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

[Mike Fugazzi <mikefugazzi@xxxxxxxxx>]

I agree with Elizabeth's assessment of the SUB30.  I was able to get one 
pre-SPAH and then do some work on it with Brendan.  The versions he had - 
which were an early prototype and a Promaster(?)  were exceptional Richter 
harmonicas.  They played amazingly well.  The SUB30 is much breathier and 
was more prone to noise out of the box.  While at SPAH, I was able to 
emboss the the slots and then go through the profiles with Brendan.   It 
plays better, but would need a substantial amount of work to reach the same 
playability of his harps.

It can be done, but you might reach a point of diminishing returns at some 
point...like customizing a B-Rad.  If you are paying $185 for the harp and 
then having to take the time to tweak it (or get it customized), is it 
worth it?  As a straight Richter harp, it doesn't play as well as harps at 
a lower price point.  Compared to a similarly priced custom overbend harp 
(which gives you more asthetic options, tuning options, and model options), 
you'll have a better Richter harp and the ability to hit the same "extra" 
notes if you learn the technique (which isn't that hard if you are 
 proficient bender and have a good harp to use).

I love the idea of this harmonica and thing there is definitely a niche for 
it.  I think the quality of the harps Brendan had is fantastic.  The 
question them becomes - do you spend the same amount of time and money on a 
SUB30 or an overbend harmonica?  You could also go the valve route.  My 
initial reaction was this could be a valve-killer, but I don't think this 
will be the case, and it is amazing to have so many options.  Of all the 
"new" harp designs, this one is probably the one I wish had existed when I 
first started playing (it is less work for me to overbend at this point).  









On Friday, September 7, 2012 1:40:29 AM UTC-5, Dennis Michael Montgomery 
wrote:
>
>
> ----- Forwarded Message -----
> From: Elizabeth Hess <Track...@xxxxxxxxxxxx <javascript:>>
> To: Dennis Michael Montgomery <gau...@xxxxxxxxx <javascript:>> 
> 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 (gr...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <javascript:>) or Richard Sleigh (
> rrsl...@xxxxxxxxx <javascript:>) 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 
>
>