Eu particularmente gosto das cromáticas sem válvulas devido a exatamente o que o Brendan expos ,que venham as cromáticas sem válvulas 👍 abraços do Rio de Janeiro
Your assumptions are spot on in my case. 3 years into diatonic. Figured it is time to try a chromatic. Got a C for 58 USD delivered same day from Amazon. Superb way to try. If I like it then I'll know a bit more before committing to a more expensive instrument.
I've had a Forerunner 2.0 (key of D) for about 8 months. I'm quite happy with it. It's a bit "breathy" in its tone, for the reasons you describe, Brendan, and I do notice the extra breath control required to keep the tone even as I play extended passages. I use it primarily as a daily practice harp and in rehearsals with my trio. It serves me very well in that capacity. In my occasional studio work I prefer my Seydel Saxony or Toots Hard Bopper, just because I prefer the purer tone. I think it's a great value and I commend Easttop for their commitment to continuing to upgrade their quality.
If you tighten the gaps a bit and adjust the reed profiling, you’ll notice a remarkable improvement in responsiveness, tone, and volume. These really benefit from profiling and offset adjustments, just like a diatonic, because it doesn’t have valves. They really can’t be beat for the $$$.
I just ordered one in C. One thing not mentioned. You said "zero maintenance". I assume you mean besides the slide sticking like it does from saliva on most all chromatics of every price. Unless they found a way against that, in which case, they deserve a HUGE medal.😊
I am assuming that if you buy for example: Harmonicas in the keys of C - D - E - F# - G# & Bflat you have all the keys covered. I would suggest buying a C harp as they are a few £/$ cheaper... Looking forward to my delivery..
Great harmonicas. I've only started recently and tried a number of different harps, and this one, although one of the cheaper ones I was lucky enough to get, is by far the easiest to play - much better set up to play than the Hohner Marine Band I bought at nearly double the price. AND I'm investing in some of the Lucky 13s as well as a couple of other keys for the Forerunner. Oddly enough, the cheapest one I bought, a Swan Blues Power, is also one of the easiest and nicest to play... It clearly isn't always about price, as I'm discovering. Love your tips and thoughts AND I'm considering getting a harp with your bend accessory although I feel it's important to improve my skills before I start using such aids. Great invention though. Well done.
Lol I got it for easier to play single notes too since the holes are further apart and the slide means I don't have to bend. I just play it like a diatonic for old single note folk songs and Christmas music.
Very nice. I wonder how I missed this 9 months ago. I can do a fair amount of set up work (gapping, burnishing, etc.) How much improvement will this be to this harp? It didn't help my Lucky 13 very much, and the welded reeds really complicated the reed centering. Still, at this price....
So far, I notice very little difference between Forerunner 1.0 and 2.0. Maybe my 1.0 was an especially good one. The slide on both are pretty quiet. In fact, the 1.0 has a leg up sometimes - though not by much. The tone of 2.0 is somewhat more resonant than the 1.0 - but not on all notes. Still, no reason to complain. The price is right and so far so good.
Q U E S T I O N - HI, BRENDAN ! I've got the Forerunner VALVELESS-DESIGN in C. I couldn't find in any other key. WHERE do I buy in the key of E, G, etc., besides C, please? The one you're playing is stock, off the shelf, and you didn't tweak it? Was it optimally playable out of the box? 10 and 12 holers? Thanks so much for everything you are doing for the harmonica world.
The Screen Printing on the cover plate gets erased in two weeks of playing. I think the quality of screen printing has to be fixed urgently. You cannot compromise on quality.
Maestro. Una pregunta. Me ha llegado la Easttop Forerunner en (C) PERO no viene en ninguna parte la letra C, solo en el caja de cartón. La armónica viene SIN distintivo de la tonalidad, es correcto ? o es posible le que sea una imitación ?
Thank You for a informative video. It was great! If you get other keys will you please post. I would like a better idea of the different sounds. I like lower pitches than higher. Do you find the E Key needs more breath for blow and draws?
