posts from Elk River harps it's very inspiring stuff from Dave. Hopefully one of these days I'll sit down and get into it myself but for now I'm open for suggestion on this 'quality' issue because I'm frankly over Hohner products at present and don't know who to trust anymore?
----- Original Message -----
From: <harp-l-request@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, September 01, 2009 8:40 AM
Subject: Harp-L Digest, Vol 72, Issue 77
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Today's Topics:
1. Harmonetta (Ben Hewlett)
2. pittsburgh blues (eric hyde)
3. Marine Band's - Heresy, etc. (Bill Kumpe)
4. Hohner (Steve Baker)
5. Re: Marine Band's - Heresy, etc. (Seth Galitzer)
6. Re: Does anybody actually sell Harmonettas anymore?
(Winslow Yerxa)
7. Who is this player? (robert mcgraw)
8. Intermediate Jazz Improvisation (robert mcgraw)
9. Harmonetta for Sale (Eric Nielsen)
10. Harmonetta (Jonathan Ross)
11. Re: re: lee oskars (icemanle@xxxxxxx)
12. Re: Who is this player? (slim@xxxxxxxxxx)
13. Lee Oskars (John F. Potts)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 2009 21:41:37 +0100
From: Ben Hewlett <ben@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] Harmonetta
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Message-ID: <C10ADB2F-BA7F-4D65-9625-CA4D2852BB97@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed; delsp=yes
Doug, the best person I am aware of that you could talk to about the
Harmonetta is Jouko Kyhälä from Svang.
He uses it as his main professional gigging instrument and has three
of them.
He works on maintaining them all the time and I imagine would have a
very high level of understanding on the subject.
There are loads of youtube videos if you want to see some action;
search for Svang - and yes, you are right, they are SOME quartet!
Ben
>>>>
>>>> ..........................................
>>>> Ben Hewlett CTABRSM
>>>> +44 (0)117 908 3838
>>>> +44 (0)7973 284 366
>>>> ben@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>> ..........................................
>>>>
>>>> www.HarmonicaWorld.net Listen to our CD/Books
>>>> www.HarpsCool.co.uk School Teaching (coming
>>>> soon)
>>>> www.youtube.com/PaulLennonUK Tutorial Videos
>>>> www.youtube.com/BenHewlettUK Harmonica videos
>>>> www.BluesJamFactory.com Corporate Team Building
>>>> myworld.ebay.co.uk/sonnyboysmusicstore - Ebay shop
>>>> .........................................
>>
>>
>>
>>
On 31 Aug 2009, at 03:55, harp-l-request@xxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> Message: 5
> Date: Sun, 30 Aug 2009 21:31:59 -0600
> From: "Doug" <mr4chnt@xxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: [Harp-L] harmonetta
> To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Message-ID: <F79D1EA5625F485FA7BF1E2464A616F0@velocity007>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
> I don't think I've seen an actual harmonetta (except maybe in a
> store window 35-40 yrs ago) and I sure don't know anybody who plays
> one. It looks like it would take a lot of wind but it also looks
> like it is 'truly' chromatic in both chords and melody. (?)
>
> Anybody here play one or own one?
>
> Doug H
>
> Here are a few links:
>
> Some quartet - halfway through they pick it up a bit.
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agYGuaQ904E
> Chatanooga Choo choo.
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAMr3s5GB6s&NR=1
> Harmonetta disassembled to musical accompaniment.
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z94YwSM7MWQ&feature=related
------------------------------
Message: 2
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:41:40 -0400
From: eric hyde <eharphyde@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] pittsburgh blues
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Message-ID: <3D61D4E0-2F9B-42B7-9914-E70612DC55EC@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed
i am going to be in mckees rocks area this weekend.
is there any live blues to be had?
------------------------------
Message: 3
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:15:58 -0500
From: "Bill Kumpe" <bkumpe@xxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] Marine Band's - Heresy, etc.
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Message-ID: <6521C8E9367446739FCD530E6C2933CC@BKALPC>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
For the record, I own more Hohner harps than any other brand. I've never
said a bad word about Marine Bands since I have never owned one. Since I am
a relative newcomer to the instrument, after hearing what was said about
Marine Bands on this board, among other places, I never seriously considered
investing in them. Over the past few months, I have listened to a running
dialogue on this list that borders on the compulsive about how to fix
various problems with Marine Bands and constant questions about Marine Band
quality.
What I was hoping for with my post was serious explanation of Marine Band
benefits that would justify the harps cult status. Things like richer tone,
easier bend, better projection, longer life, etc. I didn't hear that. What
I heard were mostly history lessons and how much better MB's are now than in
the bad old days. The most rational comment about MB design I have heard in
the past several days came from Brendan Power in his video introducing the
Suzuki Manji. He explained that the MB style vented cover plates on the
Manji allow the player to hear the reed action and their own playing better.
That was the kind of info I am hoping for.
