I have been putting off writing a review until I broke all 6 in. I purchased an A, Bb, C, D, F, and G.

I have also been hesitant in making a recommendation because I feel from the S20 and its similarly priced "companions" (which can be had for 17 bux on line w/ free shipping),,,,AND ON UP THE LADDER becomes personal preference-------feel and tuning become more important factors than price to players in the 17-26 dollar price range(most working harp musicians live in this range).

I too have only played a S20 and Marine Band in various keys and found I liked plastic better than wood. ....I started the S20 based on the advice of an excellent blues harpman and just never was interested in experimenting so my points of reference are limited.


With all that said, I decided to play real bluesy renditions of Swing Low Sweet Chariot on each C harp (S20 and Promaster )

I had so much fun with the Promaster...The 2 hole draw was incredibly easy to hit and all classic bend holes were easy too

I have fallen in love with the Promaster

The tuning on the Promaster is Equal versus the Just on the S20. Chords are rougher on the Promaster as expected

The following link is to suzuki music and it's their write up on the Promaster.

[www.suzukimusic.com]


The retail for high 40's at your local music store but I got the box set of 6 for $205 total cost from crossroads-music

I must say, however, I did experience some occasional pinching during the break-in period. It seems to have stopped. Most likely from the aluminum

Rob

What was the occasional pinching? I know some harps tend to catch mustache hairs.

Not moustache pinching since I don't own a moustache. Very small aluminum filings....Let me emphasize however, that was only temporary and occurred with first use on only 2 out of the 6 harps. I also began to wonder if any metal comb harmonica is susceptable.

irishharpman wrote:

> Not moustache pinching since I don't own a moustache. Very
> small aluminum filings....Let me emphasize however, that was
> only temporary and occurred with first use on only 2 out of the
> 6 harps. I also began to wonder if any metal comb harmonica is
> susceptable.

Considering most aluminum comb harmonicas are milled, not cast, I would say so.

I only have one in the key of A. I must say this is a very good harp, once broken in it plays so easy. I find it has a slightly different tone with the metal comb. Very good for fast playing. One of the most comfortable and just right feeling harps I have played. I will buy more!

I owned about half a set of unvalved Promasters. I loved them. I ordered another one, and by mistake, the store sent me a VALVED Promaster. I no longer own unvalved Promasters. I immediately ordered the reed plates to convert them all to valved!!

By the way, I live in the continental USA. I have found nobody cheaper than The Harp Depot. And they are super fast.

(I'm new here. If the above paragraph is considered spam, I apologize and ask the mods to delete that paragraph.)

You know I've been really interested in picking up a Promaster, because I've been wanting to try a higher-end type harmonica, and I've also been really wanting to see what the aluminum comb was like.

But does anyone know how the Promaster compares to Hohner's Meisterklasse? I'm a bit stuck between the two, although I've been leaning more toward Suzuki's Promaster as of late.

I'm just not sure yet whether to go valved or unvalved. To be honest, this forum is the first place online in which I've read positive responses to the valves, so I'm not sure where to go on that one, although I understand that they're easy to remove.

My last and final question is what the Promaster Valved actually looks like. I've seen only one image of it all over the internet, and the image really looks like the cover plates are a satin-gloss black, with silver along the front (under the numbers) and along the back. I'm hoping that this is the case and it's not just the lighting in the images that makes the harp cover plates look two-toned in color. Does anyone have any links to more images of the harp from different angles, or is anyone here able to take some pictures of their harp that they could post?

Thanks a lot! Sorry about the super long post. I'm a new guy.

Thanks again,
Casey

gene wrote:

> I owned about half a set of unvalved Promasters. I loved them.
> I ordered another one, and by mistake, the store sent me a
> VALVED Promaster. I no longer own unvalved Promasters. I
> immediately ordered the reed plates to convert them all to
> valved!!
>
> By the way, I live in the continental USA. I have found nobody
> cheaper than The Harp Depot. And they are super fast.
>
> (I'm new here. If the above paragraph is considered spam, I
> apologize and ask the mods to delete that paragraph.)

After reading all the different opinions about the Promasters I went to the Harp Depot site today and ordered a C harp in valved and unvalved. So thanks for the tip, when I get them and try them out I will let you know what I think. Up till now all I've played are Blues Harps, Golden Melodies and Meisterklasse. I'm looking forward to the new harps! Thanks Again!

Tom

tomahawk59 wrote:

> After reading all the different opinions about the Promasters I
> went to the Harp Depot site today and ordered a C harp in
> valved and unvalved. So thanks for the tip, when I get them and
> try them out I will let you know what I think. Up till now all
> I've played are Blues Harps, Golden Melodies and Meisterklasse.
> I'm looking forward to the new harps! Thanks Again!
>
> Tom

Hey let me know how the Promaster compares to the Golden Melody and Meisterklasse! I actually did get myself a valved Promaster and I'm loving it! (But I have no other experience with higher-quality harmonicas as all of my previous harps were cheapies.)

