X-REED and Suzuki Sub30 Ultrabend Harmonicas
Happy Holidays Harp Techs, here is my New Years review of the amazing X-REED Harmonica
WHY DO WE NEED MORE REEDS? | The harmonica player has two primary types of harmonicas to choose from: the ten hole Richter Tuned Diatonic Harmonica and the Chromatic Harmonica.
Many harmonica players choose the diatonic harmonica over the chromatic harmonica for the instrument’s unique and expressive voicing, finding the Chromatic harmonica lacking soul. The distinct advantage of the Chromatic harmonica; however, as the name suggests is that all the “missing” notes on the diatonic harmonica can easily be played on this instrument (think piano).
The accidental discovery of the “bending” technique made it possible to play all the missing notes in any given hole--so long as there are chromatic degrees (pitches) between the blow and draw reeds. Finding the “missing” notes on a Richter tuned diatonic harmonica is a rite of passage for any harmonica player. Finding and playing those notes in perfect pitch is a lifelong obsession with the serious harmonica player.
TIP | To uncover which hidden notes can be teased out of any diatonic harmonica, simply count the half steps found between the top and bottom reeds. For example, on a C harmonica, the #3 blow reed is G and the #3 draw reed is B.The top reed is G, followed by Ab, followed by A, followed by Bb, then to the bottom reed, B. What that means is now you will be able to play these three notes (Ab, A, and Bb) that weren’t originally built into the #3 hole of this diatonic instrument.
For many diatonic harmonica players, being able to play the 12 additional notes found with normal bending techniques is not enough. Certainly there are those who have mastered the “overblow” bending techniques (i.e. Howard Levy, Jason Ricci, Carlos Del Junco, Adam Gussow) and picked up another 7 notes, but what about the normal Blues harmonica player? This player wants to incorporate their normal bending skills to expressively play the entire harmonica.
For example, in 1st Position many players typically ignore the middle (because the middle F# and middle Bb on the C harp are missing), focusing only on the lower and higher part of the instrument. How about playing a nice Major scaled melody in 2nd position--ugh the middle F# is missing. Don’t even attempt a full chromatic scale for your jazzier runs. Don’t despair ...
SOLUTION | Inspired by Brendan Power’s original 1989 design, Suzuki released in 2012 the Sub30 Ultrabend harmonica. This revolutionary 30 reed harmonica has 20 reeds on the blow reed plate and 10 on the draw reed plate. Now the player has under the hood, an additional 10 notes that can be played with normal bending skills.
The Sub30 Ultrabend is the same size as the Suzuki Manji and Olive. Notice the slightly vented cover plates to encourage an acoustic sound (read: Marine Band). The rear cover plate stays help mitigate the crush factor--a problem found on many harmonicas who's owners were a tad too passionate.
HOW DOES IT WORK?| Blow Reed Plate: For each of the ten comb chambers, facing the opposite direction of the normal blow reeds are 10 “sympathetic reeds” (a.k.a. X-Reeds). Each of the ten X-Reeds are tuned one-half step (semi tone) lower than it’s relative blow reed. Where a chromatic harmonica requires the player to depress a button to play the hidden notes, X-Reed type harmonicas only require the player activate the new notes with normal bending techniques (note: 1-6 normal draw bent notes and 8-10 blow bent notes are played in the usual way).
Top view of the Blow Reed Plate. The reeds below the slots are the normal blow reeds. On the reed plate surface are the sympathetic X-Reeds.
Comb-side view of the blow reed plate. Now the normal blow reeds can be seen, while the X-Reeds are in the slots.
Comb-side view of the draw reed plate. The black mylar strips are valves (windsavers) similar to those found on chromatic harmonicas.
Top-view of the draw plate. Notice the valves (windsavers) on the upper register reeds 7~10
With your normal bending techniques, you will now be able to access all the new notes colorized in BLUE (note: numbers in upper right corners refer to the sequence of the chromatic scale). Notice on Holes 7 ~ 10, you will be able to draw bend! You won’t have to kill yourself learning overblow bending--you will be too busy performing!