Bill Kumpe
Tulsa, OK
------------------------------
Message: 4
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 2009 23:25:09 +0200
From: Steve Baker <steve@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] Hohner
To: pneupco2@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cc: Harp-L <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Message-ID: <A6F32CCC-9DDB-4CD1-BF0B-D81FBF04F020@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed
Paul N. wrote:
<Does the Hohner family still own the Hohner Co.? If not, why did
they sell out and to whom did they sell to?>
No, they no longer own it and there have been no Hohners at Hohner
for over 20 years. Due to the fact that the Hohner family basically
ruined the company through poorly judged investments and an allegedly
luxurious lifestyle, they were forced out under the threat of
imminent bankruptcy in the mid 1980s. I never met any of them and
I've worked for Hohner since 1985. At that point the Deutsche Bank
took charge and appointed ever-changing new mangements for about 15
years with varying degrees of success. In the early 2000s the
Taiwanese company KHS (a major player in the international musical
instrument business) bought the majority of the shares. Now the
company is once again on a stable footing and is still run from its
traditional headquarters in Trossingen, Germany (where the World
Harmonica Festival will take place for the 6th time since 1989 in
only a few weeks),
Steve Baker
www.stevebaker.de
www.bluesculture.com
------------------------------
Message: 5
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:42:47 -0500
From: Seth Galitzer <sethgali@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Marine Band's - Heresy, etc.
To: Bill Kumpe <bkumpe@xxxxxxx>
Cc: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Message-ID: <4A9C43D7.6000909@xxxxxxxxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Rational discussion on a mailing list on the Internets? Inconceivable! :)
Being a relative neophyte, myself, I can't help but think the loyalty
comes mostly from nostalgia. "MB was good enough for <insert personal
favorite classic harp player here>, it's good enough for me!" It seems
that any harmonica can be tinkered with to suit the needs of the player,
the main difference is in the materials you start with. Some are better
out of the box and some are worse, just like some pianos are built
better than others. Just remember how much less you spent on your
harmonica than your piano and how much easier it is to tweak it.
Personally, I find Special 20s to fit my current needs just fine. I
also like my Suzuki Promaster (and my Bushman DF, and my LO...). I'll
probably get a Manji to try out, once they're available. I guess you
could say I like keeping my options open. Options are good, and I'll go
with whatever is the best available to me (at my price point) at the time.
Seth
Bill Kumpe wrote:
> For the record, I own more Hohner harps than any other brand. I've never
> said a bad word about Marine Bands since I have never owned one. Since I am
> a relative newcomer to the instrument, after hearing what was said about
> Marine Bands on this board, among other places, I never seriously considered
> investing in them. Over the past few months, I have listened to a running
> dialogue on this list that borders on the compulsive about how to fix
> various problems with Marine Bands and constant questions about Marine Band
> quality.
>
> What I was hoping for with my post was serious explanation of Marine Band
> benefits that would justify the harps cult status. Things like richer tone,
> easier bend, better projection, longer life, etc. I didn't hear that. What
> I heard were mostly history lessons and how much better MB's are now than in
> the bad old days. The most rational comment about MB design I have heard in
> the past several days came from Brendan Power in his video introducing the
> Suzuki Manji. He explained that the MB style vented cover plates on the
> Manji allow the player to hear the reed action and their own playing better.
> That was the kind of info I am hoping for.
>
> Bill Kumpe
> Tulsa, OK
>
------------------------------
Message: 6
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 2009 15:06:07 -0700 (PDT)
From: Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Does anybody actually sell Harmonettas anymore?
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Message-ID: <553227.81163.qm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
Harmonettas have not been manufactured for several decades; I'm not sure just when Hohner stopped making them. They're a great idea but never quite caught on, perhaps because the chord harmonica was so well established.
You can find them from time to time being sold both privately and at auction. For several years John Infande in Florida was the main guy refurbishing them; I'm not sure whether he's still active.
Winslow
Winslow Yerxa
Author, Harmonica For Dummies ISBN 978-0-470-33729-5
--- On Mon, 8/31/09, Ken Deifik <kenneth.d@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
From: Ken Deifik <kenneth.d@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] Does anybody actually sell Harmonettas anymore?
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Date: Monday, August 31, 2009, 1:09 PM
Does anybody actually sell Harmonettas anymore? Are they even made?
Ken
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------------------------------
Message: 7
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 2009 18:23:05 -0400
From: robert mcgraw <harpbob@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] Who is this player?
To: harp-l harp-l <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Message-ID: <BAY144-W16EBEFF6D3BB39F036150ABF20@xxxxxxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Nice version of "Days of Wind and Roses"...anybody know who this guy is?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjk1ucvoWyE&feature=related
WVa Bob
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------------------------------
Message: 8
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 2009 18:36:50 -0400
From: robert mcgraw <harpbob@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] Intermediate Jazz Improvisation
To: harp-l harp-l <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Message-ID: <BAY144-W5ABC00DC1C03829912AFEABF20@xxxxxxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
While we're on the subject of the Aebersold materials, especially the ii/V/I Volume 3 stuff, I though i might add that I've been working lately with a book I got from Aerbersold called "Intermediate Jazz Improvisation" by George Bouchard...very helpful, and in fact I'm on chapter 5 right now, which deals with melodic connecting and the major cadence, which is another way of talking about the ii/V/I. Very good book, well-written, go at your own pace...the first 8 chapters deal with various aspects of jazz improv and offer exercises...then the rest of the book contains "essays" on how to approach various tunes that i guess every intermediate jazz player either struggles with, knows, is learning or planning to learn. Highly recommended!!
