C.A. Seydel Söhne Session F

The Seydel Session is a high quality professional instrument, hand made in Germany. It played well out of the box. But it got even better after several days of heavy use - it became "looser" and much more responsive/expressive, after a break-in period.

I like the extended covers, which enable an airtight seal in your hands. The comb is very smooth on your mouth, and holds the reedplates very air-tight. The reeds are responsive, and are easy to bend with accuracy. The sound is rich with overtones. The overall tone is warm and sweet (not shrill), even on the high reeds. It works great with blues, rock, pop, jazz.

It is slightly bigger than harmonicas of other brands - I find this to be a big improvement, since it is easier to hit the holes cleanly without getting leakage at the adjacent hole. This slightly bigger size also feels better in my hands. Other harps feell too tiny sometimes.

After extensive use, this harmonica has remained perfectly in tune. It is a well-built instrument that has proven to be rugged and durable.

It comes with a nice leather sleeve. This is perfect for carrying in your pocket. I find this to be much better than the bulky plastic boxes of other harmonicas.

At this price, it is a very great value and should last through many years of use.