After a few days of playing, I hear - especially in the lowest octave - a hollow, tinny, creaky sound when depressing the slide. Not sure if that is just in the nature of a valveless harmonica. My Forerunner 1.0 has this problem too, less so though. Or did I get a lemon?
Loved the short review, especially the part where you play it. Now I know exactly whether it can do bends and if yes how well. More than enough for me. No more research needed. Hearing 2 min of your playing gave me all the answers I needed.
Poorly tuned? I bought a Forerunner 2.0. I like, that the tones respond much better than with my Hohner 270. But some tones are poorly tuned. C5 occurs three times on the harmonica. 4 and 5 blow differ by 10 cent. 5 blow and 4 draw with sliders in differ by 20 cent! That is disappointing. What are your experiences? The Hohner 270 has deviations of only 1 cent. I'll probably keep the Forerunner anyway, because I can practice better as a beginner, because the tones are much more responsive.
Sorry Brendan, don't like to nitpick, but they are not showing commitment as you suggested; There's only 11 keys being made available on Amazon UK, and it's 8 months later. Something is obviously not right about this situation. Shame, I would have liked to buy one in the Key of G to see if the model was for me, but that is not possible. There has never been a full 12 slots on the page selling them. Just the 11 to date. So obviously they did not sell out. In my view they have a credibility problem over this model as things stand right now. That is really sad to be compelled to conclude. High hopes dashed on this.
I recently ordered one from Ali Express including tax and postage. The E key harp was ￡64.59.: On Amazon they are listed as £56.09 but total with tax is £85.87 So.....
Also, I love my vintage Koch harps. This looks like a modern replacement.
Eu particularmente gosto das cromáticas sem válvulas devido a exatamente o que o Brendan expos ,que venham as cromáticas sem válvulas 👍 abraços do Rio de Janeiro
Your assumptions are spot on in my case. 3 years into diatonic. Figured it is time to try a chromatic. Got a C for 58 USD delivered same day from Amazon. Superb way to try. If I like it then I'll know a bit more before committing to a more expensive instrument.
I've had a Forerunner 2.0 (key of D) for about 8 months. I'm quite happy with it. It's a bit "breathy" in its tone, for the reasons you describe, Brendan, and I do notice the extra breath control required to keep the tone even as I play extended passages. I use it primarily as a daily practice harp and in rehearsals with my trio. It serves me very well in that capacity. In my occasional studio work I prefer my Seydel Saxony or Toots Hard Bopper, just because I prefer the purer tone. I think it's a great value and I commend Easttop for their commitment to continuing to upgrade their quality.
If you tighten the gaps a bit and adjust the reed profiling, you’ll notice a remarkable improvement in responsiveness, tone, and volume. These really benefit from profiling and offset adjustments, just like a diatonic, because it doesn’t have valves. They really can’t be beat for the $$$.
I just ordered one in C. One thing not mentioned. You said "zero maintenance". I assume you mean besides the slide sticking like it does from saliva on most all chromatics of every price. Unless they found a way against that, in which case, they deserve a HUGE medal.😊
I am assuming that if you buy for example: Harmonicas in the keys of C - D - E - F# - G# & Bflat you have all the keys covered. I would suggest buying a C harp as they are a few £/$ cheaper... Looking forward to my delivery..
Great harmonicas. I've only started recently and tried a number of different harps, and this one, although one of the cheaper ones I was lucky enough to get, is by far the easiest to play - much better set up to play than the Hohner Marine Band I bought at nearly double the price. AND I'm investing in some of the Lucky 13s as well as a couple of other keys for the Forerunner. Oddly enough, the cheapest one I bought, a Swan Blues Power, is also one of the easiest and nicest to play... It clearly isn't always about price, as I'm discovering. Love your tips and thoughts AND I'm considering getting a harp with your bend accessory although I feel it's important to improve my skills before I start using such aids. Great invention though. Well done.
