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

[Ben Bouman <fitgo@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Hetrick is making these 5mm combs exclusevily for beta-harps and I can only say that I'm very, very happy to have these combs!!

Matthew, check your mailbox in the coming weeks.....   :-))


Ben Bouman
www.customharmonicashop.nl
www.harmonicainstituut.nl
www.marble-amps.com

Op 19 okt 2012, om 14:31 heeft Matthew Smart het volgende geschreven:

> Ben is a great customizer and we are pleased to be his provider of Corian combs! 
> 
> Ben where is my beta harp? Ha ha kidding.
> 
> Matthew
> 
> Www.hetrickharmonica.com
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
> On Oct 19, 2012, at 7:26 AM, "Sam Jones" <samjones@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> 
>> 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
>> 
>