Thx Luke (really enjoying your course btw - just finished single notes module). To be more specific, when I read the packaging on various harmonicas they often have a matrix of which models go with which musical genre (folk, rock, blues etc…) and I’m wondering how much of this is marketing vs material. I know from the sax world, that it’s the player that makes the 95% and the gear is 5% and it’s more about personal preference / nuances so just wondering if it’s the same with harmonica or whether I should really be choosing which harp I’m using for what more thoughtfully - or maybe by the looks of the collections on display in the forum, I just need to plan for lots of them lol
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For my tuppence worth finding the harmonica that is right for you far outweighs any of the “this is for this, that is for that” kind of talk. There are real differences of course, but at the same time a lot of “much of a muchness” I prefer my Seydels to my Easttops but they all sound like “a harmonica”
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My very first post 
When I started playing I didn’t know what I wanted to play, so I would walk down to our local music store the first weekend of every month and buy a new harmonica of a brand I had never played before. Then I’d play it for that month until it was time to take that walk and try something else. I ended up with a pretty interesting collection.
My favorite by a pretty good margin ended up being the Suzuki Bluesmaster. No sharp edges, the shell extends to the end of the comb which I like, and for me they were the most free blowing. I didn’t feel like the harp was fighting me when I was playing.
Close second is the Lee Oskar, Which I like well enough that I didn’t replace them with Bluesmasters in the same key.
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I own a couple of Bluesmasters and one Lee Oskar. I thought they both had this weird learning curve with having smaller holes that I felt like I needed to adjust my embouchure in order to get the bends to sound good. Which I couldn’t with the LO has it hissed at me whenever I tried to do a 2 draw whole step. But hey, to each their own.
I mainly play Hohners, mainly the Golden Melody (both versions). I bought a Marine Band 1896 last week and it plays very well, but I don’t like the tuning on it. Maybe it’s because I grew up listening to Golden Melodies being played on the radio, but I always loved the sound of the Goldens due to them having a more mellow sounding tone with the full length cover plates. However, I do like the tone that comes out of the Marine Band being more horn-like. It’s a very unique sounding and looking harmonica.
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New around these parts but doing the Beginner to Boss course and 55 lessons complete in only about a month in. Loving it so far. I got am Easttop 008K in C and liked it at first but there was just something about it I didn’t like. Ordered a Special 20 in C and am loving it. Tonight I ordered a Rocket in C. I almost got a Crossover but wasn’t sure if it would be fitting at this point in time. So new hobby, new ways to spend money! haha. At least it’s cheaper than car parts im usually ordering… But I can see how it will get addicting.
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@countrylivin289 It’s marketing my friend. 
I asked someone from Hohner why he thought the Blues Harp sells well, and he said, “honestly, probably because it has the word Blues in the name.”
@savagecreature - welcome to the forum. Thanks for joining us! Rock on! 
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I have a question, I was watching Luke’s reviews on some harmonicas and it looks like Lee Oscar, Hohner special 20 seem like great tools for single notes but what is a great harmonica for more cord playing? What has the best sound for that? I think I will be leaning more country/bluegrassyish even country gospel type playing but I’m still early in my path… and suggestions from people?
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The Special 20 can do it all, both single notes and chords. You can’t really go wrong with them. The more experienced you get learning about gapping and making them airtight the better they get. I’ve been playing for 30 years now ( probably a smidge more than that but I like round numbers) and the SP 20 is my go to. I have East Tops 008k as back ups and practice harps. But live, My SP’s have never let me down.
good to know. Thanks for the reply. As far as getting them air tight, Is this just more practice with technique? I do like my SP20 so far.
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No, it’s more about opening the harp up and taking the plates off sanding them flat with emery cloth and readjusting the reeds to get it to play exactly how you like. But I wouldn’t worry too much about that yet it’s more of a playing on stage pro- player just enjoy your harp as it is for now the more experienced you get, you may want to know this stuff theres plenty of videos on YouTube with this sort of info.
