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Date: Fri, 4 Aug 2000 13:58:11 -0700 (PDT)
From: Mojo Red
Subject: Bushman Harp (reveiw)

Well folks,

I got two new Bushman harps in the mail the other
day and wanted to offer up my impressions.

Oh... um...
***I have no affiliation with the makers of Bushman
harps, Harp Depot, John Hall, his dog or his
goldfish, yadda yadda, etc. etc. ***

BACKGROUND
My reasons for looking into these harps mainly rest
around the fact that I can be hard on my harps.
I've tried Lee Oskars, but I don't get along with
the squeaky upper register tone and equal
tempermant of Lee Oskar harps, even though they DO
last.
John had promised a harp with long-lasting reeds.
On this aspect, of course I cannot comment until
I've huffed my way through a few more gigs. You may
hear from me on this again in a few months... for
better or worse.

THE HARPS
I got an A and a D harp -- the two most commonly
used keys I use with my band (TONS of songs in E
and A). The Bushmans arrived in an artistically
designed cardboard box. Open them and find my new
harps encased in ~very~ soft leather bags. Nice!

Harp covers are black enameled (brass, I think)
with gold lettering -- attractive Bushman logo on
the top cover, "Soul's Voice" model name on bottom
cover. Key of the harp is done in white on one end
of the comb. Holes are numbered 1 - 10, but the 4
hole, for some unknown reason simply has a little
triangle pointing down. What's up with that, John?

Thickness of the harp compares to a Special 20,
much thinner profile than either the Lee Oskar or
the Big River. Cover plates are held on with two
male/female hex-nuts. This I found somewhat
inconvenient because I didn't have a hex driver
that small and had to run to the hardware store
before I could open the covers. No biggie.
NOTE: One needs to be careful and patient opening
these babies, lest one inadvertantly scratch the
enamel around the nut with the hex driver. ~BLUSH~

Reedplates are recessed like a Lee Oskar or Special
20. Comb is black plastic with nice, rounded
corners. I noticed the reed chambers are slightly
bigger (taller and wider with thinner chamber
walls) than any of my Hohner MS harps, the SP-20,
Golden Melody, Lee Oskar, Suzuki Pro Harp or Hering
Blues harps.
The reedplates are held to the comb with three
screws -- two toward the ~front~ of the harp
(through reed chamber walls) and one at the rear in
the center. Interesting design!

HOW THEY PLAY
If I were to sum up the new Bushman harp with one
word it would be this: ~SMOOTH~

They ~feel~ smooth in the hand and on the lips
(rounded edges, slick enamel finish) and they
~play~ smooth. John wasn't lying when he said it
plays consistantly right up the harp. Rich, mellow
tone... Wow!

And these guys are tuned ~very~ nicely!! I don't
think I've ever had a sweeter-tuned diatonic (to my
ears any way). Smooth! Perfect octaves, juicy warm
chords.

Of my two harps the D harp played the best out of
the box. Gaps were set right-on. Harp is very
responsive, fairly loud. Tone-wise I'd compare it
favorably to a Special 20 rather than Marine Band
or Big River, certainly nicer (to my ears) than my
Lee Oskars.
Very warm... very tight. Almost as tight as my
Hering Blues (the ones I can flatten reeds on in
about 2 days).

The A harp, on the other hand, was rather
unresponsive in the lower register out of the box.
I was dissapointed with this. Seemed the reeds on
the low end took their time sounding. I played
softer and softer and realized that it was loosing
air. What??

That's when I ran to the store for the hex driver.
Opened it up and immediately saw the problem. Reed
gaps were set too darned high. With very little
effort I lowered those gaps and carefully went over
all of them to make sure they were right. Put the
covers back on (careful not to scratch this time),
and VOILA!! Right On! I trust that mine was an
exception, since the D was well-gapped.

OVERAL IMPRESSIONS
AWESOME sounding harps! Sweet!!! Oh, so sweet! Feel
good in the hands, play well right up the harp,
bends easy, loud. These are keepers.

I know I'll blow one out eventually (I'll try and
be good, honest!). But when I do, John tells me
replacement reeds are available. Very cool!

Took them out to my gig last night with the
intention of simply ~showing~ them off, but
wouldn't you know it? Half way throught the first
set I totally shredded my D MS Blues Harp. Grrrr!

The Bushman played great for me onstage, and
because of that little bit of extra volume it
provides, I found I didn't have to push it hard....
yet I got the sounds I was after.

Yes, these are very responsive, very nicely made
harps. My one concern is that I now have to find a
nicer way to carry my harps while gigging... I'm
afraid I'll ding up those smooth enamel covers real
fast the way I've got 'em all stuffed in my belly
pack. Oh well, if they last as well as I'm hoping,
I'll soon be able to afford a better harp case. :-)

John, thank you for putting so much time/effort
into creating these great harps. Job well done!

Harpin' in Colorado,
- --Ken M.

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