I play several different styles and for a straight folk style with the harmonica in a rack i loved the tone of my old Golden Melody. It gave up the ghost finally. Somebody gave me an Eastop, which is nice for blues but I’ve been thinking about getting another Golden Melody.
I read Luke’s review and it sounds like the new ones just aren’t the same.
What are your opinions of the tone of the new ones?
Thanks
Jay
Hi Jay @Jaybear
As far as the tone goes, I find the new model to be richer, fuller and warmer.
Regards,
– Slim 
Thanks. Since this is going to be all that’s available that’s good to hear. So often in the modern world “progress” and “improvements” make things worse so i was worried.
Jay
Hi Jay @Jaybear
Although I like the new model’s tone, I noted elsewhere in a posting on this forum that the harp I purchased came with very poorly gapped reeds that made bends one the lower end almost impossible to play … only after much time and effort setting these gaps correctly did I achieve a reasonable setup that played as well as the older models did right out of the box 
As Astrid @AstridHandbikebee63 has suggested on this forum, the quality control of the new models has not yet reached the level of the older models.
Regards,
– Slim
Thanks. Although i’ve played a while, gapping reeds is something i’ve never done and don’t intend to start.
If the first batches are indeed no good and if they do correct that, when and how will it be possible to purchase a good new GM? Even in a year, how can one know they are getting a new batch rather than first run?
Hello @Jaybear,
% you will never get! Here in Germany it still seems as if the New Golden Melody will only be available in the medium term, depending on the key.
For me, that is the sign that there is still pressure on the delivery!
Observe the market, read reviews, there will also be some on Youtube who are increasingly playing the New Golden Melody, listen there! I don’t mean those who advertise the harp!
As you can see here in the forum, many players have their preferences for certain manufacturers of harps. 
You too will find your 
. 
Best Regards from Astrid 
Hey @Jaybear welcome to the forum my friend! Happy to have you here. Sorry for the long delay on my reply, tho it sounds like you’d already heard my 2 cents anyway.
Did you end up buying one?
I own the old one in G and have had a new model in C. I prefer the tone of the new one a bit more, but I think the old one is just a tiny bit easier to play overall. My opinion is very similar to Luke’s. Both are very nice, though.
But I’m still pretty much a beginner. An advanced player can do pretty much whatever they want on either of them.
I’m holding off until i read more reviews
Hi. I never tried a 2023-style Golden Melody, but they are very leaky from what I’ve heard. I play the 50s-style Golden Melody (the original model or as my friend, Todd Parrott likes to say: Oldie Goldie). From Rachelle Plas (who plays Goldens exclusively) and people who don’t play GMs, they think it’s a good harp. However, a lot of people who regularly play them like Jason Ricci say it’s not an improvement over the original. In fact, they claim Hohner made it worse. I decided not to get one because it’ll mess up the aesthetics of my gig bag.
Thanks. This is the type of feedback I was looking for. Can you please go into more detail about who said it was leaky and what other criticisms they had.
I prefer not to use names in order to protect their privacy and to not get them into trouble with their corporate overlords, as some of the people saying these things are actually endorsed by Hohner.
I’m no expert, but mine doesn’t appear leaky. Luke seemed happy with his in his review. I’m not arguing at all, but there are many positive reviews on YouTube. They can’t all be paid shills, ;). But if you love the old model, I’d snatch them up while you can find old stock.
My new GM model in G is also not leaky and the tone seems to me to be superior to the old GMs. But as I mentioned elsewhere: the new harp came with hamfisted reed gaps that required much of my time to correct.
I just ordered a new golden melody. I tried to find the old one but no longer in production. My C golden melody appears to be very very leaky compared to my Honer crossover. Now I’m trying to find a cheap version of the screwdriver to open it up and try to adjust it
I just got off a long Zoom call with Todd Parrott who LOVES GM’s, but he HATES the new ones - same complaint: super leaky. I bought mine when they first came out to review it, and really haven’t picked it up again since…
Its really unfortunate Hohner screwed up such a good thing because they felt the need to “improve” it rather than just ordering new machinery exactly like the old machines
Dang Blang it! I’ve ordered a GM from my local store. I assume it will be the new model. Although by the time the order gets through from sleepy Mandurah, it might be the third model. Never got to play the old one.
He told me that too, a long time ago. Another person I recall who said they didn’t like the GMPs is T.J. Klay, another country player who uses overblows and who used to be Terry McMillan’s best friend. I felt like everybody (sans Rachelle Plas and anybody outside of the Golden Melody fanbase) hates this harp. Steve Baker liked them and tried to convince me to buy one, but his sales pitch towards me sounded like a corporate advertisement and not from a genuine love for the instrument. He even said the random divet in the back is a place to hold your fingers at. He got extremely offended by what I said.
So much for being honest, I’ll probably never get to be a Hohner artist from that alone. /j
So i actually bought a new F harp a few months ago. This is the review I posted on Rockin Ron’s
Jay on Jul 18, 2023
In many ways this feels like a well-made harp, played well right out of the box, still as easy to play as ever, but to my ear the tone just doesn’t sound as good as the old models. Sounds thinner and not as beautiful. Tone and ease of play were the main reasons I loved Golden Melody.
I probably won’t be buying any more of these
Q: a lot of posters here are saying the harp felt leaky. I’m not a harp pro like some of you so did i not notice it or are the high pitched harps inherently tighter-less leaky?