Re: [Harp-L] B radical

[Tom Albanese <reedwrecker@xxxxxxxxx>]

There've been several miscellaneous posts over the last 6-8 months re the
B-Radical. As PaulN points out below, there haven't been many testimonials
about how the actual instrument performs in the opinions of it's relatively
few owners. I hope the following helps in that regard. I own a Bb that I've
had in my hands for long enough to have formed my own opinion. All
frustration with HH as a business aside, (and I totally get the frustration)
I am a believer that this is a fine musical instrument made by caring,
dedicated people. Like many of you I've been playing diatonic harmonica for
a long, long time and have played hundreds of different harps, several
different models and makers, including plenty of custom harps. Without
belaboring that point I can say that the B-rad is like no other harp I've
ever played. That is not to say it's necessarily "the best" of the lot but
there's no doubt that it's the most unique. First of all the form factor, if
not a total departure from tradition, is certainly different enough to make
you take note. It has the most ergonomic hand feel I've ever experienced -
super comfortable to hold. The cover plates and mouthpiece as a whole
are also ergonomically pleasing and very smooth feeling. I had a little
learning curve actually adjusting my embouchure to play at the level that I
expect from myself and I'm not sure why that is, since I think the spacing
and dimensions are quite close to traditional, but that's a small
quibble. Reed response is crisp, smooth and easy across the spectrum and the
overall tone to my ears as I play is highly satisfying, if not the best I've
ever experienced. All bends are easily facilitated and OBs crisp and
accessible. Amplified, I found the tone to be a little less full than I like
but that may be due to my own playing style and my relatively short time
playing an instrument that I consider to be significantly different from any
other diatonic harmonica I've ever played. It may also be due to the way the
reeds are milled, chamber size, cover plates, whatever. God knows it's not
the comb material. ~:o)

Back briefly to HH as a business unit. I'm pretty sure they've faced a
stiffer reality in practice than their original business model may have
indicated to them in theory. Extensive and exhaustive R&D rendered a high
quality production model, followed by lots of hype without perhaps fully
thinking through what initial success in terms of advance orders might do to
their ability to manage customer expectations. I think that they're aware of
that predicament and I sincerely hope that it's something that they get a
handle on sooner rather than later.

All of this is neither an endorsement nor lack thereof. Just one unsolicited
opinion - mine.

Respectfully,

tom albanese




On Sun, Sep 5, 2010 at 3:02 PM, <pneupco2@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> When I first posted my question, I expected a fair sized response. So far
> one person referred  me to a Harponline  review of a new one and one person
> who has one in 'A' and only said that it was 'great'.
>
> It sounds like the B Radical is being damned with faint - or in this case
> an absence - of praise. Please, prove me wrong! How have these things held
> up under a few months of heavy use?
>
> In case you're wondering, I've been waiting for over a year for one in 'G'.
> It'll probably be several more months before I get it. Fortunately, I'm
> patient.
>
> Regards
> PaulN
> Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
>