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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