Lol I got it for easier to play single notes too since the holes are further apart and the slide means I don't have to bend. I just play it like a diatonic for old single note folk songs and Christmas music.
Very nice. I wonder how I missed this 9 months ago. I can do a fair amount of set up work (gapping, burnishing, etc.)
How much improvement will this be to this harp? It didn't help my Lucky 13 very much, and the welded reeds really complicated the reed centering. Still, at this price....
Good review but but but You can only get Key of C I have tried everywhere
Thank you for this. Beautiful instrument
So far, I notice very little difference between Forerunner 1.0 and 2.0. Maybe my 1.0 was an especially good one. The slide on both are pretty quiet. In fact, the 1.0 has a leg up sometimes - though not by much. The tone of 2.0 is somewhat more resonant than the 1.0 - but not on all notes. Still, no reason to complain. The price is right and so far so good.
Q U E S T I O N - HI, BRENDAN ! I've got the Forerunner VALVELESS-DESIGN in C. I couldn't find in any other key. WHERE do I buy in the key of E, G, etc., besides C, please? The one you're playing is stock, off the shelf, and you didn't tweak it? Was it optimally playable out of the box? 10 and 12 holers? Thanks so much for everything you are doing for the harmonica world.
The Screen Printing on the cover plate gets erased in two weeks of playing. I think the quality of screen printing has to be fixed urgently. You cannot compromise on quality.
Maestro. Una pregunta. Me ha llegado la Easttop Forerunner en (C) PERO no viene en ninguna parte la letra C, solo en el caja de cartón.
La armónica viene SIN distintivo de la tonalidad, es correcto ? o es posible le que sea una imitación ?
Thank You for a informative video. It was great! If you get other keys will you please post. I would like a better idea of the different sounds. I like lower pitches than higher. Do you find the E Key needs more breath for blow and draws?
What’s it like when playing Irish jigs etc ? Thanks
After a few days of playing, I hear - especially in the lowest octave - a hollow, tinny, creaky sound when depressing the slide. Not sure if that is just in the nature of a valveless harmonica. My Forerunner 1.0 has this problem too, less so though. Or did I get a lemon?
Loved the short review, especially the part where you play it. Now I know exactly whether it can do bends and if yes how well. More than enough for me. No more research needed. Hearing 2 min of your playing gave me all the answers I needed.
No doubt. When a harpmaster is enthusiastic about a harp you know it has got to perform well.
How would you compare this to Forerunner 1.0 with valves? Who would you recommend either of them to?
Which keys are the lowest? (bellow C)
Interesting, Brendan couldn't get any better sound out of it than I could. Ease has it's price I suppose. Like a Sax with no pads....
Poorly tuned?
I bought a Forerunner 2.0. I like, that the tones respond much better than with my Hohner 270.
But some tones are poorly tuned. C5 occurs three times on the harmonica. 4 and 5 blow differ by 10 cent. 5 blow and 4 draw with sliders in differ by 20 cent!
That is disappointing. What are your experiences?
The Hohner 270 has deviations of only 1 cent.
I'll probably keep the Forerunner anyway, because I can practice better as a beginner, because the tones are much more responsive.
❤❤❤❤❤
❤🎉😊
Sorry Brendan, don't like to nitpick, but they are not showing commitment as you suggested; There's only 11 keys being made available on Amazon UK, and it's 8 months later. Something is obviously not right about this situation. Shame, I would have liked to buy one in the Key of G to see if the model was for me, but that is not possible. There has never been a full 12 slots on the page selling them. Just the 11 to date. So obviously they did not sell out. In my view they have a credibility problem over this model as things stand right now. That is really sad to be compelled to conclude. High hopes dashed on this.
You're crying over 1 key? Get over yourself
@@kishascape Nope, I'm NOT buying one in G to try it out. My last East Top (NE10) is exactly that. It was fine but that's where it ends.
P
I recently ordered one from Ali Express including tax and postage. The E key harp was ￡64.59.: On Amazon they are listed as £56.09 but total with tax is £85.87 So.....