WVa Bob
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------------------------------
Message: 9
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 2009 18:44:03 -0400
From: Eric Nielsen <ericbarnak@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] Harmonetta for Sale
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Message-ID:
<2067885d0908311544l2d0be8a2i5f2c3d5a870a064d@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Synchronicity:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Hohner-Harmonetta-Harmonica-w-Case-Instructions-Rare_W0QQitemZ230372874820QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item35a34b1a44&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14
I have no link to this item other than the above.
Eric
------------------------------
Message: 10
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 2009 18:54:55 -0400
From: Jonathan Ross <jross38@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] Harmonetta
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Message-ID: <0941F72D-AA1B-475B-AC9C-0A24C80E572C@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed
Winslow writes:
"Each button plays a single octave-tuned note (i.e., each note is
actually played by two reeds tuned an octave apart)."
This is incorrect. When you press a button, say C, you open the
holes for all the Cs on the instrument, in all octaves. Thus,
pushing down the buttons for a specific chord allows you to play all
the notes of that chord available on the instrument (making arpeggios
very easy, for instance) and you select what specific notes by where
you put your mouth--which octave, what inversion, etc... The concept
is somewhat similar (though significantly more flexible) to an
autoharp--the buttons select groupings of notes rather than a
singular note (in this case grouped by octaves). Further, the reeds
are not grouped into octave pairs--each set of identically pitched
blow/draw reeds sits in a single cell.
It is a very different experience to playing a traditional chord-
harmonica or any other harmonica really--far less of a visceral
response, much more distant feeling (akin to the melodica, but not as
removed). Frankly, I'm not sure how to properly classify a
Harmonetta. It could be seen as a very complex form of harmonica, or
it could be classified more with blow accordions and Wheatstone's
Symphonium. It's an odd beast, and rather hard to describe without
good pictures. In any event it's just awesome, like a harmonica and
a typewriter thrown in a blender.
JR Ross
------------------------------
Message: 11
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 2009 19:03:31 -0400
From: icemanle@xxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] re: lee oskars
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Message-ID: <8CBF8A664E221DE-204C-1F174@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Is it possible that the brand is a reflection of the philosophy on how the Owner/artist plays the instrument?
I've never heard Lee go for that fat chicago sound. His approach was always lighter, a bit of treble, and playing the notes.
-----Original Message-----
From: jim.alciere@xxxxxxxxx
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Mon, Aug 31, 2009 10:00 am
Subject: [Harp-L] re: lee oskars
Lee Oskars are tuned differently than Marine Bands.They're also kind of
bright. When I listen back to recordings I've made, the harp seems a little
trebly compared to old blues recordings. I believe the fault lies with the
player rather than the instrument (playing too hard). Bright is nice for
single note runs--cuts through the mix.With a tight cup, a bullet mic, and a
tube amp I can get a good rock and roll sound. I use Lee Oskars because they
last longer-. Thirty bucks is real money and I can't afford to buy three or
four harps every six months..
I don't do anything to my harps. I had a hard time just replacing the reed
plate. Found it to be a pain in the butt so I just buy new harps.
I find Lee Oskars to be substantially louder than Marine Bands.
--
Rainbow Jimmy
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1372404/dhoozh_chapter_1.html
http://www.myspace.com/theelectricstarlightspaceanimals
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------------------------------
Message: 12
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:10:57 -0700 (PDT)
From: slim@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Who is this player?
To: "robert mcgraw" <harpbob@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: harp-l harp-l <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Message-ID:
<b54df95dc64495dc5bc985157cc2d1ec.squirrel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Content-Type: text/plain;charset=iso-8859-15
Hi Bob -
He is apparently a bass player named Stefano Olivato (if you look at the
youtube channel of the person who posted the Days of Wine and Roses clip,
you can see other harmonica clips by the same guy, and "stefano olivato"
is always in the keywords). Here's Stefano's home page. I don't speak
Italian, but he is apparently a talented harmonicist in addition to being
a bass player:
http://www.stefanoolivato.com
He also has a myspace page:
http://www.myspace.com/stefanoolivato
- Slim.
www.SlideManSlim.com
www.JazzHarmonicaSummit.com
>
> Nice version of "Days of Wind and Roses"...anybody know who this guy is?
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjk1ucvoWyE&feature=related
>
>
>
> WVa Bob
------------------------------
Message: 13
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 2009 19:47:32 -0400
From: "John F. Potts" <hvyj@xxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] Lee Oskars
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Message-ID: <6CC585E1-1E69-44D4-8D3B-46ADC789C515@xxxxxxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed
Lee Oskars are high compression (air tight), responsive, very durable
(long lasting) harps. I also happen to prefer equal temperament
which is how they are tuned. I don't play LOs, though, because their
tone is way too bright for my taste. But, IMHO, they are
unquestionably well designed and well made.
JP
------------------------------
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End of Harp-L Digest, Vol 72, Issue 77
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