Hi everyone. Its been a while. I am going to buy a new harp(yay!).

I need some advice on whether to get the standard suzuki proharp or the valved option. Price is not the issue(birthday money). I've only been playing for about 10 months but I think I'm doin OK, probably say I am beginner intermediate. I can bend at will and play along pretty well. Its always with me and I play it damn near every day.

My understanding is that you can bend the low blow notes as well as the draws. Sounds appealing to me. But am I ready for it or will it just confuse me?

Gimmie all you got!

Thanks
Mike

You've been playing long enough to know which holes you can draw bend and which holes you can blow bend. I don't think playing a valved harp would confuse you.

I had some valved Promasters. I liked them at first. It was great to be able to get those extra note (though I didn't use or need them very much). But they rattled and I ended up pulling them out. If they wouldn't rattle, I'd love to have the valves! I can't overblow/overdraw, but with the valves, there no need to OB or OD.

Here's David Barrett and PT Gazell talking about valves:
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3DfG_Ay8Ek[/video]

Maybe you could put better valves on, yourself. At the end of that video, PT says something about Seydel (pronounced SI' dle...Kinda like "saddle." having good valves that don't rattle. I looked it up:
Click.

I don't know the width & length of the reeds, so I don't know if the Seydel valves would fit on a Suzuki, but if they do, here's how you'd put them on:
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=So1HWuIyU6E[/video]

Never heard of bending the Low Blow notes. Just starting from hole 6. Would be interesting to know what note would be produced from bending Blow 1, 2, 3, and 4.
I have cut valves to length with no trouble, suppose they could be cut to width.
Yews get a valved harp, enjoy for a while then await the trouble. Good fun valving.

Thank you gene, thank you dezzy.
On the strength of that feedback I think I'll get the STD pro master.

Gene, you are truly invaluable to this site and I'm sure all players who know you. You never just answer a question you educate.

Dezzy, you have confirmed my suspicions in a nutshell.

As for replacing valves.......please, though I can see the appeal to folks who have the time and inclination, if my harp needs that much attention I'd have to take it to someone, like I take my car to a machanic!
I don't want my harp to be something with 10 holes I through money into.

Thanks again guys.

Mike

Thank you, Mike!

As far as working on your harp, you should at least become a little familiar with gapping the reeds when needed. There's plenty of info about that on the web. You Tube's a good place to look.

Yeh, I should look at that. Got a couple of harps that might need exactly that. I do dismantle them when they need cleaning(quite often), so I am familiar and mindful of the workings of my harps, but yes, I could definitely be more pro active in the tuning and maintenance department.

Speaking of cleaning, what do you think about those ultrasonic cleaners? Do they work for harmonicas? If they're as good as the manufacturers say, would be a lot quicker and less chance of damage.

Cheers
Mike

I don't know. For some reason, I've never had to clean a harp other than removing a piece of desbris once in a while.

Wow!

You do blow into them don't you gene?

I clean mine every couple of weeks give or take.

Maybe its just my filthy mouth

WHAT??!! You can BLOW, TOO??!!