[Harp-L] Honer XB-40, Suzuki 350v, Valved Harps, OB/OD's...Gotta get those NOTES!!!

[Lucas Clebsch <luke@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

OK Y'all - I'm hoping somebody out there can give me some guidance...

I'm a professional harmonica player in Hawaii. I've been playing harp  
for 15 years, and have probably longed for those missing chromatic  
notes for the last 13 of them!

I recently joined the Howard Levy Harmonica School (which is very  
cool, by the way,) tinkered with a Hohner and acheived my first  
overblow. I was ecstatic. At my next gig, I realized I had compromised  
the response of regular blow on that hole, and became VERY frustrated  
with myself. Tinkering just ain't my thing, so...

I picked up a Hohner XB-40. My initial response, is YES! I absolutely  
LOVE it (except for the price!)

I have a few questions....

1.) Can anybody give me a comparative analysis between the XB-40 and  
the Suzuki 350V? If the Suzuki is as nice as the XB-40, that would be  
great, because it's about half the cost!

2.)Are there any other similar "valved" harps out there? I really want  
to make a decision on what "my" instrument is going to be, and just  
get into the shed on it, but I want to make a WISE decision, yunno?

3.) Interstingly, I've noticed that the XB-40 do not sell in keys  
above Db, and go instead to a low D!!!!! I have never played lower  
than a low F, and my Low F doesn't get played that much. To me, the  
beauty of the harmonica in most group settings is out it kind sings  
and sails and cuts through the high end frequency spectrums and I  
can't imagine a low D doing that all that well! lol. Has anybody  
purchased any of these lower XB-40 keys, and what are your thoughts?  
This Key issue is one of my thought for thinking I really ought to try  
out a Suzuki...

I play a lot of differnt genres: Funk, Reggae, Hawaiian, Flamenco,  
Jazz, Rock, Folk, and of course what I started with: Blues.

K. Hopeful for some illumination....

Aloha,

Luke Clebsch
(808) 936-3885