[Harp-L] Session Steels? Don't buy!

[Steve Shaw <moorcot@xxxxxxx>]

I posted a few weeks ago about a Seydel Session Steel that let me down badly after very little playing.  I'm very easy on my harps these days (an SP20, played hard every week in my pub sessions, will last me a year before any adjustments are required, for example). I'd bought two Session Steel low D harps following the lamentable decision by Hohner to discontinue the SP20 low D. Ben Bouman was kind enough to fix my Session Steel on that occasion. But now my second Session Steel, after just two nights out of fairly light use (the pub has been quiet so I've mostly been relying on my low D XB40), has also gone south - the 7-blow again. I've been playing harmonicas in pub sessions for over 20 years and this level of failure is, for me, unprecedented, even with cheapie harps. I had been prepared to believe that the failure of the first harp was an unfortunate one-off, but now, having wasted ninety quid on two useless harps, I'm minded to suggest that anyone contemplating buying Session Steel harps should think very hard before laying out the dosh. Way too risky if you ask me. I'm not cross enough to say that Seydel Session Steels are *all* rubbish, but I will say that the two specimens I bought were a complete waste of money.  And rubbish.
Steve (feeling very angry and ripped off).