[Harp-L] Cheap harps => Huang

["Bart van Strien" <knuppel@xxxxxxxxx>]

Okay, to get back on the earlier subject/question for a second, Huang 
Silvertone's are not as bad as some people say in here. If you want to know 
how it sounds, I recorded this Old-Time tune with a brand new out of the box 
Silvertone: http://youtu.be/-dOzK8ey8E8 (nope, it aint blues ;-))

I think the 'Silvertone' is better than the 'Star Performer'. And although 
they're absolutely not my preferred harp, they're sure handy if you want to 
practice (low/high-)bends, fast riffs or even overblows, over and over and 
over and over again. Maybe I'm not a fast learner and maybe I blow/suck too 
hard, but it hurts so very bad when you blow out an expensive harp, 
aaaaargggghhh :-(
Apart from practizing repetitive stuff they're also handy if you want to get 
into tuning, gapping, embossing, etc. right?

Another advantage, if you been in traffic-jams all day, playing tunes on 
your cheapo Huang to kill the time, and in the evening you go back to your 
Hohner, Suzuki, etc etc, well let's say your 'slightly less leaky harp', 
you'll be surpised how easy certain things are all of a sudden. You feel 
like 'Wow, I am getting good at this'. I like that feeling! Pretty stupid 
hey?   ;-)

Cheers!
Bart
the Netherlands

(Btw. I'm not an advocate of giving children cheapo toy-harmonicas to just 
discourage them. That's another subject in my opinion)



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Richard Hunter" <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 9:29 PM
Subject: RE: [Harp-L] Cheap harps


> It seems to me that the most important question in this thread is: what's 
> the least expensive harp that meets minimum needs for volume, 
> responsiveness, durability, etc.--an instrument that will not hinder 
> either a beginner or a pro?
>
> The answer depends on the player, of course.  High-end players need 
> high-end instruments; concert pianists do not practice or perform on 
> anything less than a well-tuned concert piano.  In terms of harmonicas, 
> Howard levy plays very technically demanding stuff, and I'm sure he 
> practices as well as performs on high-end instruments; it probably doesn't 
> matter much what make or model Bob Dylan is playing on, so long as it's in 
> tune, given that he doesn't put a lot of demands on the instrument.
>
> That said, I agree with several other posters: a Lee Oskar, Special 20, or 
> lower-end Suzuki harp is a solid choice for a beginner.  The slightly 
> greater expense is more than justified by better playability, without 
> which any player will be unable to progress. It's terribly frustrating to 
> play lame instruments, and the lowest-priced instruments are thoroughly 
> lame.  But I definitely would not advise a beginner to buy more-expensive 
> instruments until she knows that harmonica is going to play a continuing 
> role in her life.
>
> Players who've already progressed beyond the beginner stage, who know that 
> their relationship with the harmonica is going to last a long time, should 
> get the best instruments they can afford.  And of course, instruments in 
> every price range are a lot better now than they were even ten years ago, 
> and FAR better than they were 20 to 30 years ago.
>
> regards, Richard Hunter
>
> author, "Jazz Harp"
> latest mp3s and harmonica blog at http://hunterharp.com
> Myspace http://myspace.com/richardhunterharp
> Vids at http://www.youtube.com/user/lightninrick
> more mp3s at http://taxi.com/rhunter
> Twitter: lightninrick