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DATE: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 08:39:58 CST
From:
Subject: Re: Chris Pierce questions

> Which (Lee Oskar) album would be the best?
> I have "Before the Rain" and although some songs are soothing, some are
> kind of annoying disco like stuff. (circa 1978 so what do I expect?)
>
I agree completely, Dick. This is the only Lee Oskar album I've been
able to find. He must have done a lot of better stuff

> Harp Handbook by Steve Baker: I ordered this from Hohner last year. And I
> recently read in the AHN that there was a Harp Handbook II with lots more
> stuff. Baker is a consultant to Hohner, (He designed the Steve Baker
> Special), so I would think that they have just replaced the original one
> with the 2nd and better version. Give em' a call and let us know, I'd
> like to get the 2nd version.
>
Harmonica Information Publication has a review of the Harp Handbook in it
this issue. It's a rave. Apparently, the USA distributor is Music Sales
Corporation, not Hohner. Music Sales is a very large distributor. I
would think almost any music store could order from them. HIP included
a direct sales 1-800 number, but I left it at home, darn it.

Chris also asked about Mel Bay books, I think. They usually aren't too
hard to find, since Mel Bay is so well established in the instructional
music publishing business. Elderly Instruments is a good source for
harmonica books. They sell by mail order out of Michigan. Once again,
I am without their phone number. I'll look for the info later.

> Hohner's Golden Melody harp? I really like the Golden Melody for its
> curved covers. The mouthpiece is straight, but the back is curved and my
> hands fit around it. The reeds inside are the same as those in the marine
> band or Special 20, but I get a much better closure for a nice soft muffled
> sound and a great contrast when I open my hands and make it say WAH.
> It works for the overblow without the screechy sounds you get when you try
> to overblow a Lee Oskar or Huang. But, I met someone this Summer who
> played Special 20 and had no trouble with the overblow.
>
> I also heard that the Golden Melody is "Equal Tempered" which means that each
> note is tuned the same as the piano so that it can be played in many keys
> and not be way out of tune in any one of them. In contrast, the Marine
> Band is tuned exactly for the key that the harp is built for. You can
> tell the difference by comparing to the draw chord 1234 on a Golden Melody
> to the draw chord 1234 on the Marine Band. The Marine Band sounds more "in
> tune" with itself, but would not sound as good when played in keys further
> and further away from the key of the harp. This is another reason I am
> told that Howard Levy plays Golden Melody since he is also a fine pianist.
>
I guess I'll definitely have to try a Golden Melody, now.

> Commercial for "Heartland Harmonica"? Wow! A Harmonica Commercial?
> I am never suprised by the strange things which Hohner does. I'd like to
> see it. Was it on a network or Cable channel? Who does the tape? Marcos?
> Butterfield/Sebastian, Gindick? Let us know if you can get a copy of the
> commercial on your vcr. In general I think Hohner is pretty un-hip when it
> comes to promoting their product. And, they have too many products with
> very little distinction. Did you ever look really closely at a Pocket Pal
> ($5.95 made in China) and the Special 20 ($24.95 made in Germany) As far
> as I can tell, the writing on the covers is the only difference. (And the
> fact that they only offer the Pocket Pal in "C".
>
You noticed that, too? I've never liked the sound of a Special 20,
unamplified.It's muffled, and kind of dull. The Lee Oskar has more of the
Marine Band's
brightness.

> If only I could make the Lee Oskar overblow sound better I would probably
> switch to all Lee Oskar.
>
I play all Lee Oskar, now. They have problems other than overblow. The low
reeds sometimes bang against the covers. But they play smoothly and sound
pretty good.

> Love to talk harps

Me, too.

george