Re: [Harp-L] Seydel Session Standard vs. Suzuki Bluesmaster?

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

The Harpmaster and Bluesmaster appear to be the same harp with different covers. I have some of each and they seem to play about the same.

However, I want to re-visit the Seydel part of the questions.

Beginning players tend to be sensitive to small differences that more experienced players may not even notice. One thing that sets Seydel apart from all others is their hole spacing.

I'm not talking about the size of the holes. I mean that the reeds are spaced farther apart on Seydels. (This is true of their chromatics, too.) The rest of the world seems to have followed Hohner's lead in spacing their reeds. By making the dividers thinner or thicker, they can make the holes bigger or smaller, but they're still the same distance apart.

So, do you stick with all Seydels for a consistent experience among your harps in different keys? Or do you mix things up so that you get used to a wider variety of hole spacings? It's your call, I'm just giving you a piece of information to consider.

Winslow
 
Winslow Yerxa
President, SPAH, the Society for the Preservation and Advancement of the Harmonica
Producer, the Spring 2014 Harmonica Collective
Author, Harmonica For Dummies, ISBN 978-0-470-33729-5
            Harmonica Basics For Dummies, ASIN B005KIYPFS
            Blues Harmonica For Dummies, ISBN 978-1-1182-5269-7
Resident Expert, bluesharmonica.com
Instructor, Jazzschool for Music Study and Performance


________________________________
 From: Alyx Hanson <restlesscourage@xxxxxxxxx>
To: harp-l <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx> 
Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2014 1:25 PM
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Seydel Session Standard vs. Suzuki Bluesmaster?
 

Thanks to everyone who's replied, both on- and off-list.

As a tangential question from my initial query, how does the Suzuki
Harpmaster compare?

Alyx



On Wed, Mar 19, 2014 at 12:43 PM, daledut <daledut@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>wrote:

> I am going to dive right in.
> First choosing a harmonica is a very individual thing.  That is why most
> of us have tried several different brands and models.
> With that said, both harps you mentioned are fine harps and have many
> fans.
> I have owned both of these harmonicas and for me I prefer the Suzuki
> Bluesmaster over the Seydel.
> In my opinion the Bluesmaster is one of the easiest playing harps out of
> the box.  It is air tight and responsive.  Also the covers fit my mouth
> better. I think it is worth comparing.
> Now many will disagree with me and you can't really go wrong with the
> seydel.
> Also keep in mind that your tastes may change as you progress.
> In conclusion they are both decent instruments but my vote would go to the
> Suzuki.
> Dale
>
>
> Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone
>
>
> -------- Original message --------
> From: Alyx Hanson
> Date:03/19/2014 1:21 PM (GMT-05:00)
> To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [Harp-L] Seydel Session Standard vs. Suzuki Bluesmaster?
>
> Hi, all,
>
> I'm just getting into this whole harping thing, and looking for some
> advice. I picked up "Harmonica for Dummies" and a Seydel Session Standard
> in C (say that five times fast!), and have done a bit of tentative noodling
> around. I've pretty quickly come to the conclusion that professional help
> is in order (I've got lots of experience with piano and fretted
> instruments...this is an entirely different beast). I'm planning to start
> group classes in a month or so and try not to teach myself too many bad
> habits in the meantime. ;)
>
> Here's what I'm wondering, though: the class I'm taking calls for harps in
> the keys of G and D. I like the Seydel fine, and can see the merit of being
> consistent in brand/model to start with (from the perspective of not
> introducing too many new variables at once). But I've also heard a lot of
> good things about the Suzuki Bluesmasters, and I'm wondering if it would be
> worth trying them out. They're essentially the same price, so that's not a
> factor. They're roughly the same shape and they both have the option of
> reed plate replacement if I do something stupid (or just wear them out).
> The biggest difference I can see is the phosphor bronze vs. brass reeds.
>
> I'm interested in hearing your thoughts, particularly those of you who have
> owned both. Should I stick with where I've started, or is it worth trying
> something that might be slightly different?
>