Favorite harp and why

@Kenguy71 yup Crossovers are great instruments. Welcome to the forum!!

@Chris3 can’t wait to hear what you think of your Joe Spiers harp!

Rock on! :sunglasses:

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Well atm I love playing my East top power bender just the flexibility of the thing the fact it bends on every hole. I had to make a few adjustments, and it’s still a work in progress to get it where I’d like it, in fact I love it so much I’m thinking of switching entirely over to them as it has a fat yet mellow sound, it’s really great for Sonny Boy Williamson clean blues through a mic but when played through a bullet it’s sounds mean! I love it

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Right now, I’m an ultra-newbie, and I only have a (cheap) Hohner Bluesband. It seems ok to start out with, but I’m planning to buy the Hohner Marine Band Deluxe in ‘C’ after Christmas (too many gifts to buy now!)

I saw Luke said it was a good one, but to definitely get the DELUXE model, because the standard Marine Band has some rough and sharp edges that cut the lips.

What do you guys think? Is the MB Deluxe a good one or you guys recommend something else?

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I would go with Hohner Special 20 or if your on a budget East Top 008k

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Seydel session in G after I replaced the bass reedplates with the steel ones I had a moment of “that’ll do” - I think it’s just the case that my breathing is rough and the extra resistance is helping prevent those unintended squeeks, but it’s the best sounding of the 4 I have so far (another seydel in C, an easttop in A and bluesband in A which is by far the worst (was the Cheapest TBF) and relegated to live in the car).

I still intend to try the better Hohner harps, Lee Oskar and Suzuki when I get round to it.

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Hi Andy, thanks for the recommendation! :sunglasses: :+1:

Good idea to keep a cheap one in the car for practice sessions while waiting to pick people up or in long traffic jams! :wink:

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LOL! PapaCurly is, “skeptical about there being any harmonica playing Japanese comedians”. :rofl: Yeah, that’s certainly something you don’t see every day . . . but you NEVER know! :wink:

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Apparently (i read it on the internet) harmoincas were used in Japanese schools at one point for music education (a bit like recorders were in british schools wehen i was a child) which is why there’s makers like Suzuki and Tombo, If thats the case I could see how a Japanese comedian might use a harmonica. but I’m kind of reaching with that and happy to wrong.

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@Extra_Crispy, don’t encourage me, I’ll get myself into trouble. I haven’t played a MB deluxe or a crossover, but both are highly recommended by others. My first harmonica was a blues harp, and it has put me off wooden combs for now. My personal favorite is my rocket amp but if you’re an ultra-newbie I recommend a special 20. The corners are a bit sharp, but you can always round them off with a nail file or similar if it bothers you. They’re easy to play, sound great and the plastic comb makes them easy to clean. I think ‘easy to clean’ is more important when you’re a beginner because we tend to put more spit inside the harmonica, while we are learning correct techniques.

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Yeah, I agree with DukeSilver - you be you. Don’t worry about the turkeys . . . because turkeys always got to gobble - that’s just what they do! How boring if every musician played exactly the same thing! I read that the Golden Melody was popular with many jazz musicians, so play on!

@PapaCurly Thanks - that’s several points of good advice. I appreciate you taking the time. I have heard that Special 20 is a good one. :sunglasses: :+1:

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Hey Piglet, That would make sense. Yes, you’re right, there are several Japanese Harmonica makers, and I read that Lee Oskar Harmonicas are also made in Japan. That would be a great business in Japan if every child grows up playing the harmonica!

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I might hve been wrong on that, i can’t remember where I read it, but the Suzuki website says they focus on the education sector but wikipedia mentions melodians being used in schools which are a bit of a different thing.
I still think it’s good idea for schools to teach harmonica though, small enough to not be a burden, inexpensive enough to issue one to each pupil, diatonic so they’ll struggle to make it really bad.

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I wish I could have a Suzuki Andes Melodica. It sounds like a recorder compared to the traditional melodica sound and I love it. I want to get into melodica sometime in the future, but I don’t know what to get.

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I’m a beginner maybe 2 months in. I’m beating on a Sydel Noble in C. I have a Rocket and it’s much easier to hit bends on. I do like weight of the Sydel and the idea of stainless steel reeds as I know I will be playing incorrectly for some time.

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@Extra_Crispy I’m gonna reinforce your decision for the Marine Band Deluxe. Sooooo sweet.

@Stone Welcome to the forum!!

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Thank you sir! And thanks for all your videos

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I play tenor sax in a band and just picked up harmonica in the last couple of months and I started buying harmonicas for whatever key I needed but without much of a clue so I now have a C Marine Band 1896, a F Special 20 (sadly just got the tip from Luke on going for low F in lesson 70 or so lol), a G Blues Harp and a D Lee Oscar. I’m actually finding the Lee Oscar the toughest to play - not sure why. Our band plays a variety of genres and I’m wondering how much it matters which harmonica goes with which type of music - assuming tuning is the same (?)

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@countrylivin289 cool stuff man! The Marine Bands and Special 20’s are gonna sound sweeter on chordal stuff than the Lee Oskars or Golden Melody’s, and I wouldn’t recommend picking up one of the new Golden Melody’s AT ALL. Better off getting a Rocket, which also sounds great on chords.

The Marine Band Deluxe might be a nice one to try next. You can get them only from Rockin Ron:

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