FIRST IMPRESSIONS | I purchased my first set of A, D, C Sub30 Ultrabend harmonicas when I visited Suzuki Musical Instruments in Hamamatsu, Japan last October 2012.
Similar to other diatonic valved harmonicas, I initially experienced a sensation of “back pressure” (a kind of resistance, my breathing felt denser) when playing the Suzuki Sub30 Utltrabend. This was bothersome at first, but with prolonged playing time it soon became a non-issue. I was excited to be able to play a full chromatic scale with normal bending techniques, but disappointed with the lack of responsiveness of the traditional bendable notes (later remedied with sizing/embossing of the reed plate slots). I expect for future production runs, Suzuki engineers will tighten up the tolerances--similar to what we currently find on the amazing Manji/Olive harmonica models.
ANNOYING | Unique to this type of 30 reed harmonica, will be an annoying phenomena of interference of the sympathetic X-Reed when playing some chords and runs. In other words, clashing notes when you least expect them.
MASTER PROBLEM SOLVERS | World renown harmonica recording artist and tinkerer, Brendan Powers (top) along with Master of CAD and CNC machining, Zombar Kovac (bottom) joined forces to create a near perfect solution to the shortcomings found with stock Suzuki SUB30 Utrabend harmonicas.
I sent all three of my Suzuki Sub30 Ultrabend to X-Reed Harmonicas (UK) for retrofitting, including sizing/embossing of all reed plate slots. I chose two different customized combs for evaluation. A significant innovation was the attachment of the OVP (Over Valve Plate), a state of the art valve system installed over Blow reeds: 1 ~ 6.
Lifting #2 valve with plinking tool
Top view of mounted OVP
Top view of OVP
Close up of reed plate side of OVP
The magic of the OVP is that it tamed the annoying interference of the X-Reeds during chordal playing and runs on the first six holes.
The OVP worked great for the lower register, but what about the upper end of the harmonica? In spite of the stock valves over 8~10 draw reeds, the upper register was still having the X-Reed interference issue.
It didn’t take very long before Brendan and Zombar found a solution for that problem as well! A first of it’s kind, X-Reed Harmonicas bonded another set of valves into the Corian comb!
Close up view of the integrated SUB30-Z1 Corian valve system -- BRILLIANT!
COMB SELECTION | I found little, if any sonic advantages between the various combs. In my assessment, it is strictly a matter of comfort.
Stock Suzuki ABS injection molded comb. As a fan of the Hohner Special 20 harmonica, I found this comb to very comfortable.
Hohner Special 20 aficionados will recognize the famous profile of this rounded mouthpiece comb made by Max Manganelli of BluesX-Lab. Lip blockers (pucker embouchure) have found this type of mouthpiece to be extremely comfortable. Tongue blockers, on the other hand, not so much. Personally, as a hybrid player (both LB/TB) I found this type of comb to get in the way of my playing.
Inside view of Blues X-Lab exquisite machining of their metal alloy combs.
For the HARPSMITH, I don’t think there is a better comb material to work and play with than Dupont’s Corian, especially for sandwich type harmonica construction.
BEST OF CLASS | Without doubt, the new EXTRABEND X-Reed SUB30 - Z1 model by X-Reed Harmonica was my favorite, incorporating:
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Reed slot sizing
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Precision profiling of all 30 reeds
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OVP on the lower reeds
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Integrated comb valves on the upper reeds
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Corian comb
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New X-Reed Harmonica anodized cover plates
The Extrabend harmonica is a serious contender in the world of customized harmonicas.
Beautiful profile of the outside and inside view of new EXTRABEND X-Reed cover plates. Notice the precision grooving of the leading edge of the reed plate for an air tight connection to the cover plate (note, most harmonica reed plates that nest into an injection molded comb will not have the groove, such as the stock Sub30 Ultrabend).
WHERE TO BUY | I recommend you take the money that Santa gave you and purchase one of these amazing harmonicas. WARNING: once you buy one, you’ll want more. Today I just placed an order for the new Richard Sleigh enhanced 30 reed Marine Band!
Your Harpsmith,Kinya
