Are dirt cheap harmonicas any good? My current favourites budget champs are:
1️ The Fender Blues Deluxe ($12)
2️ Hohner Blues Band ($9)
These are what I usually recommend for beginners who want to dip their toes in the water before splurging on a $40-$50 harmonica like a Lee Oskar or a Special 20. But…
…there are soooo many other super cheap harmonicas, I thought I should check them out to see if there were any “sleepers.”
Is there a cheap-o harmonica that can upend the reigning champs in the budget category? Check out my 6 cheapo harp shoot-out and see if you really do get what you pay for.
BTW - here are the tabs for what I play in the first shootout if you fancy a little play-along:
Nice video. I always encourage my student in other instruments to spend a little extra on an instrument if they can. They’ll be happier in the long run, but if they can’t do that, videos like this help. Thanks!
I’m so sorry @Luke but I couldn’t help but laugh out loud when you tried to play the Small Fish I once as a child bought a cheap harmonica for like $1 or $2 (it had blue cover plates) and apart from hole 1 sounding like a ship’s horn as if someone had tuned the reed 3 octaves down, the holes still worked better than the Small Fish
To some degree I see the best way to start is in that 45-55$ range. (Special 20 or similar)
Allow me to clarify — (Keeping in mind everyone is in different financial places in life of course) — at 50$ you are at a much lower starting point than almost all other instruments.
I bought the 16$ fender Blues Deluxe to start and within a month bought a 50$ harmonica - I typically don’t play the 16$ one any more. Making my point of entry 66$ instead of 50$
I now have 4 harmonica and have spent a few hundred in total.
I watched this video and a couple more on YouTube tube which prompted to join this site and download the app. It’s the fact that you took the time ( and money) to spread good information. I thought this is something I can listen to and watch.
My current favourites budget champs are:
I once as a child bought a cheap harmonica for like $1 or $2 (it had blue cover plates) and apart from hole 1 sounding like a ship’s horn as if someone had tuned the reed 3 octaves down, the holes still worked better than the Small Fish
