I fellow player and great harp tech I know ask me if I ever played a Conjurer harp. I said no as I had never heard of one. He told me they were $15 and I thought of a Walmart bottom shelf harp. The cost is $15 plus shipping. To my surprise the one I got plays very well considering the price. Its not a Crossover but for the money it is remarkably good. Bends and playing the high notes are very easy. Its not one you would play at your daughters wedding but for the money its a great harp to keep around or play when you are stuck in traffic or on a long road trip. I got one, key is A. Got this one from Amazon and the tech went through it. I keep it in my truck play play it for practice. I could not believe how well a $ 15 harp could play.
Some excellent harps for the price. The tonal quality of the top model (WH1006) is stunningly good. I have several different models and my favorites are the WH1006 and the WH1002.
How’s everything going? My Conjurer top line models (WH1006) played very well out of the box – no better and no worse than any of my Hohner, Seydel, etc harps.
The “middle of the line” model (WH1002) did require some gapping adjustments, but then played (and still plays) very well.
I’ve been following your posts and am glad to read how you are learning to customize your harp settings to match your playing style !! This is something that I enjoy doing as well, and (to be honest) it really is not that difficult – it just requires patience and attention to detail. So many players are worried about ruining their harps, but that is why practicing on “el cheapo” models is so important – and sometimes results in turning a toy into a nice practice instrument.
@scott4@Slim I think we’ve been here before, my suspicion, although not proven is that Conjurer is identical to some East:Top models. Even their 10/40 and 12/48 chroms appear to be valveless as are the East:Top models and the case seems to be identical. Jay1
I think not, @Jay1 – I have a number of different East:Top diatonics and none of them have the wonderfully warm, full tone of the Conjurer models that I have.
However, you could be correct with respect to the chromatic models, but I have never played or held one of the chromatics from Conjurer.
@Slim@scott4 I’m only going on pictures, never having seen a Conjurer but from memory there was a post about Conjurer chromatic in Germany, I’ve tried the search button and found nothing so it could be wrong. Jay1
Yes, also the Sonny Boy harmonicas I believe are made by East Top they ( the Sonny Boy factory)claim to use some of the old Hohner machinery to make them I very much have my doubts. I’ve never been happy with the Sonny Boys they need a hell of a lot of work out of the box.
Hello @scott4, thanks to @slim I also bought the two Conjurer models a few months ago and I agree with you on all points.
The models look great and fit perfectly in the hand, and are great to play.
I also agree with you on the adjustments to a harp. For me it is part of learning to play the harp. You learn to understand a harp even better. The time you invest in the adjustments is saved later on when you are learning a song. This is especially true for bending.
I was wanting a D harp to add to my collection and took a chance on a Conjurer so here’s my .02 cents on it: first impression is that it feels cheep, which of course it is. it’s no Special 20 in that regard. the covers feel very tinny and the corners of the end flanges don’t lay flat which may prove to be a mustache grabber (although I haven’t experienced that in my only half hour of play). it’s also very doubtful to me if manufacturing has anything in common with East Top. everything about the construction is quite different from my A East Top. I like the thin mouthpiece area of the Conjurer, which is just a whisker thinner than my C Special 20 and much thinner than the East Top. finish is smooth on the conjurer, including the corners, unlike the East Top. My several Special 20s are certainly still my favorite harps, including my one Lee Oskar, but for an inexpensive practice harp I’m VERY impressed with the full tone and easy play of the Conjurer. I’m guessing the open backside contributes to its full tone. it’s tuned well, according to my metro pitch, the blow and draw bends are clean and easy, so nothing I can complain about there. I like it!!
@Slim@Andy2@AstridHandbikebee63@scott4@RussSkyman My head is hanging with shame I was mixing Conjurer with Cascha OK they both begin with C but there the similarity ends. Put it down to a hard day at work; wax in the ears; too many gin & tonics (no there’s no such thing as too many); being a chromatic player; jet lag or I could have just been WRONG Jay1
I hope you are up and running and will run a four minute mile soon. Thanks for your kind comments. Reed gapping, checking reed plates to make sure they are straight is about all I do. I use alcohol to dip my harps in and it works very well. plastic combs only.
I agree its not that difficult and starting small is the key in terms of adjustment. I gap my harps as small as possible as I play many single note licks that require little pressure. Glad you are back and hopefully feeling very well.
I agree and having one in your car when traffic is bad or your trip is hours long takes the edge off. Sounds like you have a job like I did before retiring. A G & C is a great way to slow things down, especially after a long flight.
@scott4 I never drink before or when driving nor do I play harmonica when driving as a lawyer everything is by the book otherwise I’d be locked up and the key thrown away Jay1
I would recommend playing a more expensive harp. My opinion, harps under $30 are holding the player back UNLESS they are not bending or overblowing, or using vibrato.
Stated more positively, less expensive harps are great for playing cowboy style- straight tone, hands being used as the only expressive element.
I have also been drawn in by “it plays well for a cheap harp” and found it to be an avenue of diminishing returns.
In all fairness I am also of the opinion that people learning should play on a fine harp. When you buy at the bottom of the market, to the makers you are voting for less quality control and less investment in improvements.
The harp still has a long way to go to have the level of quality seen in most other instruments.
Even at $30, that harp will last a hard player a year, and costs less than a sax player will spend on reeds. Going up you can get better harps at each price point up until about $100.
Is playing a harp in a car illegal. As far as drinking the alcohol industry would go belly up as I have no use for anything but water or iced tea. Texas is my home and anyone with an open can of beer usually goes to jail, which I favor. Playing the harp when on the road again is ok with me.
I never thought of a harmonica as an investment. It is used after the first note is played but I play the harp for fun, not money. Good common stocks are what I look to for investments but they serve a very different purpose.
I do strongly agree that a new player should buy a very nice harp and have a tech go through it. In the event a player gets hooked on the harp they do not have to buy a second, more expensive harp. From a value standpoint the harp is hard to beat as your cost is your downside. The harp I am looking for sounds like a crossover but single notes as easy as a Lee Osker.
Is playing a harp in a car illegal[quote=“scott4, post:18, topic:20803”]
Is playing a harp in a car illegal
[/quote] Every country and even every state in among other places the US of A has its own traffic regulations. In the UK it would be under the Road Traffic Act 1988, s.3 Carrying out other tasks while driving with the potential for an unlimited fine and/or escalation to s.2 Dangerous driving such as using a hand-held phone or other equipment (harmonica) with the potential for a custodial sentence. So some free advice DON’T PLAY HARMONICA WHEN IN CHARGE OF A MOTOR VEHICLE IN A PUBLIC PLACE. That’s not just when driving it’s being in charge and anywhere open to the public Jay1
Jay1
OK they both begin with C but there the similarity ends. Put it down to a hard day at work; wax in the ears; too many gin & tonics (no there’s no such thing as too many); being a chromatic player; jet lag or I could have just been WRONG 
Jay1