So, I'm looking to buy a new harp. I got a set of Piedmont Blues harps a couple of years back, and got into those harmonicas for 2 months until half of them blue out beyond recovery. Don't hate for having this set, it was a gift. Well, when those were all but unplayable I bought a special 20 in the key of C. Played for the next half of the school year, yea i'm still in school, and then put the harp down for a couple of years. I'm now getting back into harmonica, and looking to buy a harmonica that is good quality and take camping. I was going to go with the bushman delta frost, but the replacement reeds are quite expensive. maybe I should get a Seydel Session and some steel reed replacements? Please give me some help.

P.S. - I am abusive with my harp, and it has been in and out of bout 4 different lakes and 3 rivers. I'll take full bashing for my actions.

Heh... kudos to you for your openness and your determination to take your harmonica with you wherever you go, come hell or high water...

I have a session steel and love it. The steel reeds are said to be more durable than brass and it's very practical in terms of cleaning.

Chances are you won't need replacement reedplates for quite some time.

Thanks for the advice! I was wondering, could you just buy A Seydel Session (regular) and put the steel reedplates on when the brass runs out? It just seems to be more cost effective, and i like the black comb more. Also, What key should I get? I have a C special twenty, as mentioned, and a whole range of pretty terrible Piedmont Blues harmonicas. My Dad plays a lot of blue grass, and it would be nice to be able to play with him on camping trips, because lugging a double bass up into the mountains for a weekend outdoors doesn't sit very well with my dad or his/my budget (I've tried).

I don't own a standard Session, but a quick Google search shows that they are indeed interchangeable.

I wish I thought of that - now I have to live with bright orange...

The standard advice generally suggests going for an 'A' key next (some prefer it over C for playing Blues). However, when used as accompaniment that may depend on what key your dad might be playing for a particular tune.

Others here may have better advice in that regard; so far I've only played solo.

The Stainless reeds will go right in. I bought a Sessions low D with brass reeds and they lasted about 7 months when the draw 5 died. Put in steel reeds over a year ago and still going. I've bought other Sessions Steel since and they are all working fine. I'm sold on them.