Date: Sun, 3 Aug 2003 12:08:38 EDT From: Bluehar~ol.com Subject: Leyden Harps - call for reviews
- --part1_6d.16879e83.2c5e8d86_boundary
Hi all, I was given a Seydel harmonica from my local favorite music shop last week, with the request that I 'road test' it for a week and report back. Leyden is the oldest continually operating harmonica manufacturer in the world, yet I've never seen them before, and have heard little here on the list or elsewhere regarding quality, tone, durability, etc. The harp I was given was a godawful green thing, called the Blues Musicmaster. It is virtually identical to another 'try-out' harp I have, the Weltmeister Blackbird, with which I'm not enamored. (I find both to a little stiff, though high-end blow-notes are fairly dynamic, and less prone to choking; and the materials and manufacturing seem a little primitive). I dropped in to the same store yesterday, and was shown quite a variety of additional models. Some were very Marinebandish, some BluesHarpesque, some very much resembling the Hering wide-hole style I've become fond of. Some of the covers are adorned with colorful graphics, some have the shiny chrome of a Lee Oskar...All of which has piqued my interest. Seems to be quite a style/quality variation. These harps are all priced considerably higher than their better known counterparts, 35-40 bucks suggested retail, possibly due to a more limited marketing/distribution structure so I'll have to wait until the mid-month paycheck to test-drive another. My question: Who's familiar with these harps, and what can you share with the list of your own experience and recomendations?
Thanks in advance, Jeff G.
- --part1_6d.16879e83.2c5e8d86_boundary
Hi all,
I was given a Seydel harmonica from my local favorite music shop last week, with the request that I 'road test' it for a week and report back. Leyden is the oldest continually operating harmonica manufacturer in the world, yet I've never seen them before, and have heard little here on the list or elsewhere regarding quality, tone, durability, etc. The harp I=20was given was a godawful green thing, called the Blues Musicmaster. It is virtually identical to another 'try-out' harp I have, the Weltmeister Blackbird, with which I'm not enamored. (I find both to a little stiff, though high-end blow-notes are fairly dynamic, and less prone to choking; and the materials and manufacturing seem a little primitive).
I dropped in to the same store yesterday, and was shown quite a variety of additional models. Some were very Marinebandish, some BluesHarpesque,=20some very much resembling the Hering wide-hole style I've become fond of. Some of the covers are adorned with colorful graphics, some have the shiny chrome of a Lee Oskar...All of which has piqued my interest. Seems to be quite=20a style/quality variation. These harps are all priced considerably higher than their better known counterparts, 35-40 bucks suggested retail, possibly due to a more limited marketing/distribution structure so I'll have to wait until the mid-month paycheck to test-drive another.
My question: Who's familiar with these harps, and what can you share with the list of your own experience and recomendations?