The only con I've noticed so far is that on one or two of the lower draw notes (2, 3, and 4 mostly), you can hear the plastic valves buzzing in there a little bit from time to time. But it isn't bad or too terribly often, and it actually gives it a cool sound, almost like a kind of overdrive sound.

All in all, I really love it so far!

CaseyStelken wrote:

> tomahawk59 wrote:
>
> > After reading all the different opinions about the Promasters
> I
> > went to the Harp Depot site today and ordered a C harp in
> > valved and unvalved. So thanks for the tip, when I get them
> and
> > try them out I will let you know what I think. Up till now
> all
> > I've played are Blues Harps, Golden Melodies and
> Meisterklasse.
> > I'm looking forward to the new harps! Thanks Again!
> >
> > Tom
>
> Hey let me know how the Promaster compares to the Golden Melody
> and Meisterklasse! I actually did get myself a valved
> Promaster and I'm loving it! (But I have no other experience
> with higher-quality harmonicas as all of my previous harps were
> cheapies.)
>
> The only con I've noticed so far is that on one or two of the
> lower draw notes (2, 3, and 4 mostly), you can hear the plastic
> valves buzzing in there a little bit from time to time. But it
> isn't bad or too terribly often, and it actually gives it a
> cool sound, almost like a kind of overdrive sound.
>
> All in all, I really love it so far!
I will let you know. As far as the buzzing goes, I get that in my 3 hole on my chromatic.
Tom

OK Gang,
I recieved my Promasters yesterday, ( by the way, whoever recommended Harp Depot Thanks!!! I ordered Tues. and rec. them Thurs.) I've only played them for a short while last night, but I have to say I really like them. I thought my Miesterklasse harps were tight, but WOW these are great and sound really good. A good value for the bucks!

Tom

Sounds great Tom! And you're absolutely right about the value for the buck. For just under fifty bucks, these are some good quality, tight tin sandwiches. And I love the loud, rich sound that they produce!

I agree wholeheartedly Tom!

Many people say they have recieved of played a valed promaster and overnight switched allof their promasters to valved but were sort of vauge on what then big improvement was. Tone? Volume? Full/richness?

Just curious as I am thinking of biting into one of these "tin sandwhiches" and want to get a good one.

I play a lot of different types of songs. Mostly classic stuff but someother less common harp music like rock and eventually want to get into some blues type playing.

Mitch

With the valved harps, draw bending is easier and smoother. I have never been able to play a blow bend...until I got the valved Promaster. You can even draw bend the higher notes, but not accurately.

I'm not sure, but I think I get more volume out of the valved, too.

I've read, however, that with a valved harp, over blows are impossible...but that's fine with me, 'cuz they were impossible to begin with.

I was looking for some info from pros about them. This is all I could find off hand:

[www.angelfire.com]


By the way, folks:
Harp Depot and Harmonica (or Harp) Express are exactly the same people, so if you're shopping, click on the "Harmonica Express" link found in this web site. That's how Nick gets paid. (But DO NOT abusively click, click, click, click the sponsor's links. You don't want to break them financially, or lose their sponsorship.)



Post Edited (04-01-07 00:03)

Hm, thanks. I play a lot of differen't songs and none of them use bends so I might get an unvalved for now and a valved at some point down the road. My 16th birthday will be in june so I can get plenty of goodies

Mitch

tomahawk59 wrote:

> OK Gang,
> I recieved my Promasters yesterday, ( by the way, whoever
> recommended Harp Depot Thanks!!! I ordered Tues. and rec. them
> Thurs.) I've only played them for a short while last night, but
> I have to say I really like them. I thought my Miesterklasse
> harps were tight, but WOW these are great and sound really
> good. A good value for the bucks!
>
> Tom

Hey Gang,
I did want to add to this post and say, although I really like the Promasters, I still like my Miesterklasse a great deal. But the Promasters are a very nice addition.

Tom

I looked at earlier posts but didn't see, did u get valved or unvalved?

Mitch

Mitchell_Harmonica wrote:

> I looked at earlier posts but didn't see, did u get valved or
> unvalved?
>
> Mitch

Hi Mitch,
I got one of each in the key of C to try them out. They are really nice harps, real airtight and sound great.

Tom

And do you have a real preference at this point? I would imagine the difference is noticable but is it only in ease to play such as bends, is one richer/fuller/louder? If you had to recommend one over the other could you choose?

Mitch

Mitchell_Harmonica wrote:

> And do you have a real preference at this point? I would
> imagine the difference is noticable but is it only in ease to
> play such as bends, is one richer/fuller/louder? If you had to
> recommend one over the other could you choose?
>
> Mitch

Hi Mitch,
At this point I haven't played them enough to really decide, there is a notable difference, but I like them both. The unvalved was a little over 30 bucks and the valved was a litlle over 40 bucks. I'll let you know what I think after I've played them for a while.

Tom