Okay, I've gone through all of my previous posts and my overriding assessment is: Not bad at all. Aside from a few punctuation errors and inaccurate verb tenses there's not much that is worth rewriting. But I would to like conclude my piece on the Chicago Tool Box from Fender.
When last we checked I was preparing to return my second case to Harp Depot due to the same serious and inexcusable manufacturing defects that the first case had. Richard, as he was fresh out of CTBs, agreed to send me a Mississippi Sax Case instead. This is just a CTB with a beige color scheme. When it arrived and had defects identical to the first two I was, to put it mildly, slightly verklempt. I was ready to consume a gallon of green Gatorade, drive to Fairhaven Memorial in Santa Ana and void my bladder on the grave of Leo Fender. You'll be happy to know that I decided against this course of action. Even a quick and simple calculation told me that there was no way that I could make the roughly 50 mile drive and maintain bladder integrity after downing 128 oz. of the green monster . I envisioned a splashy accident near the outskirts of Anaheim. So I called Richard and calmly told him that I would be returning yet another harp case and that, no, I would not be requiring a fourth. I have my limits, apparently. I've lost the shipping receipts but I estimate that it cost me $30 to find out that Fender quality control was an oxymoron.
Econ 101
Harp prices have gone up significantly since last year. Hohner Spec 20s, which used be around $18, now sell for $27 plus. I no longer think you can get a good quality, mass produced harp for under $30, with tax and shipping. The Spec 20, Lee Oskar Major and Bushman Delta Frost are all very good harps and are all, at least for now, at the same price point.
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I have a Lee Oskar Major, but I`m seriously considering trying to convince my daughter that daddy needs a Seydel 1847 Silver for Fathers Day (she`s not quite two years old, how do you think I`ll go? lol) Do you know much about them? Any thoughts one way or another?
Here's a youtube vid that will give you some idea. The guy strangled a couple of the notes but the harp sounded good. The 1847 review by Pat Missin is incredibly detailed and, for my money, absolutely accurate. If you were in a roomful good harp players and said that Missin was the most knowledgeable harp man in the world, nobody would laugh at you. I've got a Seydel Blues Soloist (their $30 harp) in A. The channels are wider then the Oskar, MB, Spec 20 or Delta Frost. An A harp takes more wind to play than a C anyway because of the longer reeds, but I noticed a distinct difference in the volume of air required on the draw notes. Much more so than a Spec 20 or an LO. The one thing I will say is that Seydel is the best constructed harp that I have ever owned. For what it's worth coming from with about 15 harps and a year and half experience. They're about $90 here in the states. For a few extra bucks you can get a customized 20 or MB or DF from a certified harp craftsman. Ultimately you should buy what you want, not what someone else says that you need. If you get the harp you want you'll tend to play more which, of course, leads to all things good. Including groupies. Mike
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ev8hItcvj0I&feature=related
http://www.patmissin.com/reviews/1847.html
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Mike
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