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Thanks Andy!
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No problem
Just after Christmas I was invited to an informal jazz evening that included a number of professional musicians. During a discussion about what comes first the instrument or the player a light-hearted ‘blind hearing’ session started with those with several instruments available playing the same piece on different instruments including some using borrowed instruments as well at their own. I had my usual favorite EastTop Forerunners 1 & 2; a Hohner CX12 and a Suzuki Gregoire Maret G-48 I’d bought in a moment of madness after receiving a larger than usual fee. The results were interesting; playing ‘Misty’ in C minor (C chromatic, slide in draw 4 and 8 B# enharmonic) my best of three was voted on the Forerunner 1; second was on the CX12 and last was on the Suzuki. One of the others playing violin had the best result on one he’d repaired/rebuilt after buying it from a car boot sale for his daughter to learn on at school (he’d even kept the packing case label from a well known tea company on the inside 
). A discussion followed and of those who submitted to being judged they all received their best results on the instrument they liked playing most, not the most expensive or even the one they mostly used for work but the one they liked playing, in two cases they were their practice instruments and one was on a borrowed guitar (I think he tried to buy it). Being judged by professional musicians made the experiment especially interesting and as we all had to drive no alcohol was served so that didn’t come into play. Has anyone else ever tried doing a blind hearing using different harps? Could be fun to try and results could also be interesting especially if judged by people who know their music. Ah well, back to the day job! Jay1
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Just got my Hohner Rocket and Lee Oscar in the mail today. Again, I say this as a beginner who knows nothing but, I like the Lee Oscar the best. I feel as though I can hit single notes more easily and it is comfortable. The holes seem slightly bigger too. The holes on the Rocket are also slightly larger than the SP20 I have. So for me, So far I am liking the Lee Oskar the best. Still have have a Golden Melody on the way though.
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I must invent a reason to try a Lee Oscar, perhaps i’ll fall in love with a tune that needs a melody maker or harmonic minor or something.
I’ve been spending a lot more time with easttop 008Ks sine i bought 2 in “paddy richter” (for doing what my partner calls “the dreaded diddly diddly music”) and they’re actully pretty good.
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Just playing an key of A Special 20 and totally digging it-!
… just substitutioning it for the ‘C’ in all lessons…
I forgot to mention my Lucky 13’s I love these, I’m really into Sonny Boy Williamson II who played some lovely stuff on the old 12 hole Marine bands, the Lucky 13’s are Ideal for doing that sort of thing I also have got into this style playing F in a big way.
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I am going to add to my posts. At this point my 2 favorite are the Lee Oskar and Rocket. I really want to like the Rocket but for me as a beginner it just isn’t as easy to play. Last night I was trying to learn how to bend on draw 4. I almost could get it. Even @Luke in his review of the Rocket said he didn’t like the bendability out of the box. Switched over to my Lee Oskar and pretty. much got it instantly. Not consistently at all but it was there. My other issue with the Rocket is I just don’t think I like how far the comb projects out over the Lee Oskar. So bad I want to love the Rocket because I love the sound and projection it makes, but I keep ending up finishing my practice session on the Lee. Still waiting on the Golden Melody to arrive. Are there people like Harpsmith etc that do the same thing to Lee Oskars? I haven’t seen any Custom Harmonica place that advertises them. Why is that?
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Got a Rocket on my shopping list
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@davemacinnh Yeah so this is all a highly personal preference thing because our mouths and playing styles and aesthetic preferences all differ, so it’s cool to hear that you’re enjoying the journey and exploring. Excellent!
Special 20 and Lee Oskar I think are the easiest harmonicas to bend out of the box. Of course my Joe Spiers customized Marine Bands are just as easy (or easier) but for regular old professional-grade harmonica I find those two models the easiest to bend.
I’ve heard customizers complain that Lee Oskar’s are hard to work on. I don’t know what the specifics are about that. I know @Boaz_Kim_Music has customized some Lee Oskar’s, and I’d love to hear his perspective on it.
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