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

[Mike Fugazzi <mikefugazzi@xxxxxxxxx>]

I've been picking at modding the SUB30 over the last month.  I can say I've 
got it 90% done or so now.  I have not retuned (although doesn't sound far 
off), and the gaps aren't perfect, but I have done extensive modifications 
in line with my regular custom work.  The sympathetic reeds are working 
perfectly for me now.  The harp plays very well as a traditional harp, and 
I've found the sweet spot with the new bends...I did tape off the bottom 
octave, though.

I have Manji cover plates coming this week and will give those a go.  I 
really really like it.  I miss the feel of a Marine Band, and the timbre, 
but for a mellow/dark sounding harp, it is very pleasant.  I am not totally 
in love with the response on holes 1 and 2 even after a lot of effort.  The 
10 blow bend is much better now.

I wouldn't hesitate to play this harp live immediately...it is a great tool 
for BLUES, IMO.  I have been only using it in that context, though.  Now 
that I've sorta done one, I think I could get one up to speed in a couple 
of hours, maybe?  I really nickel and dimed this one - about three hours of 
bench time over a month's time.

Playability is really good now...very satisfied...not like a custom, IMO, 
but a very serviceable harp!  I look forward to finding ways of making it 
more airtight and present.  I will for sure be checking out other keys. 
 Again, a good investment for me as I can tinker with it easily.

On Sunday, September 2, 2012 9:09:48 PM UTC-5, Elizabeth Hess wrote:
>
> I bought a Suzuki Sub30 Ultrabend harp at SPAH.  I might have preferred 
> one in A, but there was only one A to be had, and someone else beat me to 
> it.  So, mine is a C.  Danny G. was selling them; his SPAH price was 
> $185.00. 
>
> Then I attended the seminar presented by Brendan Power and Filip Jers. 
>  Brendan and Filip played beautifully.  I asked what I thought was the 
> obvious question:  "Are those out-of-the-box harps you're playing, or have 
> you worked on them?"  Both had been worked on. 
>
> My initial impression is that the "new" or "extra" notes -- blow bends on 
> the lower six holes and draw bends on the upper four holes -- worked quite 
> well, and the timbre sounded like regular bent notes, which they should, 
> because they use added, "sympathetic" reeds, so the physics should be more 
> or less the same.  And the embouchure technique required is intuitive to 
> anyone who can do regular bending well.  What I didn't like about this 
> harp, out of the box, was that all the regular notes had a "congested" sort 
> of feeling when I tried to play them, and my litmus test, 10 blow bend, 
> both whole- and half-step, barely played at all.  Brendan did some work on 
> my harp later, at the Suzuki booth -- a bit of gapping and some light 
> embossing -- and 10 blow-bend on my Sub30 does work, now.  But the general 
> issue of regular notes not feeling "right" when I play them remains.  (My 
> working harps to date include Hohner Special-20s, Seydel 1847 Silvers, 
> Seydel Blues Sessions, and 1 Lee Os! 
>  kar.)  That the chambers feel "crowded" on the Sub30 makes intuitive 
> sense:  There's an extra reed AND a valve in each one.  Brendan suggested I 
> have it customized, which seems kind of a shame, given what it cost 
> initially.  I am not a high-power tech, but I can do basic and advanced 
> first aid.  I took mine all the way apart and did some gapping work on the 
> lower reeds.  They are better, but still not as satisfying to play as on my 
> regular harps.  Rather a lot of work for smallish return. 
>
> The Sub30 rewards softer, gentler playing than this jam rat is used to.  I 
> do get more satisfying results playing it through a mic and amp -- and 
> letting the gear do some of the heavy lifting -- than just playing it at my 
> desk with Band-in-a-Box.  So, some of my issues with this axe are strictly 
> due to my personal playing style. 
>
> Getting all the chromatic notes on a diatonic harp fluently and well 
> remains an elusive goal.  Overblowing takes embouchure development and 
> finicky tech work.  I own a PT Gazell harp, and spent some time with PT at 
> SPAH getting pointers on how to play it well.  But no-one is going to 
> achieve PT Gazell's tone in an afternoon (or two, or ten).  Or Brendan 
> Power's or Filip Jers  (Sub30), or Carlos del Junco's or Pat Bergeson's or 
> Todd Parrott's (overblows).  It still takes work, no matter which path you 
> choose. 
>
> I think the basic design principle of the Sub30 is brilliant.  That one 
> doesn't have to learn an alternate note layout (as with the Power Bender, 
> which also requires either overblows or valves to get  *all*  the notes) is 
> a big plus.  As manufactured, I think that the Sub30 would be best for 
> someone who plays more soft jazz than muscular blues, who is very 
> comfortable working on gapping, and who hasn't already invested a large 
> amount of time and effort in learning to overblow or play a valved harp 
> well. 
>
> What we all want is "Everything Fred Astaire did, only backwards and in 
> high heels," out of the box, and not too expensive.  The Suzuki Sub30 
> Ultrabend, as currently manufactured, is a decent step in that direction. 
>
> Elizabeth 
>
>
>