Easttop Forerunner 2, half-valved?

[Marty]

Brendan has been a champion of the half-valved chromatics, which has stimulated my curiosity to take advantage of the extra bends that come with half-valving a chrome. (The way I understand it is that the missing valves give extra draw bends like a diatonic, the added valves allow blow bends).

I experimented once in half-valving one of my Hohner CX-12s (by removing some of the valves), but was not satisfied due to the non-optimal air tightness. I’m sure it would have been better if I acquired some Embossing skills to make it less leaky.

I noticed that the new “Easttop Forerunner 2” is a non-valved chrome, and seems to get pretty good reviews in regards to quality and air-tightness.

I am curious to perhaps take this non-valved chrome, and add some valves to half-valve it (for the advantages of the added blow bends with half-valving). If some attention has been placed on making it air tight without the valves, then half-valving this harmonica may be a better approach to creating a half-valved chrome, than removing valves from a fully valved chromatic.

I know that Brendan once offered his Gasket Valve system for the Forerunner 1 ( https://youtu.be/VQWO8bN6s6s?si=8KESiRgvvcVe8scS ), but these are not in stock anymore, and the new material for Brendans Gasket Valves haven’t rolled out to chromatics yet (as of Oct 2023).
I can do the half-valving myself, without Brendan’s Gasket system, but am still sitting on the fence.

Can anyone here offer their experience on how air-tight the Eastop Forerunner 2 chromatics are?

Please feel free to share any other experience or advice regarding half-valved chromatics or the EastTop ForeRunner 2 air-tightness and quality.

Thanks!
Marty Howe



References to Half-Valved Chromatics:
https://harp-l.org/pipermail/harp-l/200 ... 00436.html

https://www.modernbluesharmonica.com/bo ... 671745.htm

[llumagsara]

i buyed the forerunner 2 after reading in the forums that was better than the 1, I have no sensation when playing it, that the air escapes like in any of the others without valves that I have. Can be played very piano (soft) notes, like in my Powerized CX12s, the CXized VA, KB12, ET12 and Herings. Because of my gluesy saliva, i have to move the slide with water drops before playing, and sometimes during playing if i play very much. I prefer that than warm the chrome...

good health

Agustín

[Marty]

Thank you Agustín, for sharing your experience with the Forerunner 2. Another harmonica to put on my wish list!

Marty

[llumagsara]

well i like the CX12, mine Powerized, are better. I like the easy slide cleaning and quick disasembling without screws. The new CXized chinese hcas. are very airtight and cheap, and more if you wait the offers (aliexpress), the ET12 in the box put that came in 12 keys, i don't see in the net and ask Easttop and they say they will come in all keys, don't know when...

good health

Agustín

[llumagsara]

now they have in 7 keys, from G to high Db...

good health

Agustín