Re: [Harp-L] Re: Review of the Beta-Harp

["Sam Jones" <samjones@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Custom Beta-harp upgrade review

 

I'd like to share my Beta-harp experience, as I've been playing them almost
exclusively for nearly 4 years. I'd consider myself an upper-intermediate
player who practises a lot and still has a way to go.

 

In 2008 I ordered my first two Beta-harps to try them out. In comparison to
the various harp models I'd played before (including some other custom
harps) I found that the tuning and playability of the Beta-harps was better
than any harp I'd played before - what really impressed me was how perfectly
the chords and octaves were tuned. I had the X-treme models, and all
overblows and overdraws were available. In 2009 I bought five more
Beta-harps and I played those 7 harps constantly for the next 3-4 years.

 

In 2012 I ordered a new Beta-harp, and when it arrived I noticed that it was
even better (louder and more responsive) than my original 7 harps when they
were new. Over the years Ben had raised the bar again by developing new ways
to set up the harp and using new tools. So I asked him to give my original 7
harps a checking over and bring them up to his latest standards, which he
did at no charge and they came back sounding better than ever!

 

I have had less than a handful of reeds go flat over three years (I play my
harps constantly / daily), all repairs and retunings have been carried out
well within Ben's 3 week turnaround target, and all at no cost, even if I
blow a reed flat over 3 years after buying the harp. All questions and
queries over the years have been answered fully and promptly.

 

I find the value for money of Beta-harps excellent - when you buy one you
have a top-quality instrument for life, with retunings, repairs and the
benefit of future innovations all at no extra cost for years afterwards, so
although the initial cost was higher than I would have paid for other harps,
when I look back at how much money I've spent on harps over the last 4 years
I'm sure it's a lot less than many players who have to replace their harps
or have them repaired at their own expense.

 

A few weeks ago I ordered a pair of the new beta-Harp cover plates and a
corian comb just to try them out. I found the cover plates to be a little
"slidier" than the original Seydel cover plates, and as every increase in
"slidiness" helps I now have them on all my harps.

 

The real surprise for me was the effect of the 5mm corian comb. First I
tried it on my low D harp, which became noticeably more responsive and
needed less air to play. I found the new comb made some Irish Em tunes
possible for me on the Low D that I had previously only been able to play on
my normal D, because for the faster tunes the low D used to need too much
air and the reeds took too long to respond.

 

I then switched the new comb and cover plates to my normal D harp, and found
that the combination of increased slidiness and more importantly needing
less air made a big difference when playing eg a fast jig 3x round for 2
minutes without many chances of a break to breathe, and decided it was
really worth upgrading all my harps to the new combs. When I play the same
tunes I've been playing for over a year on my upgraded harp I really notice
the difference, for example I can now play Swallowtail jig 5x round and
still be quite relaxed and have enough air for a big wailing finish, whereas
before I was fairly breathless after 3x round.

 

I've also found that the blues sounds better with the corian combs. The
notes sound clearer and brighter, so for example I now find it easier to
imitate the sound of a John Lee Williamson turnaround where he plays 1-hole
draw brightly, but my harps haven't lost the ability to get a big fat tone
(holding a full 2-hole draw bend sounds at least as good as it did before,
except that I don't fill up with so much air and is a little clearer). In my
very subjective opinion I suspect that the corian comb will make it easier
for a Seydel 1847 to imitate the tone of some of the old masters (sonny
Terry, John Lee Williamson) who sometimes played brightly on their Hohners,
if that's what you want to do.

 

At band practise other band members have noticed the difference the corian
combs make and without me soliciting comments have said that my notes sound
clearer and my playing generally sounds better. So I am happy to thoroughly
recommend Ben's Beta-harps to any level of player, over the last 4 years I
have always found the quality of his harps and his service to be
outstanding.

 

Sam Jones