Well, Dutch, I didn't see your response before I ordered. Today I received my Harpmaster F and my Folkmaster E. The Harpmaster is what I expected, consistent with my other Harpmasters. The Folkmaster is pretty much what you told me to expect: the reed plates stick out and makes it difficult to play. However, I was able to adjust the covers so that the reed plates are flush with the covers and I'd have to say that, for the money, the Folkmaster is O.K. I would only buy another if I was in a pinch or needed a cheap harp for limited use. Overall, I'd place it slightly under my Marine Band as far as quality.
Get the HarpMaster! I've got both, but the FolkMaster has reedplates that stick out and are quite sharp (plastic comb, but made like a marine band) , it is small and it's leaky... whereas the HarpMaster is pretty simular to a Bushman Delta Frost in size, shape and sound and easy to play straight out of the box....
Well, I'm about to put in my order for 2 more harps (E and F) and I plan on going with the Suzuki again. However, does anyone have any knowledge of the Suzuki "FolkMaster". It looks like it might just be a cheaper version of the "HarpMaster". It tends to run anywhere from $5 - $10 cheaper. One of the harps I'm going to order is a key of "E" and since I don't play that one all that much right now I think I'm going to take a chance and order that particular harp as a FolkMaster. If anyone has played this harp can you let me know?
I've come to the realization that you basically "...get what you paid for..." when buying harmonicas. I started out with a Hohner Piedmont Blues set, very cheap...price and quality, and then began replacing them with the HarpMasters. I read a few reviews for the "Jambone" that made me think that they might be a decent replacement at a great price so I picked up a few...and I was wrong, they were awful. They leaked air like crazy and were even lower quality than the Piedmont Blues.
Yes, I'm a newbie as well, got my first harp on January 1 and have no musical ability to speak of but I'm starting to 'get it' and can't put my harps down. My first harp was a Marine Band, then I picked up the standard cheap set of Piedmont Blues...nice case, terrible harps. My wife and kids bought me a couple of Harpmasters and I LOVE them. I've been systematically replacing my piedmonts and I've almost got a full set of Harpmasters...easy to play, easy to bend, great tone and I've not had a problem with one yet right out of the box. I just picked up a "D" from www.musicoasis.com and it was a great deal...$15.95 and free shipping.
I have been playing harp now for longer than I would like to say (decades/and should be better) but I have really been loving the Suzuki "HarpMaster Harmonica,it is now my favorite out of the box harp.The key of (A) plays as good as some customized harps I have used.I am not an endorsee for them and I pay for them just like everyone else but I feel very strongly about them.
If you are not satisfied with your current brand you owe it to yourself to give them a try.Go to the following link to read my review. http://bluzharp.tripod.com/harpmaster.html
99% of the time I use the "Bottle O Blues" Harmonica Microphone http://bluzharp.tripod.com/bob.html
and the Epiphone "Valve Jr." with a Weber "Signature" speaker.This is a very cheap setup but I prefer it over the custom $300 mics and thousand dollar boutique.All this form trial and error,but it all boils down to personal taste.