Half valved chromatic for retuning or maybe in custom tuning. Which model to buy?
Posted: Fri Jul 19, 2019 5:14 pm
I've been experimenting with some new tunings on my DM48 lately, and I think it's time to try my ideas in a real harmonica. One of the main advantages of a real, reed-equipped instrument is that it allows for bends, and I would thus prefer a model suitable for half valving.
I'm thinking about retuning a stock harp. The upside of this would be a large choice of models, and me finally learning to modify chromatics. If I can start with a solo tuned harp in D I wouldn't have to retune any note more than 3 steps in either direction, though almost every reed would have to be tuned. Starting from a standard C many notes would have to go up 5 half steps, and I'm not sure this would work. Does anybody have any model to recommend for such a project? With too cheap an instrument I don't think it would do my ideas justice, but with a too expensive one I face the risk of ruining it.
The comfortable option would be to order it, and the first place that comes to mind for buying custom tuned chromatics is Seydel. I've been thinking about the de Lux model with brass reeds. They're the cheapest, I sort off like the sound of brass reeds and, most importantly, their harmonica configurator lets me enter the tuning in the key I want. For their steel reed models I would have to choose between transposing it to another key or to raise it an entire octave. Is the quality for this model OK despite it being their cheapest? Is it air-tight enough for half valving? Are the other models any better?
Also: Am I missing some other good place to buy a custom chromatic without a very long waiting list?
I hope people are having a nice summer
I'm thinking about retuning a stock harp. The upside of this would be a large choice of models, and me finally learning to modify chromatics. If I can start with a solo tuned harp in D I wouldn't have to retune any note more than 3 steps in either direction, though almost every reed would have to be tuned. Starting from a standard C many notes would have to go up 5 half steps, and I'm not sure this would work. Does anybody have any model to recommend for such a project? With too cheap an instrument I don't think it would do my ideas justice, but with a too expensive one I face the risk of ruining it.
The comfortable option would be to order it, and the first place that comes to mind for buying custom tuned chromatics is Seydel. I've been thinking about the de Lux model with brass reeds. They're the cheapest, I sort off like the sound of brass reeds and, most importantly, their harmonica configurator lets me enter the tuning in the key I want. For their steel reed models I would have to choose between transposing it to another key or to raise it an entire octave. Is the quality for this model OK despite it being their cheapest? Is it air-tight enough for half valving? Are the other models any better?
Also: Am I missing some other good place to buy a custom chromatic without a very long waiting list?
I hope people are having a nice summer