RE: Random notes on XB-40

["M. Erickson" <erickm@xxxxxxxxx>]

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I just received my second XB-40 today, in the key of C. Per Hohners
instructions, I will play the harmonica softly for the first week, to "break
in the reeds", as they put it. I think this is good advice for this
harmonica. They seem to play and sound much better after they are broken-in.
I'm getting wonderful tone on my key of A XB-40.

The blow notes on the first three holes bend, but they do require some work,
on both the C and the A. I could get all bends on the first three holes, but
I used my keyboard to give me a reference to where I was going. There's a
bit of ear trainging that goes while working on these bends. I find that If
I know where I'm going with the bend, I can make the bend much easier. I
went through the same thing learning draw 2 and draw 3 bends on a regular
harmonica. Now I have no problem with those bends. Electronic keyboards can
be had for as low as $40 bucks. I find them to be an invaluble practice
tool. Some people use electronic tuners to practice their bends, but I've
never had much luck with that.

Hole ten works as well as a regular diatonic in the key of C works for me --
not well. I do much better on that hole on Bb, A or G harps. I can't get
much of a bend on hole ten on a regular diatonic in the key of C, and the
same is true for the XB40. I don't think that's necessarily a problem with
the harmonica. (And three octaves above middle C is not an area I venture to
often....)

I am thrilled to have a second XB-40. I think they are wonderful
instruments.




  -----Original Message-----
  From: owner-harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:owner-harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of
Moandabluz@xxxxxxx
  Sent: Thursday, October 02, 2003 12:10 AM
  To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
  Subject: Re: Random notes on XB-40


    Well. after playing my XB-40  "C" harp for awhile, I find that I prefer
my SP20s. the XB-40 is hard to play, stiff, unyielding, hard to bend the
blow notes on the first three holes, not all that easy to bend the draw
notes... and for the most part, unsatisfying for me.
    Of course, i understand that others, probably those myriad players more
advanced than I, will love the harp. For me, it's more of a source of
frustration right now. I will keep messing with it, in hopes that it breaks
in somewhat and plays easier.
    I might have to take the thing apart and try to tweak it, but I'm afraid
I'll screw it up.
  and I get this weird  ghost note of some kind on hole 5...not always, just
when I least expect it. Not to mention the problems on hole 10.
  Maybe I should have gotten an "A" harp.

  Steve "Moandabluz" Webb
  still a fool for the harp