Asia bend, Auto Valve comb and the Lucky 13!!

[Weetin]

Hi Brendan,
The Seydel harp I refer to is properly called 'The Solist Pro 12' and has the identical note layout as that on the tone table you posted. Not solo, but richter tuned. A nine hole richter with an added low octave. Normal hole spacing, steel reeds. I have a lucky 13 on order to make up for the missing two notes up top, and because I wanted to tune one of the Solist Pro-12's to Powerbender. Sorry if this is posted twice, my last attempt didn't seem to show up.

[opendoorharmonicas]

Hi Weetin:

I have a couple of solo tuned Seydel Soloist Pro's in Low C and Regular C. (They may have to be configured that way). Also several 14 hole Hohner Steve Baker Specials which have the same tuning layout as the Lucky 13's but with the added 14 hole note.

I like the solo tuning in a smaller harp as it fits easier in a harp rack. I have some older Hohners that are just a bit bigger than a Marine Band but with the 12 hole Solo tuning. These make great harps for 3rd Pos playing without the bulk of a chromatic. Burke T.

[Weetin]

Hi Burke, yeah the Solist 12, like the lucky 13 starts down on the low C(3) and replicates the first 3 holes of a regular richter before starting again in hole 4 with C(4).
I never play solo tuned instruments but agree the smaller spacings are advantageous in a bunch of ways. For me the Seydel Solists (and now the lucky 13's extension of that) enables me to tongue block wide spacing when playing tuning set up for droning in the lower register while playing notes up high, up to two complete octaves apart. Players like George Winston and Rick Epping are my inspiration in this. I think the 13 hole harps will be very useful for some of the turnings listed on George Winston's comprehensive PDF list of tuning variations. He mentions a 13 hole harp in the accompanying notes, which I assume he adapted from a 365, or SBS etc...George Winston is a player I would love to hear from on a forum like this.. The older Hohner 12 holes you play in a rack are likely 364 Soloist? I use these also for drone tunings but the hole spaces are just that much wider than the Seydel Pro-12 and now the Lucky 13..

[hannes]

Hi Brendan,

would it be possible to have an Autovalve comb with a straight front so it can be played without mouth piece to isolate the top or bottom row?

@Weetin: Do you have examples of your Cajun playing on Youtube, Soundcloud or elsewhere? Would love to hear it!

[Weetin]

Hi Hannes
Our Cajun band is about to record a record. We play trad dance music from south west Louisiana, from the 30,s, 40's.
Here are a couple from a while back.
https://youtu.be/qrWv8FACDkg
https://youtu.be/Q4819cSZAIA
..If those links don't work I'll get back to you.
In regards to you mentioning Autovalve mouthpieces (or lack thereof) I have a friend make me a bunch of stainless round-hole mouthpieces which I mount on the powercombs. Intried to play Concertos by Seydel for a while but the lack of mouthpiece drove me crazy- the tines were too narrow for manageable tongue blocking..

[Felix]

Like most here I´m enjoying my Asiaband, but one nice Option would be, to be able to Switch the slide. I think it would be a Little bit less confusion if the notes by inhale would be the same like on a normal chromatic.
For the Option of changing there just Need to be an alternative hole for the pressure spring.
Regards

[Brendan]

I ddn't quite understand what you mean - can you describe in more detail what you'd like to see?

[Felix]

Ok, I also found it difficult to write and had some trouble with my english , so it was quite hard to understand, my fault.
I tried to make a little drawing below.

What i wantet to write was: If on the asiaband would be a alternative hole (B) for the slide spring, usually on point A, i think it become possible to flip the slide the other way round. And with this I hope to have the notes D F A B D F A B when the slide is not pushed and the C E G C C E G notes with the slide pushed in. And so the drawnotes without any slideaction would be the same like on a solotuning chromatic. And this would make switching between these two easier I think.

on my asiaband i will try change it on my own, but i think it would be a nice option, if the second hole in the silde is made already, so that the player could decide easily.

[Brendan]

OK, I understand now. Yes, if you drill a small hole for the spring on the opposite side you can flip the slide over. Of course all notes will go down when you push the button, but I guess that's what you want?

You can test it by playing with the slide held in and releasing to get the other notes, to see if you like it.

[Paris]

Does anyone know which easttop chromatic Brendan is using for his current Asiabend? Love the Asiabend and want to get the stock C chromatic and convert it to a Bb power-chromatic (scale proper starting on 4 blow). Very fun and effective PC key for having fun with Dm blues! 5th position i think that would be...

Easttop King DreametT12-48K perhaps?

Im also curious which easttop chromatic models Brendan would recommend for converting to PC, if any???

Thanks!

Nick