NOTE BENDING.

[G.Jackson@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

I keep wanting to bend hole 6 on the BLOW, and hole 8 on the DRAW to add
a little more expression to some melodies. It just seems natural to try
it, I cann't say why though, it's just right in certain tunes.

As many of you will know, (and I have discovered through trying) you can
in fact bend most (can you bend all?) notes in the wrong direction as it
were. I only do a partial bend when overcome with the need to bend in
the wrong way. 

Larry Addler does this all the time, so I know that the technique is
O.K. as long as it's not overdone.

My question is, why is it that I seem to want to bend notes in the wrong
way at those specific places?

Brendan Power, in conjuction with Suzuki, designed the Suzuki Pro Harp.
That's the one with the aluminium comb and valves on the holes 1 to 6,
to allow bends in both directions. Part of the deal was that they gave
him a full set of them in a beautiful, strong looking leather case, the
lucky guy!

I could almost settle for one of those, but what I would REALLY like is
a valved diatonic, tuned like a chromatic, with a PLASTIC comb.

The Honer Solo is tuned the way I want, but has a wooden comb, and is
not valved.

The Lee Oscar Melody Maker has a plastic comb, no valves, but a SIMILAR
tuning to the one I want. 
John here at work has one, and tells me I would find it useful, so I
suppose I'll get one, but it's not the same.

I know I could just play my chromatics, but you know how it is, a 10
hole harp is just a nice size to carry about.

Short of buying a Suzuki Pro, or something like it and having it retuned
for me, does anyone know if what I'm after exists at all?
I did attend a harmonica maintenance and tuning workshop run by Brendan
Power, and although I can do a little messing about inside a harp, I
don't feel upto retuning and/or valving to the degree needed for this
job.

Can any one offer any advise please, or comment on my first question?

Thanks in advance,
Gordon.