Re: [Harp-L] Marine Band 365

[todd allen <soundguyaudition@xxxxxxxxx>]

Thanks for all the input. Just ordered the 364 in C - For Can't wait to get 
it!!! 

$43. at Musician's Friend
Todd

________________________________
From: Michelle LeFree <mlefree@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Wed, October 13, 2010 2:48:45 PM
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Marine Band 365

todd allen asks:
> Does any one here have anything good to say about the Marine Band 365 / 364 /
> SBS or Soloist type Harps 12 and or 14 hole Diatonic. Thinking of getting one.
> looks like Hohner has recently updated there website since I was there last.
> Very nice.
> Todd

Todd, you've had several good replies. I'm a big fan of these "extended" 
diatonics, so here's my "short" version:

The Hohner harps are all built on the same thick comb as described by others. 
The thickness doesn't bother me at all, but it's very easy for me to adapt to 
harps with different hole sizes/spacings. Whay's more troublesome for me is 
their length. Unless you have hands like an Orangutan, you can't cup even the 
12-holers. I have to partially cup them like a chromatic. Still, their size and 
comb thickness account for their increased loudness and rich tone, which they 
definitely have in abundance. I especially love the low tuning of some of the 
models; they aren't all tuned that way though and the ones that aren't are 
difficult for me to deal with. That's because even with the low-tuned models, 
the upper holes, especially with the 14-holers are nigh on to useless to me 
because they are so squeaky-high.

As to the 364/365 versus the SBS, it matters what style of music you play and 
what embouchure you like to play with. I say that because the stock 364/365 are 
~made~ to tongue block. There are amazing chords and splits all up and down 
those harps. It's amazing what hymns and gospel tunes sound like played that way 
with these harps -- almost organ-like. For me, though, it is very difficult to 
transition to playing melodies with them, although I'm sure I could do it with 
some diligence. I just don't bother with that because of the SBS tuning.

Someone who replied said they didn't "get" the SBS tuning. It's not complicated. 
The first 3 holes are just like a "low-tuned" model in the same key. Holes 4-13 
are just like a regular 10-hole diatonic  and hole 14 is sort of "tacked on" 
because the SBS is built on a 365 frame (hmm... sounds like a good name for a 
blues  ;). The benefits of this tuning are manifold. One is that you still  have 
nice chords and splits all the way up and down the harp. But, the key benefit 
for me is that you have that 4th octave on the low end at your disposal. I like 
to use that additional octave to add another dimension to my playing, e.g., 
soloing low and then moving up the harp echoing that same solo in higher 
octaves. The SBS models are, for me, easier to deal with in terms of melody 
playing than the 364/365s because they are layed out in a way more familiar to 
me. With any of these Hohners, sealing the comb (or adding one of Chris 
Reynolds' cool Diamondwood replacement combs) and replacing the nails with 
screws makes for a vastly superior instrument.

But, stop the presses! Enter the Seydel 12-hole Soloist Pro harps. IMO, they are 
far more player-friendly than the Hohner SBS models. They are tuned the same way 
as the lower 12 holes of the SBSs, they have a very nice lip-friendly sealed 
wood comb, they are held together with screws instead of nails and they sport 
some very slippery stainless steel cover plates. The fact that they also do away 
with those upper two holes makes them far easier to cup. They have a very cool 
tone, too, especially on that low end, and unlike almost any other OOTB harp I 
have ever bought, I haven't felt the need to reset the reeds. What's not to 
like? They are cheaper than an SBS, too. I picked one up at SPAH in Minneapolis 
and haven't put it down yet. Several other keys will be my next harp purchase.

I hope that helps you decide, Todd. Really you can't go too far wrong with any 
of these fine instruments. Recall that Rice Miller played these babies a lot, 
including on the amazing "Bye Bye Bird" (that low-C ~kills~).

Now I never leave home without my low-C 12-hole Seydel Blues Soloist Pro!

Michelle