New progressive series SP 20's

The Hohner new progressive series harps in particular the SP 20, I believe what Hohner actually means by progressive is cheaper production values. I have two SP 20’s in A in my “Live” harps and one East Top 008k in my collection of Live harps (about 30 or so) my first SP 20, is the old series SP 20 I’ve literally had for years, it in tune never blown out or flated out or anything the other was a harp my wife bought me last year literally 12 months ago, and reed five on this so called progressive harp has completely blown out on reed five? And the fact is I have not played this one as much as my old one ( of the old series) which beggars the question why is a harp I used as my second harp which has not been played as much just suddenly blown out? After hardly being played at all? This is not good. Now I’ve had to order new plates which cost as much or just under a brand new harp !? And just how long will these progressive (read, cheap) reeds last. I’m really angry about this. My Wife does not make much money and she works really hard for it. So much so she’s damaged her back. What she paid for this harp is a lot for her to afford, and therefore I deeply anything she buys for me because I know it comes from the heart. I’m frankly disgusted and very angry with Hohner at this point. For me the SP 20 was probably the most reliable harp out there. No wonder the Chinese are taking their business.

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That’s very dissapointing to hear.
I can relate on trasuring things from a partner without a lot of money as well, we’ve been there.

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I just got a Special 20 in A from HARPSMITH. He is very through and every thing is 442. He does change out the comb, which I like, It plays well and all notes are very responsive and bends easy.

My first Hohner was a disaster but they sent a replacement. My C and B flat are great. Cannot comment on my Oskar as it seldom makes its way into my hands. It is just to large and square and the quality of the notes just do not make the grade. Its not the Chinese that will be the ones to worry about as much as the smaller countries that are draining many commodity jobs out to the third world sweat camps. There will always be something cheaper than Hohner but mass produced products are a hit and miss situation and always will be. I do not play a harp until a tech I use has gone through it. I enjoy playing a good harp but working on them every week is not my idea of fun.

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I gap my own harps I think I’ve got a good source now for combs, I want to replace my own reeds and do my own custom work. I have experience in building precision models out of anything. So I believe I could turn my hand to this for my own harps mainly) but the UK is a bit of desert you can’t get anything from the US because of import Tax everything costs twice or even three times as much. But I do think these “progressive harps” are not as good as the last model I think the same has been said of the Golden Melody too. So I’m beginning to look further afield.I was at a gig yesterday and there was a huge pic of a band called Shufflepack on the wall, the harp player was playing an East Top 008k and he’s a bloody good player too he does the whole pre-war blues stuff on his harps

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@scott4 My experience with Hohner is that their quality control is not the greatest, but their customer service is. It’s a pain buying a bum harp, especially when it’s an expensive one, like a Thunderbird, but they have at least sent me new one’s in these situations.

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