Fw: [Harp-L] Suzuki Sub30 Ultrabend -- Review

[Dennis Michael Montgomery <gaulay2@xxxxxxxxx>]

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Elizabeth Hess <TrackHarpL@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: Dennis Michael Montgomery <gaulay2@xxxxxxxxx> 
Sent: Thursday, September 6, 2012 7:34 PM
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Suzuki Sub30 Ultrabend -- Review
 
Dear Dennis,

If you are in a big hurry to get the "extra/chromatic" notes from a diatonic harmonica AND are willing to pay someone to customize a Suzuki SUB30 on top of the original purchase price, I think the SUB30 could be a good choice for you.

The problem I have with the SUB30 is that out-of-the-box, the regular notes (those you can get on any standard Richter-tuned harmonica) are rather balky.  This can be improved, and I would recommend either Greg Jones (greg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx) or Richard Sleigh (rrsleigh@xxxxxxxxx) for the work.

The advantages of the SUB30 are that the bends are intuitive and not difficult to get if you can do regular bends, the timbre of the "extra" notes is more like the "regular" bent notes on a Richter-tuned harp than on a valved harp, and the note layout is the same as on the harps you already own.

If you don't play pieces with a lot of chromaticism, I would suggest you try a tuning called the "Melody Maker" by Lee Oskar.

I believe Charlie McCoy uses country-tuned harps at least some of the time, but cannot make this statement with any actual authority.

Brendan Power currently plays a SUB30 with PowerBender tuning.  Any harp with PowerBender tuning would be worth your checking out.  The bends are easy, and only a few of the chromatic notes -- one in the bottom octave and three in the top octave -- are absent without either valving or overblowing.  The middle octave has all the chromatic notes.  The note layout of PowerBender tuning differs from Richter tuning in the upper two octaves, but then, the note layouts across the three octaves of a Richter-tuned harp differ from one another, so what's another couple, eh?  I believe that the adjustment would not be too difficult if one were to make the commitment to stick with it long enough to "get over the hump" initially.

Todd Parrott and Adam Gussow are known as overblow players.  If you want their sound in particular, you might have to make the investment in overblow harps and in learning that technique.  If you just aspire to emulate their note choices and patterns, then any of the alternatives to overblowing should be fine for you.

I am not familiar with the Suzuki Promaster Valved harp, but if it gives you all the notes you want, then why not stick with a good thing?  If the Promaster doesn't give you all the notes, but you like a valved harp, consider trying a PT Gazell valved harp from Seydel.  This gives all the chromatic notes, but with single-reed valved bends which feel -- and sound -- different from the double-reed bends that the SUB30 provides.  You can get Gazell valved harps in either the Session Steel model or the 1847 Silver.  The Session Steel is less expensive, and feels more like a regular harp in terms of the ergonomics.  I prefer the 1847, myself, but it's an appreciably fatter "sandwich" that takes some getting used to.

Alas, as is so often the case, there is no definitive answer.  I hope this helps at least a little.  Feel free to forward this (in whole or in part) to Harp-L so that others might chime in.

Best wishes,
Elizabeth



On Sep 6, 2012, at 7:47 PM, Dennis Michael Montgomery wrote:

> Ms. Hess,
>  
> I've read your review of the Suzuki Ultrabend harp with some interest and have a question.
> Perhaps you can better answer my questions with some information about me.
> First off, I am not a big jazz fan.  To me jazz is too cold with too much intellectual improvisation.  I do like Benny Goodman and even Lawrence Welk. 
> Second, I like bluegrass, blues (mainly, Chicago and country blues), rock-in-roll (50s, 60s, and early 70s), country-western (Jimmie Rodgers, Hank Williams Sr., Marty Robbins, Slim Whitman, and Johnny Cash), classical music, and flamenco (I also love the guitar). 
> Third, my favorite harmonica players are Charlie McCoy, Little Walter, Slim Harpo, Jazz Gilliam, Charles Musclewhite,  Sam Meyers, Brendan Powers, Todd Parrot, and Adam Gussow. 
> Four, my favorite Harmonicas are the Suzuki Promaster Valved and the Suzuki Bluesmasters.  I am developing a fondness the Hohner Crossover and have a liking for the Special 20 and the Bushman Delta Frost.  I have a few Seydels and Lee Oskars and they are okay, but they don't turn me on. 
> Incidentally, just because I like all this music and these musicians doesn't mean I can play it.  It is what I aspire to.
> Now, knowing all this about me would you recommend the Suzuki Ultrabend Sub30 for me?
>  
> 
> Dennis