I’m thinking of getting one. Is it blow and suck or blow only. Does anyone recommend it. Thanks.
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Hey @johncrosley - welcome to the forum my friend! Sorry for the long delay here.
Not sure if this is the same model:
Looks like it might be? If so, it looks like it’s blow only.
@Boaz_Kim_Music is the expert on this subject. It seems like this is probably the most affordable bass harmonica to dip your toes in the water.
Boaz - is it typical for bass harmonicas to be blow-only?
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I bought a Swan bass some years ago, for the same ‘dip the toes’ reason. Exactly the same layout as the EastTop and also blow-only. The lowest C reed is about the size of my little finger and takes a lot of air to get going. I can’t suck that hard!
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Hey @Luke Thanks for the tag. The OP is asking about a different one than the one you posted a video of. This is what it should be https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256802999557234.html?gatewayAdapt=glo2usa4itemAdapt
I’m not totally sure about this one, as I haven’t played it and there’s only one video of it that I could find. It doesn’t go as low as a standard bass harmonica, and it doesn’t appear to be fully chromatic. I believe it is blow and draw. The note layout is very different than the common diatonics and slide-chromatic harmonicas. I have a feeling the acoustic volume of it will be quieter than standard bass harmonicas.
True, almost all bass harmonicas (Like the one Luke are all blow, though a few were blow-draw made over the years like a factory made custom Hohner a friend of mine has.
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Hey @boaz thank you so much for commenting and making the correction. Yeah I agree from the video looks and sounds, and from the name of the harmonica “MELODY Bass Harmonica”, I’m guessing that it’s blow and draw.
I had not known that bass harmonica’s are typically blow only!!!
What is your common go-to axe when you’re playing bass harmonica. Maybe you could post a link to a video of you playing it as well?
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Yeah, it’s interesting that most basses are just blow compared to most harmonicas. I guess it might allow for more consistent response throughout the whole range where draw notes might suffer in a certain spot.
My go-to bass harmonica is my Hohner Bass 78, which is the extended range double bass harmonica with an acrylic comb. For this style of bass, it’s pretty nice and has good projection which bass harmonicas definitely suffer from. I also like it because it has the lowest range (down to the low E string on a bass guitar) and still has some high notes (middle C) which can be useful for melodies/harmonies and options for bass lines.
If you all would like to hear a sample:
https://youtu.be/4F5XESt2ANI?si=XlQ-3eRsB4M7PScZ (Beatles)
https://youtu.be/9-BmJERXht0?si=k4G7jOT0sI1f66qa (Jobim with Rob Paparozzi on chromatic)
https://youtu.be/2EDa-o2na0U?si=jkIOr9YY3uIdtRFA (A bass harmonica that I custom tuned even lower for a studio in California)
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